A high-profile hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift technology demonstration was held on 26 October at the 164-door Springfield freight service centre of Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx Corp.
"This was part of the recovery act effort," says Dr Sunita Satyapal, program manager for the fuel cell technologies program of the US Department of Energy (DoE).
Plug Power Inc of Latham, New York installed fuel cell technology in 35 Toyota forklifts previously using battery power. Each has a lifting capacity of 3,800 lbs (1,710 kg).
DoE provided USD1.3 million, and the FedEx team contributed USD1.5 million under cost-share provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Satyapal told
Forkliftaction.com News following a ceremony in the Springfield service centre.
The DoE fuel cell technologies program addresses barriers facing development and use of hydrogen and fuel cells. The goal is to decrease dependence on oil, reduce carbon emissions and enable clean and reliable power generation.
Under the Recovery Act and including the Springfield conversion, "we have delivered a total of 276" forklifts with fuel cell power, she explains. The sites include a new North Houston, Texas distribution centre of Sysco Corp
(Forkliftaction.com News #467), a Pottsville, Pennsylvania retail service centre of Wegmans Food Markets Inc
(Forkliftaction.com News #426) and a San Antonio, Texas perishables distribution centre of HEB Grocery Co LP
(Forkliftaction.com News #415).
"We expect another 400 (conversions) in the next year including some back-up power sites," Satyapal reports.
DoE is collecting data. So far, the in-field fuel cells have 150,000 hours of operation and more than 13,000 fill ups with more than 6,000 kg of hydrogen. "We are continuing to monitor," she says.
End-users are "very pleased with the performance" of the fuel cell-powered forklifts, and it makes sense economically, Satyapal notes. Quick refills replace lengthy battery charging and cooling cycles.
William J Logue, president and chief executive officer of the corporation's FedEx Freight business segment, was among participants in the ceremony. FedEx Freight provides less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services through fast-transit and economical LTL options and averages more than 90,000 shipments daily.
Others included Andy Marsh from Plug Power; Bruce Luff with hydrogen-infrastructure provider Air Products & Chemicals Inc of Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Mitch Jackson, vice president of environmental affairs and sustainability for FedEx Corp.