Innovation for Our Energy Future
Analysis of DOD's Fuel Cell Forklift
Demonstration Project
Todd Ramsden, Keith
Wipke, Sam Sprik,
Jennifer Kurtz
May 4, 2010
2010 NHA Conference
Long Beach, CA
NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Project Overview
NREL Data Handling
Analysis Results
Planned Analyses
Business Case for FC
Forklifts
• Summary
Innovation for Our Energy Future
• EPACT 2005 – Section 783
requires lease/purchase of
stationary and portable fuel
cells for electrical power
• Executive Order 13423
provides framework for
early adoption of fuel cell
systems
Fuel Cell Stack Costs
(Dollars ($) per kW)
• Encourage deployment of fuel cells at volumes which can
lower costs and impact the initial commercialization of
hydrogen and fuel cell technologies
• Enable government acquisitions with aim towards
promoting market acceptance and producing data to
validate technologies in real-world applications
$4,000
4000
• Policies exist to require
$3,500
3500
federal government to
$3,000
3000
lead by example
$2,500
2500
$2,000
2000
$1,500
1500
$1,000
1000
$500
Government Acquisitions
(Units per year)
Context – Federal Government Efforts
500
$0
0
2005
2010
―Baseline
―Government Acquisition Program
― Material Handling Equipment
― Backup Power (1–5 kW)
Innovation for Our Energy Future
2015
2020
Source: David Greene, ORNL; K.G. Duleep, Energy and
Environmental Analysis, Inc. Bootstrapping a
Sustainable North American PEM Fuel Cell Industry:
Could a Federal Acquisition Program Make a
Difference?
Overview of DLA FC Forklift Demonstration
4 Fuel Cell Forklift Demonstration Projects
• DOD’s Defense Logistics Agency uses over 3,000
forklifts to accomplish its warehousing operations in
DOD’s 26 Defense Distribution Centers
• DLA has selected 4 warehouse sites to operate and
demonstrate multiple hydrogen generation, dispensing
and fuel cell technologies to power materials handling
equipment (MHE) for a 24-month pilot phase
• DDSP is DLA’s first fuel cell MHE pilot site
• Ribbon cutting: February 10, 2009
Locations:
DDSP: 40 forklifts, delivered (cryogenic) hydrogen, indoor dispensing
DDWG: 20 forklifts, hydrogen via onsite natural gas reformation, mobile refueling
DDJC: 20 forklifts, hydrogen via solar electrolysis
Ft. Lewis: 19 forklifts, 1 bus, wastewater digester gas hydrogen, mobile refueling
Duration: 2 years of operation at each site
Technology Validation: NREL to perform data analysis to validate fuel cell technologies
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Goals of DLA FC Forklift Demonstration
• Be an early adopter and principal
demonstrator of fuel cell technologies in
MHE applications
• Promote competition in the marketplace,
provide a market demand, and foster
commercialization
• Support improved Technology and
Manufacturing Readiness levels
• Spiral development of FC technologies
• Assess and highlight the business case (value
proposition) for fuel cells in forklift applications
NREL’s data analysis used for TRL and business case assessment
Innovation for Our Energy Future
NREL Project Role
Independent Technology Assessment
• Analyze fuel cell system and hydrogen infrastructure
technologies, including performance, operation, and safety
• Establish a baseline of real-world fuel cell operation and
maintenance data and identify technical/market barriers
• Leverage data processing and analysis capabilities from the
DOE fuel cell vehicle Learning Demonstration project
• Support growth of fuel cell markets by analyzing technology
and performance relevant to the value proposition
• Report on technology to fuel cell and hydrogen stakeholders
Innovation for Our Energy Future
NREL Data Handling and Analysis
Bundled data delivered to
NREL quarterly
Composite Data Products (CDPs)
•Aggregated data across multiple
systems, sites, and teams
• Publish analysis results without
revealing proprietary data every 6
months
Internal analysis
completed quarterly
Detailed Data Products (DDPs)
•Individual data analyses
• Identify individual contribution to
CDPs
• Only shared with partner who
supplied data every 6 months
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Defense Depot Susquehanna PA Project
• DDSP is the first DLA fuel cell
forklift site
• Project partners: Air Products,
Plug Power, East Penn/Nuvera
• Over 12 months of operation
and detailed data available
• Available data provides a realworld understanding of fuel cell
forklift operations
• Data from this forklift
installation used to develop the
initial Composite Data Products
on early market deployments of
fuel cell forklifts
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Experience to Date at DDSP
Based on project data through December 31, 2009
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Deployment & Usage – Forklift Operations
Forklift Operating Hours By Quarter
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
18000
Total Fleet Operating Hours = 53843
16000
Nearly 54,000
hours of operation
by the combined
fleet of 40 fuel cell
forklifts
Total Fleet Op Hours
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
Forklifts in Operation By Quarter
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
0
50
09Q1
09Q2
09Q3
09Q4
45
NREL cdpFL11
Created: Apr-19-10 11:18 AM
40
35
About 15,000
hours of operation
each quarter
Count
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2009 Q1
NREL cdpFL01
Created: Apr-19-10 11:18 AM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
2009 Q2
2009 Q3
2009 Q4
Deployment & Usage – Refueling & H2 Use
Hydrogen Dispensed By Quarter
Dispenser Data for Combined Fleet
3000
Cumulative Hydrogen Dispensed = 8566 kg
Hydrogen Dispensed [kg]
2500
Over 8,500 kg of
hydrogen dispensed,
about 2,400 kg each
quarter
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Fueling Events By Quarter
Dispenser Data for Combined Fleet
2009Q1
2009Q2
2009Q3
5000
2009Q4
NREL cdpFL04
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
4500
Cumulative Fuelings = 14659
4000
Nearly 15,000 fueling
events, about 4,000
fuelings per month
Number of Fills
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2009Q1
NREL cdpFL03
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
2009Q2
2009Q3
2009Q4
Operations – Fueling Time & Rate
Histogram of Fueling Rates
All Forklift Through 2009Q4
3500
Number of Fueling Events
3000
Average refueling
rate of 0.2 kg/min
Average = 0.18
Count = 14659
Median = 0.23
2500
2000
1500
Histogram of Fueling Times
All Forklift Through 2009Q4
1200
1000
0.1
0.2
0.3
NREL cdpFL09
Created: Apr-16-10 1:19 PM
Average refueling
time of 3.3 min/fill,
with few fuelings
over 5 ½ minutes
Number of Fueling Events
0
0
Average = 3.34
Count = 14659
Median = 3.31
1000
500
800
0.4
0.5
0.6
Avg Fuel Rate (kg/min)
0.7
0.8
1
2
0.9
1
600
400
200
0
0
3
NREL cdpFL06
Created: Apr-16-10 1:19 PM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
4
5
Time (min)
6
7
8
9
10
Operations – Fueling Amounts
Histogram of Fueling Amounts
All Forklift Through 2009Q4
1200
Average of 0.58 kg of
hydrogen per fill
Number of Fueling Events
1000
Average = 0.58
Count = 14659
Median = 0.46
800
600
Forklift tank sizes of
0.6 kg and 2.2 kg
400
200
0
0
NREL cdpFL10
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Amount Fueled (kg)
Created: Apr-16-10 1:19 PM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
Operations – H2 Tank Pressure at Fueling
2
Tank Pressures Before Refueling
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
1
Median Tank Level (At Fill) = 37%
13
%
E
refuelings = 11795
Median Total
tank
level at
time of fill = 37%
F
Note: The outer arc is set at 25% total refuelings.
1. Some refueling events not recorded/detected due to data noise or incompleteness.
2. Full Pressure = 5000 psi
NREL cdpFL07
Created: Apr-19-10 2:20 PM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Operations – Hours Between Fueling
Operating Time Between Fuelings
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
1200
•Average
Average
of between
3.7 hours
of
of 3.7 op hours
fills
Average of 6.3 op hours per kg H2
operation between fills
• Average of 6.3 hours of
operation per kg H2
1000
Count
800
600
400
200
0
0
NREL cdpFL08
Created: Apr-19-10 11:18 AM
2
4
6
8
Operating Hours Between Fuelings
Excludes Data > 12 hours
Innovation for Our Energy Future
10
12
Fuel Cell Stack Hours
Accumulated Hours on FC Stack
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
7
40% of the combined fleet has
Total 1500
Combined hours
Fleet Stack Hours
= 57111
over
of operation
on their FC stacks
6
Number of Forklifts
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
NREL cdpFL02
500
1000
1500
Stack Hours
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
2000
2500
Forklift Maintenance by Category
Forklift Maintenance By Category
Combined Fleet Thru 2009Q4
Number of Events
Total Events = 493
68% were unscheduled
Labor Hours
Total Hours = 1166
78% were unscheduled
Operator Error
20%
Controls, Electronics, Sensors
6%
Preventative maintenance
35%
14%
Scheduled equip upgrade
Fuel System
8%
Energy Storage System
FC Stack
6%
Thermal management
22%
Air system
16%
Other
10%
5%
22%
14%
493 maintenance events for the combined fleet through
12/31/09, requiring 1166 hours of maintenance labor
NREL cdpFL12
Created: Apr-19-10 11:44 AM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Maintenance – Scheduled vs. Unscheduled
Combined Fleet Forklift Maintenance Thru 2009Q4
Number of Maintenance Events by Category
Operator Error
Controls, Electronics, Sensors
Preventative maintenance
Scheduled equip upgrade
Fuel System
Energy Storage System
FC Stack
Thermal management
Air system
Other
0
Total Events = 493
68% were unscheduled
20
40
60
80
100
Number of Events
120
Scheduled
Unscheduled
140
160
180
Number of Labor Hours by Category
Controls, Electronics, Sensors
Operator Error
FC Stack
Preventative maintenance
Fuel System
Energy Storage System
Thermal management
Scheduled equip upgrade
Air system
Other
0
NREL cdpFL13
Total Hours = 1166
78% were unscheduled
50
100
150
Hours
Created: Apr-19-10 11:44 AM
200
Scheduled
Unscheduled
250
300
68% of maintenance events (78% of labor hours) were unscheduled;
most of the unscheduled events were due to operator error.
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Full Set of Forklift Data Products
Forklifts in Operation By Quarter
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
Accumulated Hours on FC Stack
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
50
Fueling Events By Quarter
Dispenser Data for Combined Fleet
Hydrogen Dispensed By Quarter
Dispenser Data for Combined Fleet
5000
7
4500
45
3000
Cumulative Fuelings = 14659
Cumulative Hydrogen Dispensed = 8566 kg
6
2500
40
5
25
20
15
3500
4
3
Hydrogen Dispensed [kg]
30
Number of Fills
Number of Forklifts
35
Count
4000
Total Combined Fleet Stack Hours = 57111
3000
2500
2000
1500
2
10
2000
1500
1000
1000
500
1
5
500
0
2009 Q1
2009 Q2
2009 Q3
0
0
2009 Q4
NREL cdpFL01
NREL cdpFL02
Created: Apr-19-10 11:18 AM
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
500
1000
2500
2009Q1
2009Q2
0
2009Q4
NREL cdpFL04
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
200
1
Median Tank Level (At Fill) = 37%
Average = 3.34
Count = 14659
Median = 3.31
Total refuelings = 11795
1000
800
600
E
400
F
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Time of Day [hours]
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
0
0
600
200
1
2
3
4
NREL cdpFL06
5
Time (min)
6
7
8
9
Note: The outer arc is set at 25% total refuelings.
1. Some refueling events not recorded/detected due to data noise or incompleteness.
2. Full Pressure = 5000 psi
10
0
0
NREL cdpFL07
Created: Apr-16-10 1:19 PM
2
NREL cdpFL08
Created: Apr-19-10 2:20 PM
Histogram of Fueling Rates
All Forklift Through 2009Q4
Created: Apr-19-10 11:18 AM
Histogram of Fueling Amounts
All Forklift Through 2009Q4
3500
Average of 3.7 op hours between fills
Average of 6.3 op hours per kg H2
400
200
100
2009Q4
800
Count
Number of Fueling Events
300
2009Q3
Operating Time Between Fuelings
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
13
%
Shift Start
400
2009Q2
1200
2
Tank Pressures Before Refueling
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
1000
500
NREL cdpFL05
2009Q1
Histogram of Fueling Times
All Forklift Through 2009Q4
Shift Start
Shift Start
2009Q3
NREL cdpFL03
Created: Apr-19-10 11:19 AM
1200
600
Number of Refuelings
2000
Stack Hours
Refueling Time of Day
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
700
0
0
1500
0
Forklift Operating Hours By Quarter
Combined Fleet Through 2009Q4
1200
4
6
8
Operating Hours Between Fuelings
Excludes Data > 12 hours
10
12
Forklift Maintenance By Category
Combined Fleet Thru 2009Q4
18000
Total Fleet Operating Hours = 53843
Number of Events
Total Events = 493
68% were unscheduled
16000
Average = 0.18
Count = 14659
Median = 0.23
Average = 0.58
Count = 14659
Median = 0.46
1000
2000
1500
1000
800
Total Fleet Op Hours
2500
600
400
6%
14%
Scheduled equip upgrade
Fuel System
8%
Energy Storage System
8000
FC Stack
6%
Thermal management
6000
22%
Air system
16%
Other
10%
5%
2000
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Avg Fuel Rate (kg/min)
0.7
0.8
0.9
0
0
1
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
NREL cdpFL10
1
1.2
Amount Fueled (kg)
1.4
1.6
1.8
0
2
Created: Apr-16-10 1:19 PM
22%
09Q1
09Q2
09Q3
NREL cdpFL11
NREL cdpFL12
Created: Apr-19-10 11:44 AM
Forklift Maintenance Events By Quarter
Combined Fleet Thru 2009Q4
Maintenance Events
0
NREL cdpFL13
Operator Error
Unscheduled
Scheduled
350
160
300
Total Events = 493
68% were unscheduled
20
40
60
Controls, Electronics, Sensors
Operator Error
FC Stack
Preventative maintenance
Fuel System
Energy Storage System
Thermal management
Scheduled equip upgrade
Air system
Other
Created: Apr-19-10 11:44 AM
400
180
80
100
Number of Events
120
140
Scheduled
Unscheduled
140
160
180
Number of Labor Hours by Category
0
Maintenance Hours
200
Operator Error
Controls, Electronics, Sensors
Preventative maintenance
Scheduled equip upgrade
Fuel System
Energy Storage System
FC Stack
Thermal management
Air system
Other
09Q4
Created: Apr-19-10 11:18 AM
Combined Fleet Forklift Maintenance Thru 2009Q4
Number of Maintenance Events by Category
250
120
Hours
0.1
# of Events
Created: Apr-16-10 1:19 PM
Preventative maintenance
35%
10000
4000
0
0
20%
Controls, Electronics, Sensors
12000
200
500
NREL cdpFL09
Labor Hours
Total Hours = 1166
78% were unscheduled
14000
Operator Error
Number of Fueling Events
Number of Fueling Events
3000
100
80
200
150
60
100
40
Total Hours = 1166
78% were unscheduled
50
100
150
Hours
200
250
50
20
Scheduled
Unscheduled
0
300
09Q1
09Q2
09Q3
NREL cdpFL14
Created: Apr-19-10 11:44 AM
Innovation for Our Energy Future
09Q4
0
09Q1
09Q2
09Q3
09Q4
14%
Planned Analyses
Additional data analyses to understand the
value proposition for fuel cell forklifts
• System efficiency (% and kWh/kg basis)
• Fuel cell stack durability
• Infrastructure maintenance
Efficiency Range
Max Fuel Cell Power Loss vs Op Hours: Gen1
130
120
Data Range
25th & 75th Percentiles
Group Median
Outlier
Gen1
Efficiency [%]
110
% Power(1)
100
90
80
Not
70
60
50
40
30
NREL CDP69
Created: Mar-23-10 10:39 AM
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 10001100120013001400150016001700180019002000
Stack Op Hour Segments(2)
1) Normalized by fleet median value at 200 hours.
2) Each segment point is median FC power (+-50 hrs).
Box not drawn if fewer than 3 points in segment.
Innovation for Our Energy Future
NREL cdpFLXX
Created: Apr-27-10 11:21 AM
R
ata
D
l
ea
Comparison of Fuel Cell and Battery Forklifts
PEM Fuel Cell Powered Class 1 Forklift to
Comparable Battery Powered Forklift
Parameter
Performance/Cost of Fuel Cell
Version Compared to Battery
Fuel Cell
Advantage
Forklift Vehicle Cost & Life
No Difference
N/A
Powerpack Cost (FC or Battery)
3x – 6x Higher
-
Powerpack Life (FC or Battery)
1 – 1.7x Longer
+
1/Lift vs 1/Shift/Lift
+
H2/Electricity Fuel Costs
4x – 6x Higher
-
H2 Fueling vs Battery Changeout
3x – 5x Faster
+
FC lift productivity vs battery lift
??
TBD
Powerpack Maintenance/Repair
??
TBD
H2 vs Charger Infrastructure
(Capital + O&M)
??
TBD
# Powerpacks Needed
Source: Assessments based on Identification and Characterization of Near-term Direct Hydrogen Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Markets
[Battelle Memorial Institute (April 2007)] coupled with forklift manufacturer industry information. Future progress reporting will be based on actual data
from DOE and DOD fuel cell forklift demonstrations as reported to NREL.
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Data for Business Case Analysis
• Data analyses will be
conducted to inform the
business case for fuel
cell forklifts
• Rapid refueling
• Increased productivity
• Greater life
• Reduced warehouse
space needs
Lifecycle Costs of FC MHE
May Be Less Than Alternatives
Source: Identification and Characterization of Near-term Direct Hydrogen Proton
Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Markets, Battelle Memorial Institute (April 2007)
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Summary
• Project has 1 full
year of operation
• 40 FC forklifts
• Over 60,000 hours
of operation
• Over 10,000 kg of
hydrogen
dispensed
• 15,000 fuelings
• 3.3 minutes/fill
• 3.7 op hours/fill
• 6.3 op hours/kg
Performance
DDSP
Site Operations
Number of Fuel Cell Forklifts in Operation
40
Hours of Operation for the Combined Fleet
Over 60,000
Amount of Hydrogen Dispensed (kg)
Over 10,000
Number of Fueling Events
15,000
Infrastructure
Average Fueling Time
3.3 minutes
Average Fueling Rate
0.2 kg/min
Forklifts
Hours of Operation Between Fueling
3.7
Hours of Operation per kg Hydrogen
6.3
# of FC Powerpacks with >1500 Hours of Operation
18
Number of Maintenance Events for the Fleet
493
Innovation for Our Energy Future
Tech Val NREL Website & Contact Info
www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/proj_tech_validation.html
Todd Ramsden
todd.ramsden@nrel.gov
303-275-3704
Innovation for Our Energy Future