Verne and LifeGuard Technologies to develop high-flow, flexible hoses for cryo-compressed hydrogen refueling

July 2024

The parties will develop high-flow, flexible hoses to support fueling heavy-duty vehicles with cryo-compressed hydrogen

San Francisco, California & Newton Square, PA July 23, 2024 Verne and LifeGuard Technologies announced a Memorandum of Understanding to develop high-flow, flexible safety hoses for cryo-compressed hydrogen fueling of heavy-duty vehicles. The two companies will collaborate to accelerate the development of the refueling hoses with the goal of entering commercial production in 2027.

Heavy-duty transportation is responsible for 12% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and current zero-emission solutions do not meet the needs of heavy-duty vehicles. Battery electric trucks provide limited range and add 5,000+ pounds to the weight of the truck, reducing the payload available to haul cargo. Current hydrogen trucks, which store hydrogen as a compressed gas onboard, offer improved performance relative to battery electric trucks but still fail to meet the required range and payload of heavy-duty vehicles. Cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH2) achieves an 87% improvement in density relative to 700 bar compressed hydrogen and a 33% improvement over liquid hydrogen, allowing CcH2 trucks to achieve diesel-equivalent range and payload.

Development of new infrastructure and components is required to support commercialization of CcH2,and Verne and LifeGuard’s partnership will establish a US-based supply of high-flow CcH2 safety hoses that enable fueling of trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. The partnership will combine LifeGuard’s expertise in safety-critical solutions for cryogenic fluid transfer and Verne’s expertise in CcH2 and access to world class testing facilities. The partners will collaborate to develop and test hoses suitable for refueling heavy-duty vehicles with CcH2in less than 10 minutes.

Cryo-compressed hydrogen is a platform technology with applications across heavy-duty transportation and hydrogen distribution. The flexible hose technology can be adapted to serve sectors including trucking, aviation, port vehicles, mining and maritime transportation.

Verne develops cryo-compressed hydrogen storage tanks and refueling equipment that converts gaseous hydrogen into CcH2. In 2023, Verne completed drive testing of a CcH2 storage system onboard a vehicle and demonstrated a world-record 29 kg storage tank at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, equivalent to the tank size that would be used in heavy-duty trucking. Verne recently announced the first demonstration of CcH2 onboard a Class 8 Truck, set to take place in late 2024. 

Verne is focused on developing the supplier base for CcH2. In November2023, Verne announced a partnership with ARTA to develop nozzles and receptacles for CcH2 fueling. Last month, Verne and Cryostar announced a new partnership to develop pumps for “future-proofed” hydrogen fueling stations. Verne’s partnership with LifeGuard Technologies is an important next step in enabling the full ecosystem of suppliers for CcH2 fueling solutions.

“The trucking industry is demanding greater vehicle range and lower weight than current zero-emission options offer, and cryo-compressed hydrogen is well placed to meet the need given its greater hydrogen storage density,” said Ted McKlveen, Co-founder & CEO of Verne. “LifeGuard is a best-in-class developer of flexible safety hoses and is the ideal partner for developing the solutions needed to enable a massive transition to CcH2.”

“At a time when the hydrogen industry is on the cusp of massive expansion, it is critical that safety leads the way. Now, high-flow CcH2 hydrogen transfer hoses will have the same technological safety features that our CNG, LPG,NH3 and high pressure hydrogen and atmospheric gas hoses have enjoyed for more than 20 years,” stated Andy Abrams, Executive Vice President of LifeGuard Technologies. “We look forward to working with Verne, a true leader in the hydrogen industry, and to offering this new hose design to our Compressed Gas and Petrochemical customers through our global network of locations helping to drive LifeGuard Safety Hose adoption even further into the hydrogen industry.”

 

About Verne

Verne was founded in 2020 to develop high-density hydrogen storage solutions required to decarbonize heavy-duty transportation. Verne’s platform unlocks zero-emission operations in sectors including trucking, aviation, port vehicles, mining, and hydrogen distribution. Verne is financially supported by leading commercial entities, including Trucks Venture Capital, Collaborative Fund, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Next Era Energy Resources, United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, Caterpillar VC, and Newlab. Verne is also supported by Breakthrough Energy Fellows, the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E, The U.S. Army, Alberta Innovates and other agencies.

For more information, visit www.verneh2.com.

Company contact: contact@verneh2.com

 

About LifeGuard Technologies

LifeGuard Technologies is a safety technology company with its headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and satellite affiliated factories in Bethlehem, PA; Ontario, Canada; Motala, Sweden; Faridabad, India and Melbourne, Australia. The company’s patented and patent-pending safety hose technology has become a global standard for all industries, applications and pressures. The company’s roots began with Joe Abrams’ work in cryogenics in 1958 – and today, the company has hoses worldwide in all industries and applications. More than 500,000 hoses with this technology have been sold since its invention including to all Tier One and Tier Two gas companies, making it the ‘Hose of Choice’ for the industrial and compressed gas industry.  

For more information, visit: https://lifeguard-tech.com/

Company contact: info@lifeguard-tech.com

 

Related News

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

LLNL and Verne demonstrate highly efficient hydrogen densification pathway with less required energy

March 2025

Livermore, California, March 18, 2025 — Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Verne have demonstrated a novel pathway for creating high-density hydrogen through a research program funded by Department of Energy’s ARPA-E.

The demonstration validated that it is possible to efficiently reach cryo-compressed hydrogen conditions with liquid hydrogen-like density directly from a source of gaseous hydrogen — substantially reducing the energy input required compared to methods that rely on energy-intensive hydrogen liquefaction.

The energy density of hydrogen on a mass basis is extremely high. However, at ambient conditions gaseous hydrogen requires more volume to store an equivalent amount of energy as competing forms of energy storage.

To reduce the storage volume required, densification of hydrogen is typically accomplished using gas compression or liquefaction. This work demonstrated a pathway that uses both compression and cooling at the same time, each to a lesser degree than when used independently.

So far, the hydrogen supply chain has been hindered by a trade-off between compressed gaseous hydrogen — which is cheap to produce, but low in density — and liquid hydrogen— which is high in density, but expensive to densify (via liquefaction). This trade-off has led to expensive distribution costs that have limited the adoption of hydrogen solutions.

This demonstration validates that cryo-compressed hydrogen can break this trade-off by creating high-density hydrogen without requiring the significant energy inputs required of hydrogen liquefaction.

Enabling end-use applications of hydrogen

Annual U.S. power consumption is projected to grow by 800 terrawatt hours by 2030, with data centers and electric vehicles  driving 77 percent of this new demand, according to the Boston Consulting Group. Customers from a variety of sectors are seeking increased electrical power and are not currently being served by the grid.

Hydrogen can be delivered to these sectors and converted to electricity on-site through a fuel cell, engine or turbine. However, the cost of existing hydrogen distribution technologies has limited adoption.

“This demonstration confirms that cryo-compressed hydrogen can break the current trade-off between density and cost,” said Ted McKlveen, co-founder & CEO of Verne. “Providing a low-cost way to reach high densities will bring down the cost of delivering and using hydrogen, opening up a host of applications for hydrogen across some of the most demanding sectors of the economy from construction to ports to warehouses.”

More efficient densification pathway proven 

The novel hydrogen densification pathway that LLNL and Verne demonstrated produces cryo-compressed hydrogen without requiring a phase change, leading to 50 percent energy savings relative to small-scale hydrogen liquefaction.

During the most recent demonstration, conversion of hydrogen to 81 K (-314 degrees Fahrenheit) and 350 bar (one bar is equivalent to atmospheric pressure at sea level) and densities greater than 60 grams per liter were achieved using a catalyst-filled heat exchanger. 

In addition to energy savings, this densification pathway is more modular than hydrogen liquefaction. While hydrogen liquefaction typically requires construction of large, centralized facilities, cryo-compression can be efficiently built at small scale. This means that the hydrogen distribution network can be further optimized, locating densification and distribution hubs closer to the points of use.

 

Read the full press release: https://www.llnl.gov/article/52606/llnl-verne-demonstrate-highly-efficient-hydrogen-densification-pathway-less-required-energy

Verne achieves hydrogen storage milestone

January 2025

Verne demonstrated the world’s first cryo-compressed hydrogen Class 8 truck and refueling system, paving the way for CcH2 applications in trucking and hydrogen distribution

San Francisco, CA, January 22, 2025 — Verne successfully demonstrated the world’s first cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH2) truck in Southern California in late 2024. During the testing, Verne drove the truck hundreds of miles and conducted multiple refueling events with Verne’s novel CcH2 filling equipment. The test validated the density and dormancy benefits of CcH2 and the reliability and durability of the system under real-world operating conditions. These test results confirm the advantages of CcH2 relative to existing hydrogen storage methods, preparing Verne to commercialize the technology in various markets, beginning with hydrogen distribution.

Verne’s breakthrough cryo-compressed hydrogen technology is the most efficient method of storing and distributing hydrogen. CcH2 enables 33% greater hydrogen storage density than liquid hydrogen and 87% greater density than traditional 700 bar compressed hydrogen. Additionally, CcH2 has lower densification costs and experiences less hydrogen boil-off losses relative to liquid hydrogen. Verne estimates that these improvements enable 40% cheaper hydrogen distribution costs relative to existing technologies.

During the demonstration in late 2024, Verne validated both the storage and fueling systems under relevant operating conditions, including operation of the truck on rugged off-road terrain. This is an important step towards commercialization of Verne’s CcH2 technology. Following this successful technical demonstration, Verne will conduct hydrogen distribution pilots with key customers before scaling up to full commercial hydrogen distribution operations.

One early market for hydrogen distribution is replacing diesel generators, delivering hydrogen to operate zero-emission hydrogen-to-power generators. Customers from a variety of sectors are seeking access to clean power and are not currently being served by the grid or by existing hydrogen distribution technologies. The efficiency and low-cost of CcH2 distribution make it feasible to deliver affordable clean energy anywhere without relying on interconnection to the grid. Verne has received interest from customers in construction, warehouses, ports, EV charging and remote events. Beyond commercializing the technology for CcH2 distribution, Verne will pursue onboard storage for Class 8 trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles.

“This demonstration is an important step forward for CcH2 and proves the strong technical foundation we’ve built at Verne,” said Ted McKlveen, Co-founder & CEO of Verne. “Across sectors, decarbonization efforts are being hindered by limited access to clean energy and zero-emission alternatives that meet operational standards. CcH2 can serve these customers and replace fossil fuels in some of the most demanding, most essential sectors of the economy.”

Since its founding in 2020, Verne has made rapid progress to develop and commercialize CcH2. In 2022, Verne initiated a project funded by ARPA-E to develop energy-efficient cryo-compression technology. In 2023, Verne demonstrated a world-record 29 kg storage tank at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, validating the CcH2 storage system in a stationary environment. Verne has also collaborated with key partners to develop the full technology ecosystem of CcH2, including coupling provider ARTA, cryopump provider Cryostar, refueling hose provider Lifeguard Technologies, and flow meter provider Rheonik. Building on this successful 2024 demonstration, which was supported by Alberta Innovates and Diesel Tech Industries, Verne will progress to pilots with these partners and leading commercial customers in 2025.


About Verne

Verne was founded in 2020 to decarbonize the most demanding sectors of the economy. Verne’s platform unlocks zero-emission operations in sectors including construction, warehouses, ports, EV charging and remote events. Verne is financially supported by leading commercial entities, including Trucks Venture Capital, Collaborative Fund, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, NextEra Energy Resources, United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, Caterpillar VC, and Newlab. Verne is also supported by Breakthrough Energy Fellows, the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E, The U.S. Army, Alberta Innovates and other organizations. For more information, visit www.verneh2.com.

Company contact: contact@verneh2.com

Verne and Rheonik to develop cryo-compressed hydrogen mass flow meters for distribution and mobility

November 2024

The parties will develop mass flow meters to measure cryo-compressed hydrogen flow during distribution trailer filling and vehicle fueling

San Francisco, California & Odelzhausen, Germany, November 7th, 2024 — Verne and Rheonik announced a technical collaboration to develop mass flow meters for cryo-compressed hydrogen applications. Verne and Rheonik will collaborate to adapt the Rheonik Omega Coriolis mass meter to support the growing demand for cryo-compressed hydrogen in the distribution and mobility markets.

 Hydrogen can enable decarbonization of up to 25% of U.S. energy-related emissions in some of the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors, including iron & steel production, chemicals manufacturing, off-road equipment and heavy-duty transportation. However, hydrogen adoption is currently hindered by expensive, inefficient hydrogen distribution and storage. Verne’s breakthrough cryo-compressed hydrogen technology enables low-cost hydrogen distribution by maximizing hydrogen density on delivery trailers and minimizing the cost of densifying the hydrogen. The improvements to hydrogen distribution will make the use of clean hydrogen economical for existing industrial users of hydrogen and will unlock new use cases of hydrogen, such as off-road equipment, and heavy-duty trucks. These growth sectors could more than double hydrogen distribution demand by 2030 and enable hydrogen to replace diesel in the most demanding sectors of the economy.

 Verne and Rheonik’s partnership aims to establish a reliable supply of proven flow metering to enable commercial CcH2 filling of hydrogen distribution trailers and heavy-duty vehicles. Rheonik is a leading developer of mass flow solutions for extreme applications with devices already being used in approximately 2,000 hydrogen filling stations, and in oil & gas, marine, petrochemical and many other applications.

Verne develops cryo-compressed hydrogen storage systems and densification equipment that converts gaseous hydrogen into CcH2 to fill distribution trailers and heavy-duty vehicles. Verne is focused on developing the full ecosystem of CcH2 suppliers. Previously, Verne announced a partnership with ARTA to develop nozzles and receptacles for CcH2 filling, a partnership with Cryostar to develop pumps for “future-proofed” hydrogen filling stations and a partnership with LifeGuard Technologies to develop flexible hoses for CcH2filling. This partnership with Rheonik is an important next step in enabling commercial use of CcH2 in hydrogen distribution and heavy-duty transportation.

 In 2023, Verne completed drive testing of a CcH2 storage system onboard a vehicle and demonstrated a world-record 29 kg storage tank at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, validating the high-densities of cryo-compressed hydrogen. Verne recently announced the completion of the world-first CcH2 Class 8 truck, with drive testing set to take place later this year. Verne is also working with leading hydrogen distributors and vehicle manufacturers to pilot the technology starting in 2025.

 “The hydrogen industry is in desperate need of an efficient hydrogen distribution method. Cryo-compressed hydrogen distribution will meet this critical industry need, and reliable mass flow meters will be critical for commercial roll-out of CcH2 filling stations for distribution trailers and vehicles,” said Bav Roy, Verne Co-founder & COO. “Rheonik’s decades of experience making high-quality mass flow meters makes them the perfect partner.”

“Accurate mass measurement of CcH2 in the distribution channel is an essential step in the implementation of CcH2 filling stations. The unique design of Rheonik's Omega Coriolis metering platform offers the perfect solution to the challenges of CcH2 measurement. In partnership with Verne, we will be able to specifically optimize our flow meters for this application,” said Maximilian Weber, Application Engineering Manager at Rheonik.

 

About Verne

Verne was founded in 2020 to develop high-density hydrogen storage solutions required for deep decarbonization. Verne’s platform unlocks zero-emission operations in sectors including industrial hydrogen use, off-road equipment, and heavy-duty transportation. Verne is financially supported by leading commercial entities, including Trucks Venture Capital, Collaborative Fund, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, NextEra Energy Resources, United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund, Caterpillar VC, and Newlab. Verne is also supported by Breakthrough Energy Fellows, the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E, The U.S. Army, Alberta Innovates and other agencies. For more information, visit www.verneh2.com.

 Company contact: contact@verneh2.com

 

 About Rheonik

Rheonik was founded in 1986 to develop a mass flow meter based on the new Coriolis measuring principle. Since returning to private ownership in 2014, the Rheonik Omega metering platform has been significantly updated and enhanced. Rheonik’s state-of-the-art product range has been met with great acceptance in the market and has opened many new business areas for the company.

Rheonik is recognized as the global leader in the supply of Coriolis flow meters for hydrogen metering applications. As a pioneer in hydrogen flow measurement, Rheonik is constantly developing technical innovations for new applications in this field. For more information, visit www.rheonik.com.

 Company contact:info@rheonik.com