During a live presentation at the Spanish port of Valencia, participants were able to witness the Hyster reach stacker with hydrogen fuel cell and refueling system in action. According to the manufacturer, this is the first reach stacker application of its kind in Europe to operate under real-world conditions.
The demonstrated ReachStacker converts hydrogen into electricity using a Nuvera E-Series fuel cell engine. The ReachStacker was developed for use in the Port of Valencia as part of the H2Ports project. This EU-funded project is financed by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH-JU) and coordinated by the Fundación Valenciaport.
During the demo day, visitors learned about the ReachStacker through presentations by project experts and saw the prototype of the hydrogen refueling system at the port. The ReachStacker arrived at the MSC terminal in September and has been undergoing live testing ever since.
Photos: Hyster
The hydrogen is stored in integrated high-pressure tanks on the reach stacker. These can be filled within 10 to 15 minutes. Depending on demand, the hydrogen fuel cell supplies either the electric motors or the batteries with power. Without a diesel engine, transmission, and other mechanically driven components, port operators are also expected to benefit from lower operating costs with this reach stacker.
Jan-Willem van den Brand, Director of Global Market Development at Hyster: “The ReachStacker lifts loaded containers with similar performance to a diesel vehicle. This offers potential. (…) The practical application tests in Valencia are giving us a wealth of feedback and insights.”
