These systems should provide useable hydrogen storage capacity about 2 kg (22.4 Nm³) H2 and necessary H₂ output flow rates (e.g. up to ~150 NL/min for 3-tonne fuel cell forklifts). Short refuelling time (below 15 minutes) is very important. The systems will be built according to “distributed hybrid” advanced engineering solution involving both CGH2 and MH tanks where the latter is thermally coupled with the fuel cell cooling system (normal operation) and the environment (refuelling). The optimisation to be carried out within this project will be related to (i) maximum operating pressure (100–200 bar for the surface and 15–20 bar for underground applications) in combination with the contribution of CGH2 part providing maximum hydrogen storage capacity to be achieved during refuelling; (ii) details of MH thermal management system including thermal coupling with the fuel cell. The MH tanks will be designed as pluralities of compact assemblies of the MH containers (MH cassettes) each having hydrogen storage capacity between 2.5 and 3.5 Nm³ H₂ and combining functions of hydrogen storage unit and vehicle ballast.

Hydrogen compression systems will be built on the basis of materials and engineering solutions previously developed by Norwegian (IFE, HSS) and South African (UWC, TFD) project participants. The specifications (suction and discharge pressures, throughput capacity) will be drawn on the basis of joint analysis of available customer’s infrastructures and planned number of the vehicles in operation. Features of the on-board hydrogen storage systems (refuelling pressure, amount of H₂ to be dispensed) will be taken into account as well. The main focus of the improvements to be done within the project will be in the increase of efficiency and productivity (via the use of advanced light weight MH containers for H₂ compression), increase lifetime (materials solution within WP1, system layout and operation procedure) and operation reliability (proper system components and their operation conditions).