Sustainable, smart, safe
Hydrogen makes sustainable energy mobile. With the intel ligent trailer control system HY.Runner from GP Joule, transporting hydrogen is more efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly. The Festo valve terminal VTUG and the solenoid valve VOFC provide a space-saving design on the trailer chassis, as well as additional safety.
From generating to using renewable energy, GP Joule as an integrated energy supplier is active along the entire energy value chain. The newly developed trailer control system HY.Runner won the German Renewables Award as “Hydrogen Innovation of the Year” in November 2024. It is the second project of GP Joule to receive this prestigious award. HY.Runner is already being used in HY.CITY.Brermerhaven, a model region for the production and use of hydrogen.
Smart controlled sectors
The intelligent trailer control system ensures that the hydrogen produced in electrolyzers is delivered to hydrogen filling stations or industrial customers as efficiently as possible. The advantages of this innovative solution are the optimum utilization of the hydrogen quantities in the trailer and the networked communication between the electrolyzers, filling stations, and mobile hydrogen reservoirs. The central component of the innovative solution is the process control system running directly via the trailer as the hydrogen is being filled and removed. The hydrogen storage sectors are smartly controlled so that as much hydrogen as possible can flow to the filling stations as quickly as possible.
The hydrogen supply can be drawn off remotely at any time, resulting in greater flexibility and high precision in hydrogen distribution. In addition, a standardized interface makes the trailer independent of the stationary remote station. By monitoring all the operating conditions, safety is increased and integration into the safety concepts of filling and extraction points is simplified.
Pneumatically functional and safe
The intelligent control system is housed in the lower frame area of the trailer chassis. This means that a pneumatic solution that was both sturdy and space-saving was required. The choice was made for the valve terminal VTUG from Festo. With its high pneumatic functionality and electrical modularity, it can be quickly integrated into various automation solutions and can be easily configured, too. Thanks to its compact dimensions, it is perfect for use in the HY.Runner. To meet the high SIL safety standards, the valve terminal VTUG is actuated using the Festo solenoid valve VOFC. The indirectly controlled pilot valve is designed for particularly demanding operating conditions and is suitable for safety-related systems up to SIL3.
Green Hydrogen Bremerhaven ecosystem
HY.Runner is showcasing its strengths for the first time in the regional energy transition project HY.CITY.Bremerhaven, which was initiated by GP Joule Hydrogen GmbH and Green Fuels GmbH. The project uses renewable energy from local wind turbines to operate a 2-megawatt electrolyzer. The hydrogen extracted is stored directly in a trailer with an intelligent control system and delivered to a publicly accessible H2 filling station. With the electrolysis capacity, up to 34 buses and more than 190 cars can be refueled every day.
Festo is exhibitor at Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg/Germany:
Stand 6J40
21-23 October 2025
Festo è un attore globale e un'azienda indipendente a conduzione familiare con sede a Esslingen am Neckar, in Germania. Fin dagli inizi Festo ha stabilito degli standard nella tecnologia dell'automazione industriale e nella formazione tecnica, contribuendo così allo sviluppo sostenibile dell'ambiente, dell'economia e della società. Prodotti e servizi sono disponibili in 176 paesi del mondo. L'azienda, infatti, fornisce tecnologia di automazione pneumatica ed elettrica a 300.000 clienti di automazione di fabbrica e di processo in oltre 35 industrie. Il settore LifeTech con la tecnologia medica e l'automazione di laboratorio sta diventando sempre più importante. Con circa 20.600 dipendenti in oltre 250 filiali in circa 60 paesi in tutto il mondo, Festo ha realizzato un fatturato di circa 3,45 miliardi di euro nel 2024. Ogni anno oltre l'8% di questo fatturato viene investito in ricerca e sviluppo, mentre l'1,5 % del fatturato è investito nella formazione di base e di perfezionamento. Festo Didactic SE è un fornitore leader di formazione e formazione tecnica e offre ai suoi clienti in tutto il mondo soluzioni complete di apprendimento digitale e fisico in ambiente industriale.
