Hyzon Motors Inc. is cleaning up waste collection through an exclusive supply contract with Dutch refuse collection company Geesinknorba Group.

Hyzon, a leading global supplier of zero-emission, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, announced today an agreement with Geesinknorba to be its exclusive vendor for zero emission trucks.

Geesinknorba already deploys zero emissions vehicles throughout Europe, with 300 trucks or more expected to be supplied by Hyzon during the three-year contract. The companies expect annual demand to grow as customers prioritize the decarbonization of waste collection, and this will be facilitated by increasing availability of hydrogen throughout Europe. Recent announcements on green hydrogen production and the buildout of hydrogen infrastructure have reached fever pitch in the wake of the COP 26 Summit in Glasgow.

Hyzon CEO Craig Knight described the partnership as one borne out of mutual ambition to significantly improve the local community and global environmental impact of waste collection activities in the near term.

“The partnership with Geesinknorba builds on a shared understanding that sustainable refuse collection can have a significant impact on decarbonizing communities and improving quality of life in our residential neighborhoods,” Knight said. “To realize this impact, the solutions must be accessible, robust, and easy to use. Combining Geesinknorba and Hyzon’s expertise will provide this solution to fleet operators across Europe.”

Geesinknorba, a pioneer in developing zero-emissions refuse collection technology, operates in more than 30 countries and has more than 7,500 refuse collection vehicles on the road; they are also the largest provider of battery- and fuel-cell electric refuse collection vehicles in Europe. To maintain and further this leadership position, the Geesinknorba refuse collection bodies, compaction mechanisms and lifters will all be available for integration with the Hyzon zero emission vehicle platforms.

Diesel-powered refuse collection vehicles suffer from high maintenance costs and extremely poor fuel efficiency due to the nature of their daily operations, and are frequently the source of noise complaints in residential neighborhoods.

Refuse collection offers a particularly suitable application for hydrogen fuel cell technology, as the back-to-base model allows for a central refueling infrastructure. Operating the hydraulic compaction system and lifters for many hours each day is very demanding; Hyzon’s hydrogen powered fuel cell trucks can readily meet these operational requirements. Battery and fuel cell electric vehicles are also significantly quieter than traditional refuse collection trucks.

Around the world, government-owned and -operated fleets are emerging as early adopters of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles and policymakers across Europe are vocal in their pursuit of decarbonization, issuing tenders and incentives for emissions-free vehicles.

The two companies will collaborate to provide ongoing maintenance and service to end-use customers, making it easy for fleet owners to switch to an emissions-free solution.

The initial Hyzon trucks are expected to be deployed by Geesinknorba to the government of Barcelona. They will be produced in Geesinknorba’s facility in Emmeloord and Hyzon’s manufacturing plant in Groningen, Netherlands.