Shellharbour and Wollongong councils have made a major move towards renewable energy by introducing one of the world's first hydrogen-powered garbage trucks.

The REMONDIS waste services' Hyzan Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) runs on hydrogen which reacts with air to produce electricity, emitting only harmless water vapour into the environment.

On October 17, 2023, following extensive trials, the carbon emission-free Hyzan Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) truck successfully completed its first scheduled residential waste pick up in the Illawarra.

REMONDIS Australia CEO Björn Becker said the truck going into formal operation was historic.

“We’re demonstrating that carbon-free transport can and does work in industrial settings,” Mr Becker said.

The hydrogen-powered vehicle can now seamlessly integrate into normal fleet operations with the addition of more trucks.

“This should be likely as economies of scale take effect, making the take-up of such technology the norm and not the exception.”

Launch of Remondis Hygrogen Waste Collection truck 

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery said.

“This is a really exciting development and is a proactive step forward in adapting to new technologies that can help reduce our city’s emissions,’’

 Shellharbour City Mayor Chris Homer said “I applaud REMONDIS and Hyzon for their initiative on this project, which will help us prepare for a low carbon future.”

Hyzon Motors' President of International Operations, John Edgley, stated that the Illawarra developments were being closely monitored by global industries.

Mr Edgley stated that today's announcement is a "game changer" for the world's journey towards decarbonisation.

“We’re making it very clear that we’ve got a product now, the first product that’s been designed locally, that’s ready to go into the market.

“This step forward will give more confidence that as a trucking sector, we can start transitioning larger fleets in companies that have thousands of vehicles.”

The Hyzon Motors heavy-duty waste collection truck outperforms the industry standard with a range of 200 kilometers (125 miles) and the ability to lift 1500 bins per working day. The truck is expected to be further improved through a collaborative effort between Hyzon Motors and REMONDIS NSW South Coast Region Manager, Chris Wade, over the course of the next few months.

According to Mr. Wade, the goal is to make the hydrogen truck equivalent to our current diesel trucks in every aspect. This includes completing around 1,000 bin lifts in approximately eight hours. The truck refuels at the Corega H2 Hub situated at Port Kembla.

Hyzon developed its Heavy Rigid truck in Australia as a global platform, adaptable for international markets with a multitude of vehicle use cases, such as garbage compactors, tilt trays, and flatbed trucks. Development of the Heavy Rigid program in Australia has allowed Hyzon to tap into highly skilled local engineering and technical knowledge to build a team, process and product for Hyzon's targeted U.S. and global markets. Building on the back of this ISO-certified Australian developed platform, the first U.S. FCEV waste collection vehicle is in assembly, readying for expected customer trials in the U.S. in early 2024.

The truck will result in 25,000 litres of diesel fuel being saved annually – the amount a conventional diesel-powered waste collection truck of this size uses. Up to 75 tonnes of carbon emissions would also be eliminated each year. Heavy-duty transport is known to cause about a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions globally.

The truck is also significantly quieter than diesel trucks.

Exciting times!