GP JOULE supplies and revolutionises truck transport

This is the transport turnaround in freight transport: The energy turnaround company GP JOULE will take delivery of 5,000 40 ton hydrogen-powered trucks from Clean Logistics over the next five years. It is currently the world's largest contract for the supply of heavy hydrogen-electric trucks. The total volume of the framework agreement is in the low single-digit billion Euro range. GP JOULE will broker the heavy-duty vehicles, including the green hydrogen infrastructure, to customers in logistics and trade.

"The revolutionary thing about a collaboration between an electricity and hydrogen producer like GP JOULE and a truck manufacturer like Clean Logistics is that heavy-duty mobility is now becoming part of the new sustainable energy economy," says Ove Petersen, CEO and co-founder of GP JOULE: "This linkage is unique and also very important in order to drive the expansion of renewable energies even faster without waiting for the expansion of the electricity grids."

The trucks ordered are new vehicles. Clean Logistics will use heavy tractor units without a drive train and equip them with fuel cell, battery and hydrogen tank systems as well as the specially developed axle with wheel hub electric motors and the special "HyBoss" control system.

In this way GP JOULE will offer all components for climate-neutral heavy goods transport from a single source: It ensures the production and purchase of green hydrogen from renewable energies, builds and operates hydrogen filling stations and will also provide its customers from logistics, trade and industry with the tractor units in the future. GP JOULE thus solves the chicken-and-egg problem by taking care of both of developing a filling station network and placing the vehicles on the market. GP JOULE offers the hydrogen trucks combined with the green hydrogen on a usage basis and thus becomes the full-service provider for emission-free transport kilometres in heavy goods traffic.

325.000 tons of CO2 saved per year

"This framework agreement for the delivery of 5,000 trucks represents a significant milestone in decarbonising heavy goods transport," says Dirk Graszt, CEO of Clean Logistics: "Together with our partner GP JOULE, we will ensure that hydrogen-powered trucks will soon be commonplace on the roads.""We are very happy to have found a reliable partner from northern Germany in Clean Logistics, with whom we will decarbonise heavy goods transport together," says Ove Petersen.

With an annual mileage of 100,000 kilometres and 25 litres of diesel consumption per 100 kilometres, a single tractor unit today emits more than 65 tons of CO2 per year. The fleet of 5,000 hydrogen trucks will therefore be able to save more than 325,000 tonnes of CO2 annually when on the road. “Using green hydrogen contributes significantly to decarbonising the transport sector - and the 5,000 trucks now secured are groundbreaking for the green logistics of tomorrow," says Ove Petersen.

Existing cooperation expanded

GP JOULE had already announced in July this year that it had reserved 40 conversion sites for the production of Clean Logistics' first hydrogen-powered truck "Fyuriant". This commitment and the cooperation with Clean Logistics will now be significantly expanded. "The long-awaited traffic turnaround in heavy goods transport is thus continuing to gain momentum and will now be put into practice step by step over the next few years," says Dirk Graszt.

The listed company Clean Logistics SE is a pioneer in the mobility transition of commercial vehicles and produces zero-emission trucks and buses in Hamburg for customers in the transport, logistics and heavy goods traffic sectors. As one of the first companies in the market, Clean Logistics specialised early on in decarbonising tractor units and buses by using hydrogen technologies. The vehicles are equipped with fuel cell electric drive systems in its own production facilities. Clean Logistics pursues the goal of making its products sustainable along the entire value chain.

Production of green hydrogen guarantees security of supply

With the framework agreement that has now been concluded, GP JOULE is also underlining how important the local hydrogen market in the energy transition is. "The production of hydrogen serves the system; it will guarantee the security of supply in this country in the future. Because when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine, only green hydrogen will provide the required amounts of renewable energy and thus also sovereignty and independence," says Petersen.

GP JOULE already offers its customers customised solutions for hydrogen mobility. GP JOULE HYDROGEN develops, builds and operates hydrogen filling stations for trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles on behalf of municipalities, business park developers or companies - and creates solutions for industry, shipping and rail transport. GP JOULE supports operators and developers of wind and solar parks as well as land owners in producing hydrogen with electricity from renewable energies. The company takes on the development, construction, operation and service of the production sites - and ensures the long-term sales of the green hydrogen.

GP JOULE has brought all these services together for eFarm, Germany's largest green hydrogen mobility project of its kind. On behalf of the project company initiated by GP JOULE, the company produces green hydrogen with electricity from regional wind farmsand has built and operates two filling stations in North Friesland for distribution. For local public transport, GP JOULE has procured two fuel cell buses and 35 fuel cell cars for businesses and has also organised individual financing for them.

GP JOULE HYDROGEN at IAA Transportation

GP JOULE HYDROGEN will also be exhibiting all these services at the IAA Transportation exhibition in Hanover from 20 to 25 September 2022 at Stand D31 in Hall H24.

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About GP JOULE
Founded in 2009 based on the belief that a 100% renewable energy supply is feasible, GP JOULE is now a system provider for integrated energy solutions from solar, wind and biomass power as well as being a partner at the supply level for electricity, heat, hydrogen and electric mobility. GP JOULE is thus a pioneering company in sector cross-linkage. Around 500 people work for the medium-sized group of companies in Germany, Europe and North America. GP JOULE is the winner of the Schleswig-Holstein Business Environment Award 2019 and the German Renewables Award 2020.

GP JOULE HYDROGEN puts the know-how of over ten years of hydrogen research and development on the road. GP JOULE HYDROGEN offers the full range of services for 100% climate-friendly mobility, from gas production from renewable energies to storage and transport to the construction of hydrogen filling stations and their ongoing operation, from customer activation to vehicle procurement and the acquisition of subsidies.

Press contact
Jürn Kruse
Corporate Communications
GP JOULE Group
j.kruse@gp-joule.de 
Tel. +49 (0) 4671-6074-213
Mobile +49 (0) 160-1540265

GP JOULE GmbH     Cecilienkoog 16  •  25821 Reußenkoege  •  www.gp-joule.de