Daimler Truck AG and Rolls-Royce plc plan to collaborate on the development of stationary fuel cell systems. The fuel cells are to be supplied by the planned joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo.
Fuel cell stack
Daimler
Safety-critical facilities such as data centres could be fitted with stationary fuel cell generators in place of diesel generators in future. Daimler Truck AG and Rolls-Royce have signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of these emergency power generators. "On the one hand, this represents further impetus for the development of a hydrogen infrastructure across all sectors and applications; on the other hand, it will enable us to work together to further increase the economy of fuel cells, as well as society's acceptance of and confidence in them," says Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG and Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG.
The partners could source the fuel cells from the joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo, who plan to mass-produce heavy-duty fuel cell commercial vehicles in the future. However, the fuel cell systems for stationary applications could start being mass-produced much earlier. "The decarbonisation of drive systems and power supply is one of our central strategic goals and fuel cells will play a key role in this," explains Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. At the end of 2019, Rolls-Royce Power Systems and Daimler's Lab1886 agreed on a pilot project to develop a demonstrator for the use of a stationary power supply based on automotive fuel cell modules.