Nestlé Waters Converts Lift Trucks from LPG to Hydrogen Fuel Cells
09 April 2009
Nestlé Waters North America has installed 32 Plug Power GenDrive hydrogen fuel cells, purchased in 2008, in its materials-handling fleet at their Dallas, Texas bottling facility. As a result, Nestle Waters has converted its entire fleet of sit-down counterbalanced lift trucks from internal combustion (IC) engines powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to Yale class I electric lift trucks powered by GenDrive power units.
Nestlé Waters evaluated both hydrogen fuel cells and lead-acid batteries as potential replacements for the LPG-fueled systems.
Nestlé Waters also signed a long-term agreement with Air Products to supply hydrogen and hydrogen fueling station technology for the Dallas facility. The fueling station is to be installed and operational during the second quarter of 2009.
The fueling infrastructure consists of an outdoor liquid hydrogen storage and compression system, as well as multiple indoor fueling dispensers for operator refueling. The GenDrive power units can be quickly refueled by the lift truck operator in less than 5 minutes.
This is great. Any idea what their motivation was for switching?
Posted by: Rosalie | 09 April 2009 at 12:53 PM
It is good to read that something is done and not that something will be done.
As to motives. From what I can determine Nestle needed or just decided to replace the CNG they were using. They could afford to and fossil fuels would not be considered.
Sort of narrows the fiscal analysis doesn't it?
The production and use of the hydrogen may release as much CO2 as the CNG ever did. But that CO2 will be elsewhere and any fault that of others.
Not knocking Nestle. They are moving with the times. If you can afford it you are better off to be green or appear green.
Posted by: Ken | 09 April 2009 at 02:11 PM
If you click the link you find out it was cheaper for them to go h2 then to go lead acid batteries and the resulting building they would need to change the batteries and charge em.
Also its lpg not cng they were using.
Posted by: wintermane2000 | 09 April 2009 at 02:43 PM
I did follow the link. It said they considered batteries and H and decided H was cheaper.
Nothing I wrote was contrary to that.
Agreed, I typed CNG rather than LPG.
Posted by: Ken | 09 April 2009 at 03:12 PM
“Any idea what their motivation was for switching?”
No carbon monoxide from H2 fuel cells. This may be important in a warehouse.
Posted by: Kit P | 09 April 2009 at 04:32 PM
The main reason many industrial places are looking to switch to fuel cells is it lets them chop a maintenance shed down from mcmansion size to tin shed size and gets rid of the need for a full time staff.
At some places that staff alone being they are needed 24/7 eat up ALOT of money each year. 3 people 24/7= a fairly big total staff.
Oh and to make everything even more interesting remember if they were using lpg indoors they needed to run massive power gobbling ventilation fans all the time to provide fresh air. In a big building that could eat 100 kw or more every hour of the day.
Posted by: wintermane2000 | 10 April 2009 at 01:55 AM
My local grocery store uses LPG-powered floor buffers. I haven't noticed that their ventilation is any better than others'.
On the other hand, I have in my possession an ex-floor buffer engine allegedly retired because it no longer meets specifications for indoor use. Maybe that's where the expense comes in.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 10 April 2009 at 07:46 PM
Ya most likely its a co issue. Also do they use the buffers when customers are around? Likely alot of whats spuring this change is a change in the workplace safety laws making it impossible to use the things even when customers arnt around.
Posted by: wintermane2000 | 10 April 2009 at 08:04 PM
The store is open 24/7, though they do tend to do the floor work in the wee hours.
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