Liebherr has deployed its L 566 H hydrogen-powered wheel loader prototype for long-term field testing under commercial operating conditions at the fishing harbour in Bremerhaven, Germany.
The multi-year pilot project sees bulk handling specialist Georg Grube GmbH operating the large wheel loader across its daily port site workflows, replacing tasks previously carried out by conventional diesel-powered loading machinery. According to the manufacturer, the L 566 H is being utilised to feed conveyor systems, transfer sand, gravel, and rock between stockpiles, and load processed materials onto lorries for onward transport.
G眉nther Holzer, Technical Managing Director of Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH, says that the Bremerhaven trial allows the company to test alternative powertrain technology under heavy-duty operational demands while assessing hydrogen infrastructure integration. According to Liebherr, the machine is refuelled at a dedicated mobile storage refuelling station located on the premises of the Fraunhofer IWES Hydrogen Lab, which is supplied with green hydrogen produced via regional wind-powered electrolysis.
Wolfgang Grube, Managing Director of Georg Grube GmbH, reported that the primary operational objective is verifying that the hydrogen-fuelled loading shovel maintains identical productivity, cycle times, and machine availability to diesel-powered fleet units. The trial forms part of the EU-funded H2B:IMPACT initiative, with Liebherr evaluating hydrogen combustion engines as a complementary low-emission power source alongside battery-electric drive systems for heavy construction equipment.