Liebherr has unveiled the world’s first giant wheel loader with a hydrogen combustion engine, alongside a brand new hydrogen filling station, the primary in its area, at a commerce occasion on the Liebherr plant in Bischofshofen, Salzburg, Austria.
The occasion included a sequence of talks on the subject of different drives. Nevertheless, the main target was on a machine present, the place the hydrogen wheel loader was demonstrated for the primary time.
On the identical time the primary hydrogen filling station within the state of Salzburg was inaugurated, representing an necessary milestone in using hydrogen as a sustainable vitality supply.
“To make progress in hydrogen analysis, we have to have entry to hydrogen. We constructed this filling station to additional advance our targets for decarbonising development equipment,” says Dr.-Ing. Herbert Pfab, chief technical officer of Liebherr Bischofshofen.
Prototype L 566 H wheel loader
The L 566 H from Liebherr is the world’s first prototype giant wheel loader with a hydrogen engine. Following in depth research, this groundbreaking know-how was recognized because the optimum answer for working giant autos which might be troublesome to impress with out CO2 emissions.
For smaller autos as much as about 15 tons, battery-electric options are sometimes appropriate. Nevertheless, the scenario is totally different with bigger machines with an working weight of as much as 40 tons and excessive vitality necessities. Hydrogen reciprocating piston engines show to be excellent on this case.
These hydrogen engines are manufactured on the engine plant of Liebherr’s Parts product section in Bulle (Switzerland). They permit not solely zero emissions of greenhouse gases and virtually no nitrogen oxides, however are additionally extremely environment friendly. One other benefit is that the interfaces are similar to these of a diesel engine – thermally and mechanically. This represents a big step ahead within the growth of sustainable large-scale equipment.
One other spotlight of the present was a MAN truck, additionally with a hydrogen engine, exhibiting hydrogen know-how will not be solely possible in wheel loaders, however is already utilized in development website vehicles.
Salzburg’s first hydrogen filling station
As a part of the event of the hydrogen wheel loader, Liebherr Bischofshofen opened its personal hydrogen filling station – the primary of its type in the whole state of Salzburg.
An necessary strategic associate on this venture is Maximator Hydrogen, which isn’t solely the producer of the newly opened filling station, but in addition a analysis associate of Liebherr.
Collectively, they’re engaged on cellular filling amenities in order that equipment may be refuelled instantly on the development websites. That is notably necessary for distant development websites and machines that aren’t very cellular.
One other associate, MPREIS, which ensures the availability of inexperienced hydrogen. That is necessary as a result of solely by emission-free manufacturing – utilizing wind, hydroelectric or photo voltaic vitality – can hydrogen play a key function as a sustainable and climate-friendly vitality supply.
