Hydrogen technology provider Zero Emission Industries (ZEI) has unveiled its FTcase, a portable hydrogen refueling solution barely larger than carry-on luggage.
The FTcase eliminates the complexities of gaseous hydrogen refueling and simplifies the process for all markets. This product enables the rapid deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles and heavy-duty equipment, eliminating a major barrier to widespread hydrogen adoption: the lack of accessible and convenient fueling infrastructure.
“With hydrogen fueling — like any fueling — safety is paramount,” says Dr. Joe Pratt, CEO of ZEI. “Everything else comes second.”
Previously, that safety has come with a cost. Safe hydrogen fueling of large-scale machinery has meant complicated processes, equipment and infrastructure that are both expensive and unreliable. Past options included:
- Move vehicles or equipment to a hydrogen fueling station, which are currently few and far between.
- Build an expensive refueling installation somewhere that equipment can access.
- Engage so-called “mobile” solutions that involve huge trailers with low availability and frequent downtime.
ZEI invented field-validated, software-controlled technology to ensure the safety of every fueling operation. Designed for safety and reliability, the FTcase integrates advanced “fail-safe” systems, minimizing risks and consistently exceeding stringent safety standards. And ZEI packs it all into a portable box the size of a suitcase.
Hydrogen fueling of commercial and heavy equipment has been a “behind the fence” operation, requiring highly trained technical expertise to perform fueling operations. For industrial uses, this has a huge and direct impact on cost, deployment time, vehicle operations and, ultimately, whether hydrogen is even an option.
The FTcase allows a single operator without hydrogen expertise to fuel safely and efficiently. After a brief initial setup, industrial hydrogen fueling operations are no longer very different from filling up a car with gasoline.
“Trained hydrogen technicians are rare, and FTcase ensures top-notch safety with no technical staff involved,” says John Motlow, chief strategy officer of ZEI. “Staffing is no longer a barrier to hydrogen fueling.”
ZEI’s solution can transform any gaseous hydrogen supply into a complete hydrogen fueling station. Versatility is key to the FTcase, which can refuel cars, heavy-duty equipment, port infrastructure, commercial haulers, transport trucks, work trucks, buses and even stationary power systems.
The FTcase is available now. This hardware-as-a-service offering provides continuous service for maximum uptime, automatic updates and improvements, and lowers the total cost of ownership for hydrogen adopters.
