Connected Strategy for Hydrogen Value Chain ^ Top ^ 20 technology to hydrogen trucks it is not a stretch to say that it will be looking to do so when it has commercially ready trucks in 2024. VEHICLE-TO-INFRASTRUCTURE (V2I) COMMUNICATION This technology makes it possible for trucks to remain in constant communication with their surroundings through GPS tracking and digital links between the truck and the road or other infrastructure installations such as fueling outlets. Safety information, re-fueling or charging level, payment information, and other information may all be transmitted through such connected architecture. The north American startup Nikola Motors has secured a $2M department of energy grant to use this technology to develop autonomous fueling infrastructure for its own class 8 hydrogen trucks. First generation of such technology would sense a truck pulling up for refueling and deploy a robotic arm (being developed by the company Robofuel) to insert the nozzle into the truck tank. Hydrogen refueling can be quite specialized and fraught with safety hazards. The use of such an unmanned refueling system would help minimize training and operational risks while integrating the automation, safety and explosion protection needs into a single processing system. Nikola has partnered with OPAL fuels to develop hydrogen hubs (large scale hydrogen production facilities in key geographies and routes) across America. In essence, this is very similar to the Tesla model that is looking to create an integrated ecosystem with the approach of optimizing regionally available green energy to produce hydrogen fuel in a cost competitive manner (zero to no logistics cost). International company Rotec has also developed a Robotic Fueling System (RFS) of a similar scale. Its system connects in 75 seconds, has a 300 gallons per minute fuel rate, and can disconnect in an impressive 30 seconds, and is made up of a horizontally placed delta robot with three driving mechanisms mounted on a sub frame that moves six arms. Plug power is innovating in the space of hydrogen robotics and automation, specifically with a first-of-its- kind robotic hydrogen fueling technology for motive power applications. The immediate goal of the robotic fueling station is to increase the ease and efficiency of fueling hydrogen-powered vehicles in warehouse settings.