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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 7^th, 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

Hydrogen Storage Startup Promises Diesel-Equivalent Range, Will Trial Dual-Fuel VNL 760 First

A 2019 Volvo VNL 760 will serve as the initial testing ground for an innovation its developer believes could increase the range and cut the cost of every hydrogen-fueled Class 8 tractor manufacturers envision building as part of the gradual decarbonization of the freight sector.

San Francisco-based Verne plans to offer truck makers — whether they are building dual-fuel, hydrogen internal combustion engine or hydrogen fuel cell electric models — the option of cryo-compressed hydrogen storage to achieve the same range as a diesel tractor.

The startup, founded in 2020, believes cryo-compressed hydrogen can offer a denser form of hydrogen storage that improves vehicle range and payload.
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Read the full article from Keiron Greenhalgh: https://www.ttnews.com/articles/verne-nears-hydrogen-pilot

Verne's high-density cryo-compressed hydrogen technology maximizes storage density to improve range and payload for heavy-duty vehicles

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Edmonton, AB, Canada, September 26, 2024 — Verne and its industry partners announced the completion of the first heavy-duty Class 8 truck powered by cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH₂). Verne’s CcH₂ fuel storage system maximizes hydrogen storage density, increasing vehicle range while decreasing vehicle weight and storage system cost. Verne showcased the truck at the Alberta Motor Transport Association Innovation Expo in Edmonton, where fleets had the chance to inspect the completed truck. Verne will soon begin drive testing of the truck in advance of multiple commercial pilots.

Verne’s cryo-compressed hydrogen technology involves cooling and compressing hydrogen to achieve the maximum hydrogen density of 73 g/L, a 33% improvement over liquid hydrogen and an 87% improvement over traditional 700 bar compressed gas hydrogen. Heavy-duty transportation is responsible for 12% of global CO₂ emissions, and current zero emission options fail to meet the range and payload requirements of heavy-duty truck fleets. By increasing hydrogen density, CcH2 is the first zero-emission fuel to enable heavy-duty vehicles to meet diesel-parity range and payload.

The first-of-kind cryo-compressed hydrogen truck uses Diesel Tech Industries’ Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System, which is a retrofit of a traditional diesel engine to enable the vehicle to run on a blend of diesel and hydrogen. DTI’s Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System can serve as an important bridge technology for the trucking industry, as it allows fleets to trial hydrogen fueling and driving without requiring investment in a new fleet of trucks.

Verne and DTI will demonstrate the range and payload improvements of high-density CcH₂ fuel with the Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System. Verne will conduct demonstrations and commercial pilots with leading vehicle manufacturers and fleets in Canada and the United States using dual-fuel engines, hydrogen combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells, as it believes that all three technologies will play an important role in decarbonizing the heavy-duty transportation sector.

Verne previously achieved a CcH₂ storage record during a stationary demonstration of a 29 kg storage system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and completed drive testing of a fuel cell electric vehicle powered by CcH₂ with a leading global vehicle manufacturer. Verne is also applying its unique CcH₂ technology to hydrogen densification and distribution to bring down the cost of delivering hydrogen by as much as 40%. This novel distribution platform will accelerate the use of hydrogen in several sectors that currently rely on diesel, including heavy-duty trucks and off-road equipment.  

“Demonstrating the first Class 8 truck powered by cryo-compressed hydrogen will be a major milestone for the hydrogen industry and a big step towards decarbonizing trucking at scale,” said Ted McKlveen, Verne Co-founder & CEO.

“Diesel Tech Industries is thrilled to partner with Verne in integrating the Verne CcH₂ system with our Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System. This collaboration allows us to maximize onboard hydrogen storage while maintaining the flexibility and reliability of the diesel engine. The seamless retrofit of this dual-fuel solution—without altering the truck's wheelbase—meets our customers' demands for extended range and fewer tanks, all while enabling the use of sleeper cabs. This partnership underscores our commitment to driving the energy transition in heavy-duty trucking, setting new standards for sustainability and operational efficiency" added Rebecca Goldsack, COO of Diesel Tech Industries, who led integration of the vehicle.

Verne was supported on this project by Alberta Innovates through their Hydrogen Centre of Excellence program. “Alberta Innovates positions Alberta as a world leader in the innovative production, deployment, and use of hydrogen across our economy. The cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH₂) technology on this truck is an important step forward to broadening the use of hydrogen in the transportation industry and meeting the goals of the 5,000 hydrogen vehicle challenge,” said David Van Den Assem, Director of the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence at Alberta Innovates.

Edmonton Global introduced the 5,000 Hydrogen Vehicle Challenge, which aims to deploy 5,000 hydrogen or dual-fuel vehicles in Western Canada over the next five years. “Verne’s innovative technology and partnership with Diesel Tech Industries is a clear demonstration of the coordinated and aggressive action taking place in the Edmonton Metro Region to drive hydrogen technology adoption in our commercial transportation sector. This announcement adds to the growing momentum behind the 5,000 Hydrogen Vehicle Challenge and is another important piece to the infrastructure needed to support the transition. Congratulations to Verne and DTI on this exciting milestone,” added Malcolm Bruce, CEO of Edmonton Global.

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 trucking and hydrogen distribution. 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 DieselTech Industries

Diesel Tech Industries, based in Edmonton, Alberta, is a pioneer in transportation technology, specializing in innovative solutions for the trucking industry. The Guardian Hydrogen Diesel System represents their latest advancement, aimed at reducing emissions and enhancing operational efficiency in diesel vehicles through dual-fuel hydrogen blending technology. For more information about DTI and its initiatives, visit www.dtiguardian.com.