Hydrogen fuel cell electric non-road mobile MAChinery for Mining And Construction

Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) incorporates a wide range of apparatus, with or without bodywork and wheels, they are installed with a combustion engine and not intended for carrying passengers or goods on the road. They are used in many different sectors including construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, local authorities, airport and port ground operations, railways, inland waterways and within the household and gardening sector.

Internal combustion engines (ICEs) installed in NRMMs (e.g. diesel or gasoline fuelled) significantly contribute to global GHG emissions, as well as local air pollution, by emitting carbon oxides (COx), hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter. Moreover, combustion engines cause significant noise and odour disturbances for the driver, the workers and the surrounding environment.

Hydrogen fuel cells appear to be a suitable solution for such types of vehicles compared to batteries. However, the reliability and performance stability of a complete fuel cell system on NRMMs in harsh environments, and/or where access to electricity is limited, as it has not been yet demonstrated.

H2MAC is a four-year project that aims to design and demonstrate an innovative, efficient, quiet, modular and scalable FCE powertrain concept for NRMMs in construction and mining applications that features a harsh environment, particularly dust and vibration. The development of this FCE powertrain concept need to gather several innovations beyond the state-of-the-art related to electrification of machinery, noise and vibration mitigation, use of a FC in NRMMs and the development of components related to the powertrain and other subsystems.

Two NRMMs, an excavator and a shredder for the construction and mining sector, will be newly designed to integrate the new FC powertrain and the related subsystems (this is not a retrofitting). 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.

The simultaneous demonstration of the two prototypes of hydrogen FC propelled machinery during 1000 hours will take place at single real environment (quarry), where the Regulatory Codes and Standards will be carefully evaluated to pave the way for a successful introduction of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the various fields of application of NRMM.

H2MAC project will set a robust basis for the future development, from production lines to commercial products, of NRMMs, as well as providing insights with respect to requirements for refuelling stations, through this simultaneous demonstration which will build confidence in hydrogen fuel cell technology and supply chain for all of the off-road industry sectors and thus accelerate their uptake.

 Project number: 101137786

 Project name: Hydrogen fuel cell electric non-road mobile MAChinery for Mining And Construction: An innovative, efficient, scalable, silent and modular power-train concept

 Project acronym: H2MAC

 Programme: HORIZON.2.5 – Climate, Energy and Mobility

 Call: HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2023-1

Topic: HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2023-03-01

Type of action: HORIZON JU Innovation Actions

Granting authority: Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking

 Project starting date: 1 January 2024

 Project end date: 31 December 2027

Coordinated by: Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón