With conversation around clean energy increasing and support for the hydrogen industry growing, it is an exciting time to attend industry events and connect with our peers, prospects and customers at trade shows. May was a busy month for Nuvera, with team members attending two major global industry events: the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim and the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam.

We have gathered insights and takeaways from President and Chief Executive Officer Lucien Robroek, Director of Marketing and Corporate Development Gus Block, and European Sales and Business Leader Santiago Bresani about exhibiting Nuvera’s engines at these two recent trade shows.

Driving Fleet Sustainability at ACT Expo

At ACT Expo, the world’s leading OEMs and commercial transportation technology providers showcase the latest products and solutions designed to decarbonize transport and pave the road to a cleaner future. Nuvera’s fuel cell engine was on display in the expansive exhibit hall featuring advanced transportation technologies and solutions from hundreds of top suppliers.

ACT Expo 2023 received 30 percent more attendees than in 2022 and was double the size of the 2021 event. It highlighted the rapid progress and immense potential of clean transportation solutions. Nuvera and other major hydrogen and fuel cell providers displayed solutions to address the growing demand for sustainable and zero-emission transportation.

The types of visitors coming to Nuvera’s booth to learn about fuel cell solutions reflect new trends that have emerged over the past year.

“In addition to OEMs, system integrators, and component suppliers, there is a growing interest from a diverse range of end users in Nuvera’s stationary and portable power solutions, including mobile EV rapid chargers,” said Nuvera’s Director of Marketing Gus Block. “Major OEMs are introducing their fuel cell and electric vehicle offerings, and many new companies are presenting innovative zero-emission solutions. This expanding range of options means more choices for end users and a faster transition to zero-emission transportation on a large scale.”

As reflected in conversations at ACT Expo, the support of legislation and funding over the past year impacted activity or attitudes within the clean transportation industry. In the US, unprecedented funding for clean energy solutions available through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act is catalyzing a tremendous amount of activity, focusing not only on infrastructure and technology development, but also on domestic manufacturing, workforce development, and environmental justice.

“The proliferation of zero-emission vehicle options reflects the direction that the commercial vehicle and equipment industry is heading, and an understanding that no single solution will suffice for so many diverse applications,” said Block. “While progress is needed to improve affordability and provide widespread access to infrastructure, hydrogen will play a vital role in the transition to a zero-carbon future.”

Hydrogen Reaches New Heights in Rotterdam

The World Hydrogen Summit is the global springboard for hydrogen deals and project developments in the industry. The Sustainable Energy Council runs the event in partnership with the Port of Rotterdam, the City of Rotterdam and the Province of Zuid-Holland.

At the Summit, Nuvera’s CEO Lucien Robroek had the opportunity to take center stage for a session titled “Global Ports Creating Hydrogen Hubs and Demand Centres.” The session focused on hydrogen trading and production, and Lucien spoke about how ports should be an example for the industry and stimulate the vehicle/vessel use of hydrogen as clean fuel in and around ports.

The World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam was a sign that hydrogen continues gaining momentum in Europe. Attendance at the event more than doubled compared  to last year, and both stationary and motive power were main interests. While ACT Expo is primarily a vehicle OEM/user event, the World Hydrogen Summit also draws interest from local governments, hydrogen production companies, investors, and fuel cell providers and suppliers – most convinced of the viable use cases for hydrogen in both  the near and long term.

Countries represented at the Summit span the world: Australian states preparing for hydrogen export, hydrogen producers like Chile, clean energy drivers like Canada, and a large European contingent focused heavy transport and industry, including fuel cell companies and suppliers of fuel cell system components. The Nuvera booth also welcomed visitors from large companies, focused on infrastructure projects and stationary applications, and strong interest in port applications – not surprising given Rotterdam’s stature as the world’s fifth largest port.

“We definitely saw an increase in booth visitors at the World Hydrogen Summit, and more focused interest in really getting access to hardware like a fuel cell engine. I also noticed interest from companies on the R&D side, like aerospace and university labs,” said Nuvera CEO Lucien Robroek. “With the growth of the market, we have the potential to educate attendees’ views about hydrogen, fuel cells and their possibilities. Nuvera’s experience is a positive asset in this new growing phase of hydrogen.”

There is increasing interest in the overall hydrogen value chain, but it is becoming clearer that the hydrogen refilling stations and access to green hydrogen are currently a bottleneck for the industry. Hydrogen is in the prototype and early adopter phase as cost-efficient green hydrogen is limited in Europe. The importance of scaling up clean hydrogen production and fuel technology is clear.

“Over the last few months, the EU has moved to clarify a few important points needed to scale and fund hydrogen infrastructure projects,” said Nuvera European Sales and Business Leader Santiago Bresani. “This represents important progress that will spur growth over the coming months and years.”

Advancing Clean Ports with Hyster®

With hydrogen and fuel cells providing solutions specifically for heavy duty electrification in mobile equipment, vehicles and vessels, Nuvera fuel cell engines are being integrated into port equipment across the world. We remain confident that ports will be at the epicenter of global clean energy transformation.

Leading up to the World Hydrogen Summit, the Sustainable Energy Council announced Hyster’s top-pick container handler powered by Nuvera fuel cells as a finalist in the industrial application category in the World Hydrogen 2023 Awards.

The container handler is the world’s first to be powered by hydrogen fuel cells and is currently being piloted at the Fenix Marine Services terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. It is powered by two Nuvera® 45 kW hydrogen fuel cell engines, working in tandem with an onboard lithium-ion battery to either power the equipment directly or charge the onboard battery. It provides the zero-emissions benefit of a battery-only electric option, but with energy capacity to keep operations moving for a full shift, avoiding the need to interrupt productivity and stop to recharge or refuel.

Learn more about the container handler and the Sustainable Energy Council recognition here.   

Joining Us on the Path to a Sustainable Future We are encouraged by the growing recognition and support for hydrogen solutions globally, and the positive feedback we receive when exhibiting our fuel cell solutions around the world. We look forward to upcoming opportunities to connect with potential customers and partners, learn from our industry peers, and actively engage in insightful dialogues regarding the trajectory of clean hydrogen. Stay informed about Nuvera’s upcoming trade shows and events for the remainder of the year by visiting the Events page on our website.