At the ZBT Hydrogen Days in Duisburg, the new and highly acclaimed specialist event for hydrogen technology in Germany, Dirk Fischer, Head of Sales at Argo-Anleg GmbH, presented new perspectives on the even safer and more sustainable use of hydrogen in logistics.
With his technical presentation “Rapid decarbonization is possible through innovative compressed gas storage! H2Tank-Tainer for the supply of inland shipping and H2 filling stations”, Fischer focused on the crucial safety aspects and economic framework conditions for successful hydrogen logistics.
Safety as a basic prerequisite for hydrogen infrastructure
Despite the growing interest in hydrogen as an emission-free energy source, there are still reservations about its safety. Dirk Fischer made it clear that these concerns are primarily based on outdated ideas: “Technology has made enormous progress. Modern hydrogen storage and transportation systems are not only safe, but IT has now also found its way into them. For example, the detection and protection of every compressed gas storage facility enables constant monitoring and logistics management using a cloud-based solution. This allows the distributor, logistician, port operator and ultimately the ship’s captain to have precise knowledge of the status and in the event of danger. Our challenge is to spread knowledge about safe handling and use in practice and to create trust in the technology.” An important point of his presentation was the comparison of the risks of different energy sources. While fossil fuels such as diesel and petrol are highly flammable and can cause serious environmental damage in the event of an accident, hydrogen can be handled in a more controlled manner thanks to its rapid volatilization in the atmosphere and special safety valves from Argo-Anleg GmbH.
Comparison of risks and environmental impacts:
- Diesel & gasoline: High fire load, high CO₂ and pollutant emissions, costly soil remediation after leaks
- Battery electric systems: risk of thermal runaways, high environmental impact due to the extraction of raw materials for batteries
- Hydrogen: High energy density, rapid evaporation on release, no soil or water pollution
Challenges and opportunities of hydrogen logistics
Safe handling of hydrogen starts with well thought-out logistics. Fischer emphasized that modern hydrogen storage systems from Argo-Anleg and its subsidiary Argo-Anleg Tank Systems are developed to the highest safety standards and can be used reliably both on the road and on inland waterways. The basic requirement for this is ADR approval (dangerous goods transport approval, which applies to road transport). On the ship itself, the H2Tank-Tainer is used to transport hazardous goods (ADR) or, as shown in the examples, in the near future as a so-called “swap tank in ISO container form”, hence the pun H2Tank-Tainer.
Trimodal use – i.e. transportation by truck, rail and ship – enables a flexible and scalable hydrogen supply without having to make major changes to the existing infrastructure. Trimodality therefore makes it possible to transport refilled H2Tank containers via all three logistics chains and to supply all three variants at the same time. I.e. road = truck filling stations, rail = shunting yards (shunting locomotives) and on inland waterways, on rivers or in canals. Dangerous goods are already being transported in ISO containers on all three routes. “Hydrogen cannot be promoted with a watering can – it must be used where it brings the most benefits. Hydrogen offers clear advantages over other technologies, especially in heavy goods transport, and with safe storage systems we can drive this change forward faster and more actively.” The first-ever ZBT Hydrogen Days provided an important platform for exchange between science, industry and politics. Argo-Anleg will continue to work actively on developing safe hydrogen solutions and bringing them to market.
