Project description
Embracing fuel cell power in construction and mining
In the construction and mining industries, traditional machinery relies heavily on fossil fuels, leading to significant emissions and environmental damage. Moreover, these machines often operate inefficiently, adding to operational costs and resource depletion. The EU-funded H2MAC project tackles this by reimagining key machines. Specifically, an excavator and shredder will be designed to integrate cutting-edge fuel cell (FC) powertrains, offering cleaner and more adaptable solutions. The excavator, powered by a 120 kW FC module, caters to dynamic movements, while the shredder, with two 240 kW modules, suits static operations. Through meticulous planning and assessment, the project aims to mitigate risks and optimise resource utilisation. With partners spanning various sectors, H2MAC seeks to demonstrate its innovations over 1 000 hours in real-world conditions.
Objective
In H2MAC, two machines, namely an excavator and a shredder for the construction and mining sector, will be newly designed to integrate a FC powertrain and the related subsystems. The machines selected for the project will demonstrate a modular solution scalable, as the excavator will be powered by a FC consisting of one module of 120 kW, and the shredder will upscale the concept using two modules to enlarge the power to 240 kW. The operation of the machines is also complementary, as the excavator has a load profile derived of its movement during operation, while the shredder is a more static machine when operating. At the proposal stage, a preliminary assessment of the duty cycles have been performed to select the perfect showcase for the project activities, as well as carefully assess the size of the systems which will be developed during the project. This actions already done will pave the way to a successful project and minimise the project risks related to the planning of project resources.
That, together with the simultaneous demonstration of the machines during 1000 hours in a single real environment, will allow the partners to develop solutions capable of operation in different sectors and operative patterns, and help broadening the project impacts and commercial exploitation. The consortium is composed of different technological partners, component manufacturers, machinery manufacturers and associations that will help communication, dissemination and exploitation through standardisation.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-JU-IA - HORIZON JU Innovation ActionsCoordinator
50018 Zaragoza
Spain