Cryostar and Verne partner to develop cryo-compressed hydrogen fueling solutions for heavy-duty vehicles.
Cryostar and Verne announced a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a full suite of cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH2) fueling solutions for heavy-duty station developers and heavy-duty fleets. The two companies will jointly develop and demonstrate technology for “future-proofed” heavy-duty hydrogen stations capable of dispensing both compressed hydrogen and CcH2.
While heavy-duty hydrogen trucks currently use compressed hydrogen (e.g. 350 bar, 700 bar), industry participants expect to transition to cryogenic hydrogen storage methods (e.g. CcH2, liquid hydrogen) to maximize vehicle range and minimize system weight. Cryostar and Verne are developing a high flow cryopump compatible with both compressed hydrogen and CcH2, allowing fuel stations to dispense compressed hydrogen today and to accommodate a transition to CcH2 fueling in the future. The Cryostar and Verne solution is the lowest cost pathway for future-proofed stations. Starting in 2025, the parties will begin demonstration tests and will target high flow (10 kg/min) and high-density fueling solutions.
Heavy-duty transportation is responsible for 12% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and current zero-emission solutions do not meet the needs of heavy-duty vehicles. Battery electric trucks provide limited range and add 5,000+ pounds to the weight of the truck, reducing the payload available to haul cargo. Current hydrogen solutions offer an improvement over battery electric trucks, but the limited hydrogen density of existing storage methods mean these trucks still fall short of diesel-truck performance. CcH2 enables an 87% improvement in density relative to 700 bar compressed gas hydrogen and a 33% improvement over liquid hydrogen, allowing CcH2 trucks to achieve diesel-equivalent range and payload.
With more than 50 years of experience in the gas and cryogenics industry, Cryostar has developed several liquid hydrogen pumps and hydrogen filling solutions for the hydrogen value chain that can be seen across various markets (e.g. mobility, energy, marine). Several hundreds of these LH2 pumps are already in use worldwide, allowing Cryostar to develop significant expertise in H2 filling systems & processes and to become a key player in the cryogenic hydrogen market.
Verne is a leading developer of cryo-compressed hydrogen systems, including storage tanks for onboard CcH2 storage and refueling equipment that converts gaseous hydrogen into CcH2. In 2023, Verne demonstrated a world-record 29 kg storage tank at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, equivalent to the tank size that would be used in heavy-duty trucking, and completed drive testing of a CcH2 storage system onboard a vehicle. Verne recently announced the first demonstration of CcH2 onboard a Class 8 Truck, set to take place in late 2024.
Ted McKlveen, Co-founder & CEO of Verne, said:
It is becoming increasingly clear that CcH2 will be required to meet the energy and payload requirements of the trucking industry.
“Cryostar develops best-in-class cryogenic pump products and is the ideal partner for developing CcH2 fueling solutions.”
Samuel Zouaghi, CEO of Cryostar, said:
Cryostar believes in the strong role of CcH2 in the decarbonization of the MD/HD transportation.
“Verne is leading the development of CcH2 tanks and has already collected CcH2 filling process expertise, making this collaboration a perfect fit”, he added.
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Cryostar and Verne partner to develop cryo-compressed hydrogen fueling solutions for heavy-duty vehicles.
