Hexagon Purus has signed a contract with a major U.S. hydrogen fuel supplier and hydrogen refueling station operator to provide multiple X-STORE transport modules for the distribution of high-pressure hydrogen gas.
The contract has an estimated value of $4.8 million and includes additional purchase options that, if exercised, will bring the total value of the contract to approximately $7 million.
The contract represents the first North American customer of Hexagon’s X-STORE line of transport modules for high-pressure hydrogen gas. The purchased transport modules are composed of Hexagon’s lightweight, Type 4, 500 bar pressure vessels. The 20-foot modules are designed to carry nearly 600 kg of hydrogen. The capacity of these modules reduces transportation cost on a per kilogram of hydrogen basis and further contributes to the commercial viability of fuel-cell vehicles.
“The X-STORE product will be an economic game-changer in the North American hydrogen fuel market because higher payload capacities mean lower overall transportation costs,” says Michael Kleschinski, executive vice president of Hexagon Purus.
“The X-STORE is a proven product line, already widely used in Europe and the rest of the world by a blue-chip customer base,” he adds.
The shift to hydrogen and zero-emission fuel cell electric vehicles is driven by the desire to improve air quality and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to support energy independence. The U.S. has a growing hydrogen fuel market with a private fuel cell vehicle fleet of over 8000 and over 40 retail hydrogen refueling stations. The number of hydrogen refueling stations is expected to double over the next few years.
Hydrogen is a clean and safe energy carrier that can be used as fuel for power in a wide range of applications and can be easily stored on a large scale. Hexagon’s lightweight, durable all-composite pressure cylinders enable more gaseous hydrogen to be stored and transported per trip than any other technology.
The modules are due to be delivered in the third quarter of 2021.
Photo: Hexagon Purus’ Transport modules for hydrogen web page