CTE hydrogen fuel project finishes its first year

CTE hydrogen fuel project finishes its first year

May 21, 2013 Off By Bret Williams

 Hydrogen fuel project in California successfully reaches first anniversary

Georgia’s Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), a non-profit organization focused on clean fuels and their use in transportation, has completed its first year of operating hydrogen-powered forklifts in California’s Defense Depot San Joaquin. The organization participated in this project in order to demonstrate the capabilities of these vehicles, as well as to gauge the prospects of hydrogen fuel cells and their use in the materials handling space. Fuel cells have been gaining traction in this sector for some time, becoming quite popular with at retail distribution centers.

Project aims to demonstrate capabilities of fuel cells

One of the project’s primary goals is to spread awareness of hydrogen fuel cells and how they can be used to power vehicles of various types. The project was sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency, which is now responsible for analyzing the data that was collected through the project concerning the performance of these vehicles as well as the various technologies that went into its operation.

Several companies are involved in CTE project

The companies that provided their technologies to the project include Plug Power, Air Products, Proton OnSite, and Pape Material Handling. In the case of Plug Power, the company’s GenDrive hydrogen fuel cells were put to use in the forklifts. Air Products, a leading producer of industrial chemicals, was responsible for the hydrogen storage and dispensing equipment that is being used for the project. Proton OnSite developed the hydrogen fuel production system and Pape Material Handling is responsible for maintaining the forklifts that are equipped with Plug Power’s fuel cells.

Hydrogen Fuel success

Project estimated to last another year

Though the project has completed a full year of operation, it has not yet reached its finish. CTE expects another 12 months to pass before the project is officially over. By that time, the project will have generated enough data to provide more insight in hydrogen fuel cells and how they can be used in materials handling and other sectors.

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