The interest and engagement in hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles is growing, as we learned at a recent industry open day.

Hosted by waste management business Solo Resource Recovery in partnership with Pure Hydrogen, the two companies showed off a recently delivered hydrogen waste truck, which is set to join Solo’s rubbish collection fleet.

As many as 80 interested parties got to the Clayton South location in Melbourne’s south-east to check out the truck and speak to representatives from both companies, including PowerTorque.

Many were from local Melbourne councils, no doubt interested in what hydrogen solutions can offer their own waste management fleets.

Solo Resource Recovery’s Victorian state manager Adrien Scott spoke on the advancements that they have enjoyed throughout their history, with the move to hydrogen marking the next step.

“We want to recognise the innovation that Solo has done over the last 92 years,” he says.

“Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s we pioneered the introduction of the side arm on our waste trucks. The next step is fuels, from a commercial point of view and an environmental point of view.

“The obligations for all the councils that are here by 2050 are a pretty steep mark to get to. We’d like to be a part of that journey and a part of that process.

“Our trucks include a true hydrogen truck, a battery electric truck, and all the others are Euro 6 or going to Euro 6. They offer us the best emissions outcomes.”

We were able to get a good look in and around the hydrogen waste truck, which cut a strong image with its bright green splashes on the back loader.

Solo’s hydrogen truck is a TG23-H110 model, which is designed to be a refuse truck, in a 6×4 configuration. It has a GCM of 23,000kg and a tare weight of 8900kg.

It features a 110kW Ballard hydrogen fuel cell, Hendrickson air suspension, hydraulic power steering and an ABS braking system. The body is a low cab, with electronic rear-view mirrors.

The cabin isn’t overly spacious, but for local driving doing waste collection work, it has all the necessities to make the drive as comfortable as possible.

Moving to hydrogen is a big step for Solo, but Adrien says they are hoping to be at the forefront of the next innovation in trucking.

“There have been alternative fuels discussed over many years. In 2005, we tried recycled vegetable oil, and it did work,” he says.

“In 2007 and 2008 I was involved in the LPG conversion of diesel trucks for interstate transport to and from Sydney.

“All these things test the boundaries of what the transport sector is about. In South Australia we’ve tried the injection of hydrogen into the engine bay to burn off more carbon and reduce more emissions.

“We’re quietly confident that hydrogen is the way to go. Diesel is not going to go anywhere in a short timeframe, however. It’s just going to become more expensive.

“I know it sounds awful, but the reality is we’re bound to the kilometres travelled when it comes to how much fuel we use.”

The TG23-H110 boasts an estimated range of 250km. While this obviously isn’t anything impressive for anything that has to do any sort of interstate driving, for a rubbish truck, this is more than enough.

You can read the full story in the March/April edition of PowerTorque.

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