Author: Arnes Biogradlija

The US Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) has announced $87.5 million in funding for the initial phase of three hydrogen hubs. This is part of a $1.2 billion cost-sharing initiative to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs). The announcement marks the beginning of a significant investment in renewable and clean energy projects across the United States. California Hydrogen Hub OCED has allocated $30 million to the California hydrogen hub, led by the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (Arches). This public-private partnership aims to create a sustainable, clean hydrogen market by 2030. The project involves…

German LNG terminal operator Deutsche ReGas announced the completion of the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase for its planned hydrogen hub in Lubmin. This project, which started in September 2023, focuses on creating a large-scale electrolysis plant. This facility will use renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen Hub Details The hydrogen hub project, known as H2-Hub Lubmin, is divided into two phases. Phase one aims to construct a 200 MW electrolyzer plant by the end of 2026, intending to produce up to 30,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. Phase two plans to expand the capacity…

Scotland Invests in ZeroAvia The Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) has put £20 million into ZeroAvia, a hydrogen-electric aviation firm. This investment is part of a larger $150 million Series C funding round. Other contributors include Alaska Airlines, Airbus, and Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund. ZeroAvia aims to develop zero-emission, hydrogen-electric engines for commercial planes. ZeroAvia’s Ambitious Plans Founded in California, ZeroAvia is exploring future flight routes in Scotland’s Highlands and Islands and possible manufacturing sites in the country. Earlier this year, ZeroAvia partnered with ScottishPower to investigate green hydrogen supply options at Scottish airports. They plan to market their engines…

Mauritania’s Parliament has passed the Green Hydrogen Code Bill, tapping into the country’s rich solar and wind resources to become a leader in clean energy. Minister of Energy and Petroleum Mohamed Ould Khaled stressed the importance of green hydrogen in the country’s strategy for a sustainable energy future. Mauritania’s Energy Potential Mauritania’s renewable energy potential has been extensively studied. A March 2024 report by renewable energy firm Chariot outlines the Nour project, developed in collaboration with TotalEnergies. This ambitious project aims to generate 88 GW of renewable energy and produce up to 150,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. Background of…

Recently, the hydrogen truck startup Hyzon has been facing significant challenges. To ensure its survival in a competitive market, the company has taken the dramatic step of ceasing its production of hydrogen trucks. This may seem counterintuitive for a hydrogen truck company, but the strategy aims to preserve resources and focus on other potential growth areas. Decision to Halt Production Hyzon has opted to temporarily halt its truck manufacturing operations. The company plans to leverage this pause to reassess its strategies. This move is not just about cutting costs but also about redirecting efforts toward research and development. The competitive…

The Zhongguancun-Deutz hydrogen internal combustion engine power demonstration project was recently launched in Beijing’s Economic and Technological Development Zone. This significant project, which aims to advance hydrogen energy, is notable for being the world’s first large-scale hydrogen internal combustion engine power generation project. In July 2023, Zhongguancun Development Group signed an agreement with Germany’s Deutz, planning to complete the co-venturer’s hydrogen internal combustion engine power unit by August 2024 in Beijing. Continuous Production The project leader introduced the demonstration project’s capability to support continuous production operations. The annual electricity generation can reach up to 1 million kilowatt-hours. Additionally, each unit…

Methanol has become increasingly recognized as a viable source of hydrogen production, which is important for sustainable development. Researchers have developed an experimental setup and a simulation model using Aspen Plus, which includes an evaporator and cracker for hydrogen production. The study highlights factors such as the length and diameter of the cracker, temperature, and pressure and their effects on hydrogen production and methanol conversion. The optimal hydrogen mole fraction achieved in the experiments was 0.52, and methanol conversion was over 60% under specific conditions. However, these numbers improved significantly after the cracker was redesigned using Aspen Plus. Hydrogen as…

Denso and JERA are partnering to develop efficient hydrogen production technology using Denso’s Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC). This involves using excess heat from power plants to produce hydrogen more efficiently. They plan to start field trials at one of JERA’s thermal power plants in 2025. Denso aims to become carbon neutral by 2035. Its focus is on manufacturing, mobility products, and energy use. The company is developing stable and efficient SOEC technology in the energy sector. JERA’s vision is “JERA Zero Emissions 2050,” aiming for net-zero CO₂ emissions globally by 2050. They are also working to create a supply…

Iron ore and green energy company Fortescue has started construction on its $150 million PEM50 green hydrogen project in Gladstone, Queensland. Scheduled to begin hydrogen production in 2025, the project will unfold in two stages. The initial stage features a 30MW electrolyzer plant, and the second stage will add another 20MW of capacity, contingent on upgrades to the site’s water supply infrastructure, expected by 2028. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology underpins this project. Fortescue launched the 15,000 sqm Gladstone manufacturing base in April, slated to produce around 2 gigawatts (GW) of electrolyzers annually. However, Fortescue revised its ambitious goal of…

A startup backed by Bill Gates, Koloma, is at the forefront of a new and exciting venture: the hunt for buried hydrogen. The concept revolves around natural reservoirs of hydrogen gas that can be tapped into, like drilling for oil. This resource could provide a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels. Natural Hydrogen Benefits Hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen, is considered one of the cleanest fuels because its only byproduct when burned is water vapor. Unlike grey hydrogen, which is produced using natural gas, green hydrogen is sourced without releasing carbon emissions. However, the challenge has always been the expensive process…