HecVision Eco for fuels of the future

Thanks to the new fuel terminal model from Hectronic unmanned stations can sell alternative fuels around the clock. The LNG station operator LIQUIND relies on the fuelling solution of the future at eight stations. Six further stations are being planned.

For operators of LNG, CNG or hydrogen filling stations and charging points. HecVision Eco can be flexibly integrated into the filling station infrastructure. | © Hectronic GmbH

As a specialist for petrol station management, Hectronic has launched its HecVision Eco, a solution that allows for the 24-hour operation of stations with alternative fuels. During the concept phase, however, the family enterprise from Bonndorf had to take into account the special requirements to the refuelling of alternative fuels. For this purpose, Hectronic has developed a special authorization and payment process that is controlled by a video-supported user guidance on the 10.4” touch display. In case of LNG (liquid natural gas) this includes an authorization process during which the truck driver, after reading the safey instructions, confirms by finger pressure on the display that he has attended the required safety training for LNG.

The vehicle selection is also part of the authorization process, as the temperature and pressure of the fuelling depends on the manufacturer of the heavy goods vehicle. Due to the interface between the fuel terminal and the plant control the LNG system knows, upon entering this information into HecVision Eco, how the respective truck model has to be fuelled. It is also possible for the driver to select the desired percentage of a bio-LNG-admixture via display. This information is recorded in the fuelling data set for the back office and listed on the receipt for the forwarding company.

Ten companies with a total of 30 LNG filling stations already use LNG terminals from Hectronic. A similar number of stations will probably follow in 2021. A major customer is LIQUIND 24/7 that has been setting up a comprehensive network of LNG filling stations all over Germany since 2015. Eight locations have been equipped with fuel terminals of the manufacturer from Bonndorf (Germany), six more are to follow in 2021. As of 2021, payment will be possible via the app easy2fuel (developed by Hectronic) that transfers the functionalities of the fuel terminal to the smartphone, thus offering an alternative to the control via the display of HecVision Eco. „Since setting up our first filling station we have been cooperating with Hectronic because, as a market leader, the company is most experienced in the area of LNG fuel terminals“, explains Philip Maximilian Braunschweig, Head of Company Development at LIQUIND 24/7.

As a stand-alone or built-in solution the HecVision Eco is not only suitable for LNG filling stations but also for hydrogen filling stations with 350 resp. 700 bar and for electric charging points. Thanks to a special technology the installation at LNG stations where the driver can simultaneously refuel CNG (compressed natural gas) is also possible. Due to the interface to the terminal the system knows which fuel is to be dispensed. Naturally, mixed operation with just one HecVision Eco at truck filling stations with diesel, AdBlue and LNG is also possible. The drivers can pay for the refuelling with their debit, credit and common fleet cards at all variants.

The hardware is supplemented by the cross-platform and web-based management software HecPoll that transmits all data from filling stations to the office. The user can see all transactions, manage master data, create analyses and authorize station cards online. With HecPoll, the limit and voucher administration and the processing of product restrictions in real time is also possible. With the web-based monitoring software PetroLine operators can also receive, analyse online and evaluate status messages of the terminal from any place. The online authorization solution FleetNet Host and the fleet card acceptance FleetNet Routing can also be easily combined with HecVision Eco.