Hydrogen trucks for waste collection
About this good practice
Problem addressed
Renova, waste management company based in West Sweden, wanted to increase the mileage and load capacity of its garbage trucks, as well as modernize operations to become fossil-free and make operations cheaper.
Objectives and implementation
Renova chose hydrogen trucks to modernize and streamline operations. But, at that time, there were no hydrogen trucks available on the market. They chose to convert electric garbage trucks to hydrogen operation.
Stakeholders and beneficiaries
Stakeholder: Renova AB is a waste management company owned by ten municipalities in Western Sweden.
Beneficiaries: Inhabitants in 10 municipalities, aroung 1 million people
Resources needed
The total cost was SEK 5,5 million (€500,000) per truck for purchase. Additional SEK 5.5 million (€500,000) for adaptation and repairs.Other resources include buyers for requirements specification during purchasing, engineers for customization, truck drivers for operations and mechanics for repairs
Evidence of success
The trucks converted to hyderogen drive have become quieter, which is appreciated by residents where the garbage is collected. The hydrogen cargo truck also has a higher load capacity compared to electrical because it has no battery and produces fewer emissions compared to conventional diesel truck. But the biggest advantage of the hydrogen trucks is its longer driving range compared to the electric trucks.
Potential for learning or transfer
Hydrogen trucks have many advantages. One of them is that its fuel tank does not need to be changed as often as it does for truck using biogas.
On the other side men should also think about the infrastructure for hydrogen trucks. It is less expensive if there are filling stations and a hydrogen production plant nearby. In this case, hydrogen was purchased from suppliers from Norway and Sweden. Hydrogen was then loaded onto another truck for transportation to the Gothenburg where the hydrogen truck is operating. This increases the environmental impact and the cost of fuel.
Garbage trucks have many starts and stops. Hydrogen fuel cells are not protected but exposed to moisture in the design of today's trucks. Right now, truck manufacturers are offering to be part of the development stage of hydrogen trucks and set requirements for construction.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
