RDM Rotterdam
At RDM you will find the test site right next to the Innovation Dock.
The business development and finance department, that’s Jan’s area. So, the five each hold slightly different positions, suited to their expertise. This group of entrepreneurs know each other from TU Delft where they formed a racing team ten years ago. They invented and manufactured hydrogen sports cars with which they competed in races. This went so well that the lap record for this type of vehicle, which driver Jan Lammers drove at the Nürburgring in 2015, has not been beaten to this day. Their car also raced to the end in a top-level race for ‘regular’ gasoline cars. Achievements of stature.
Jan Bot, who himself races classic cars as a hobby: “What we did was pure passion. We were so absorbed in it that it sometimes came at the expense of study. We did this for five years and achieved a lot. We are now reaping the benefits of that.” He himself studied technical earth science at TU, though it was mainly the love of racing that brought him into the team.
In March 2017, zepp.solutions started as a company in Delft. To be exact, in the company building of innovation accelerator Buccaneer. “We felt we had something great on our hands. This is our chance, we thought, and it soon turned out to be a success.”
A fitting example is the yard tractor they developed for Terberg, supplier of specialized commercial vehicles. In October 2020, they began testing the first concept hydrogen-powered terminal tractor in Rotterdam’s Waalhaven. The tractor runs among conventional diesel terminal tractors, pulling the same loads, and is remotely monitored to collect a multitude of data. “These types of vehicles are ideal for hydrogen applications. They run 24/7, have high energy requirements and operate in large numbers in one place. So, a charging station is then logistically well used and financially justifiable.” Meanwhile, the tractor is being tested in other locations, such as the port of Antwerp.
“For a lot of power and energy, you must go to hydrogen; you won’t make it with batteries. Certainly not if you go for zero emission. Also think about trucks and ocean-going vessels. Test runs and demonstrations with our hydrogen-powered concept vehicles are important, to make it known to the business community that these kinds of possibilities are there when looking for sustainability.”
“Two years ago, zepp.solutions started a project with Rotterdam Watertaxis. After all, it would be nice if that could also be done without emissions, Jan thinks. “The first hull has now been built, and will enter service as a test case early next year.”
Another exciting project is what they have started with Schiphol and KLM; a hydrogen system to supply clean power to stationary aircraft. A nice alternative to the many diesel generators now running in abundance there, since pure water is the only emission with hydrogen.
Terberg, Schiphol, KLM. Those are already big names. “Our proof-of-concept has already proven itself in practice with the race team. That is why we directly looked for customers who have the necessary finances, rather than initially going after investors. We do work with available grants for this type of greening process. As we start to scale up, I don’t rule out the possibility that we will seek investors later on. Although the costs are coming down quickly now and our modular approach makes this scaling up quite possible.”
“In the centre of Delft, you don’t want to tinker with flammable substances. So, we went looking for an affordable and spacious test location for fuel-cell systems. We found it here through the Port Authority and it’s very convenient for us, in an appealing environment. Innovative and representative.”
“There are fifteen of us now, but we are already looking for a larger location. Preferably where we have everything in one place. Who knows, maybe here. It would be nice to create a hydrogen bubble on RDM, with the Watertaxi around the corner. It could also just as easily become M4H. We’ll see.”
The ambition of the five young entrepreneurs is: to become European market leader! |That’s how high the bar is set. With the expertise and USP that zepp.solutions masters the entire system around hydrogen, they are going to go a long way.
