Pillar 4 of 5 · kills: Heavy steel storage and transport
Kidney-flask carbon-fibre vessels.
Stackable, low-contact vessels ~60% lighter than steel carry 40% more hydrogen per truck.
Modelled saving
₹15–20/kg
₹45–55/kg → ₹30–35/kg
2 · The mechanism
Cylinders waste space. Rows of round tanks in a rectangular truck bed leave gaps, and the steel that contains 200 bar of hydrogen weighs far more than the gas it carries. Both costs land on the delivered price.
A kidney-flask geometry nests. Vessels stack with low surface contact, which reduces handling damage, and a carbon-fibre composite shell cuts weight by about 60%. Modelled, that is 40% more hydrogen per truckload, 50–60% better use of yard area for above-ground storage, and a 30% lower transport cost per kilogram delivered.
The same form factor is what above-ground refuelling stations will need. We do not bet the early years on it: conventional cylinders carry Years 1–4 while operating experience builds; the carbon-fibre transition is planned for Year 5 across both sites.
3 · The components
Everything on this page is bought, not invented.
| What is used | Who makes it | Maturity |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional steel cylinders, Years 1–4 | Indian industrial-gas supply | Commercial |
| Kidney-flask carbon-fibre vessels, Year 5+ | Aviation-grade composite fabricator (to be selected) | Proven materials; geometry to be qualified |
| Compression to 500 kg on-site storage | Standard compressor OEM | Commercial |
Supplier names given by class. Partners are in discussion unless a written agreement exists; none is implied as an endorsement.
4 · The numbers
₹15–20/kg
Basis. Storage and transport at ₹45–55/kg conventional against ₹30–35/kg with the phased vessel plan.
Sensitivity. If carbon-fibre transition slips two years, Years 5–6 lose about ₹8/kg of this line; the rest of the model is unaffected.
- ~60%lighter than steelsupplier spec
- lighter than steel
- 40%more H₂ per truckmodelled
- more H₂ per truck
- 50–60%better space usemodelled
- better space use
- 30%lower transport cost/kgmodelled
- lower transport cost/kg
- ₹2.5 CrYears 1–4plan
- Years 1–4
- ₹8 CrYear 5+, both sitesplan
- Year 5+, both sites
5 · What we still need to prove
- 01Kidney-flask vessel certification under Indian PESO rules is not yet started.
- 02Delivered-cost figures depend on offtaker distance; the 30% assumes the mapped cluster within 100 km.