JCB to unveil hydrogen combustion engine
The brand-new hydrogen combustion engine from JCB, a manufacturer of construction equipment in the UK, will be unveiled soon.
JCB has already used an internal combustion engine (ICE) to power a prototype loadall telescopic handler and backhoe loader.
The hydrogen-fueled ICE is scheduled to be introduced at the Conexpo in Las Vega, US, and is meant to be utilized as a “zero-emissions solution” for construction and agricultural equipment.
It follows JCB’s revelation that it will invest £100 million ($123 million) in an initiative to create new, cutting-edge hydrogen engines in 2021. In addition, the business debuted the “world’s first” hydrogen-powered digger in 2022, in celebration of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
ALCORE gets grant for aluminium bath recycling plant that will produce hydrogen fluoride
The Australian government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative awarded the first A$7.5 million grant to Australian Bauxite Limited (ABx) subsidiary ALCORE Limited (MMI).
The company’s projected A$16.4 million aluminum bath recycling plant, which it intends to build at Bell Bay in Tasmania, would be funded with the first payment of A$3.3 million. Alcore has committed to matching the MMI award funds dollar for dollar.
Alcore and Australia’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources also reached an agreement this week that Alcore’s pilot plant in New South Wales will be included in the MMI project plan.
The goal of the pilot plant is to set up a bath where fluorine will be recovered from extra bath produced at aluminum smelters. The final product of the fluorine’s transformation is hydrogen fluoride, which can subsequently be used to create aluminum fluoride. Since the crucial component is solely imported into Australia, aluminium fluoride has a considerable market value there.
Yosemite Clean Energy gets funding for biomass-to-hydrogen projects
The California Department of Conservation has awarded Yosemite Clean Energy two grants for the conversion of forest biomass into carbon-negative biofuels, each worth $500,000.
The DOC grant program will quicken the pace and volume of biofuels development and represents a vote of confidence for forest biomass to biofuels projects in the state. The initiatives supported by the program will help Californians manage their forests sustainably, lowering the danger of wildfires and supplying the transportation sector with carbon-negative, zero-emission fuels.
The first award will assist Yosemite reach a final investment decision and support the company’s flagship project in Oroville, California, which will create 24 tons of renewable hydrogen every day. The second award will help with the early stages of engineering for the Tuolumne County hydrogen project in Yosemite.
The second phase of a two-phase grant program will award two to four grants totaling between $10 and $20 million to build projects. This grant represents the first round of the program.
Kerala minister to launch hydrogen-filling stations
Rameswar Teli, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, declared that the ministry would launch hydrogen-filling stations in the region to promote alternative fuels.
At the Evolve-2023 conference and expo on e-mobility and alternative fuels, the minister also commended the state government for its numerous steps to promote eco-friendly fuels.
He discussed the replacement plan that involves bringing in 690 electric buses and presented a comparison of operational costs for diesel and electric vehicles. K R Jyothilal, a second chief secretary, emphasized the need for fuel cells and quicker charging stations to replace lithium-ion batteries.
Concerns around range, battery charging, battery pricing, and the disposal of spent batteries, according to Transport Commissioner S Sreejith, are some of the difficulties in the switch to green fuels.