Hydrogen and bio-NGV station to be built in Lorient
The Lorient Agglomeration seeks to cut its public transportation system’s greenhouse gas emissions by 78%. The creation of a bio-NGV and hydrogen distribution station will cost the local government 4.5 million euros. It will provide green fuel to its fleet, which will initially include 5 hydrogen-powered buses and 10 bio-NGV (natural gas vehicle) buses. It will be put in place in the primary areas designated for bus parking and ought to be working by October 2023. The installation of 19 nozzles and pressurized gas storage tanks will enable the buses to be recharged in 4 hours without a person present.
Turkey recognized as one of hydrogen valleys in Europe
TÜBİTAK President Hasan Mandal, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Çetin Ali Dönmez, and ASO President Seyit Ardıç attended the ‘Horizon Europe Program Hydrogen Focused Information Day’ on May 10, 2023, at Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO). The meeting highlighted Turkey’s ability to produce green hydrogen and build more hydrogen valleys.
TÜBİTAK President Hasan Mandal claimed Turkey has one of Europe’s hydrogen valleys and could produce green hydrogen. Mandal noted that Turkey could have several hydrogen valleys. Southern Marmara has one. He stated that Turkey has one of the European Commission’s 50-52 hydrogen valleys. Mandal considers this a national accomplishment.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Çetin Ali Dönmez said cooperating with advanced ecosystems allows Turkish academics and businessmen to gain strength. He stressed the importance of Horizon Europe Programme collaborations and believes that banks should support eligible enterprises. He noted that chosen and qualified enterprises require lower interest rates and long-term finance.
The start of work on Turkey’s first hydrogen valley and the largest green hydrogen plant is noteworthy, according to ASO President Seyit Ardıç. Ardıç stressed the necessity for a rapid green transformation given Turkey’s 2053 ‘net zero’ aspirations. He thinks hydrogen energy could work well in carbon-intensive industries like chemical and iron and steel.
Hydrogen energy is clean, renewable, and greenhouse gas-free. As nations go toward net-zero carbon emissions, green hydrogen production is growing. Turkey’s ability to produce green hydrogen and create new hydrogen valleys could boost its economy and environment. Hydrogen generation is expensive, and infrastructure expansion is needed. However, Turkey’s goal to become a green hydrogen production base and the European Commission’s identification of Turkey as one of Europe’s hydrogen valleys are good steps toward a greener future.
RWE and Westfalen set up hydrogen fuel station in Lingen
RWE and the Westfalen Group will collaborate in the future to offer green hydrogen for hydrogen-powered automobiles. RWE and Westfalen want to build a network of hydrogen fueling stations specifically for big commercial vehicles in Germany through a joint venture. Depending on how the industry evolves, there could be up to 70 hydrogen fueling stations operational by 2030.
The cooperation will first concentrate on the regions of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. In each region, logistics companies will be consulted before the expansion. The optimum conditions for the economically efficient operation of hydrogen fuel stations are found close to logistics centers, where the first locations will be, and the idea is to follow them with locations along autobahns.
The Emsland gas-fired power station owned by RWE will have its first public hydrogen fueling station constructed in front of its property. Starting in 2024, there will be green hydrogen refueling stations available for goods vehicles, buses, trash vehicles, small trucks, and passenger vehicles. The Westfalen-run facility will also have a trailer filling station so that tankers may transport green hydrogen to additional clients in the area.
DOE grants $22.1M to 10 nuclear technology initiatives including hydrogen
In order to improve nuclear technologies, the US Department of Energy (DOE) gave $22.1 million to 10 industry-led projects, two of which were focused on increasing clean hydrogen generation through nuclear energy.
The other programs focus on overcoming regulatory obstacles, enhancing the performance of current reactors, and facilitating the development of new advanced reactor designs.
The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) of DOE oversees the administration of this funding opportunity. The two initiatives linked to hydrogen production that were chosen will be funded and managed by DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office in cooperation with NE.
ESAero distributing fuel cells in USA
Intelligent Energy Limited (IE), a producer of lightweight hydrogen fuel cells for flight, and Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero), a provider of electric aircraft technologies, have signed a distributor agreement for ESAero to represent the IE-SOAR fuel cell product line on fixed wing, rotary wing, and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) applications in the United States.
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) platforms are produced by ESAero for use in both commercial and armed forces purposes. ESAero has demonstrated its key strengths in the design and production of cutting-edge, effective, and sustainable electric aircraft technology for decades, making it an established leader in the industry. ESAero is well-suited to enhance the utilization of IE’s SOAR and upcoming FLIGHT product lines thanks to its AS9100-certified production capabilities and Group I through Group III design and integration knowledge. ESAero is well-positioned to speed up client integration of the IE-SOAR fuel cells into their products thanks to its market presence in the United States.
ULEMCo gets £8m for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles development
ULEMCo, a pioneer in hydrogen-fueled vehicles, and its partners have received a total of £7.9 million today to develop solutions for hydrogen-powered vehicles.
The ‘HYER Power’ project with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) will create a hydrogen fuel cell range extender module that will integrate into electric vehicles used for specialized applications like ambulances, fire engines, and street sweepers. The project will receive £3.9 million in government funding, which will be matched by industry.
In order to support plans to establish a complete UK supply chain for zero-emission vehicles, funding has been granted through the Advanced Propulsion Centre Collaborative Research and Development initiative.
The effort will result in a manufactured, zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell based range extension solution for electric drivetrains. OCC will offer the customer feedback, trialing, and distribution. Technical Services (UK) Ltd, Altair Ltd, and Emergency One are the other partners in the project with ULEMCo that provide cooling capability, modeling of the vehicle energy system, and fire engine solutions, respectively.
Toyota is betting on hydrogen for heavy goods transport
Automakers must discover new ways to lower their carbon footprint to help combat climate change. Toyota believes hydrogen might decarbonize the transport sector, notably HGVs, while other automakers are investing substantially in electric vehicles (EVs).
Toyota doesn’t reject EVs, but it prefers to research multiple technologies to find the greatest fit. The BZ4X, the automaker’s first fully electric vehicle, joins its self-charging hybrids like the new Prius. The Japanese giant believes in hydrogen as fuel and fuel cells.
Hydrogen HGVs are better than electric ones for Toyota. First, hydrogen systems have a reduced mass, which increases payloads, especially for HGVs. Hydrogen refueling big trucks is as fast as diesel, making it important for intense transit. Finally, huge trucks help build durable major road infrastructure by using vast amounts of hydrogen.
Hydrogen fuel cells are potential transportation technologies. Hydrogen and oxygen from the air produce energy in a fuel cell vehicle, producing just water. This technique emits no pollutants and drives like a gasoline-powered car. Hydrogen fuel cells are expensive, which has slowed their adoption.
Clean hydrogen credit: Key tool in Canada’s climate change toolkit
The Clean Hydrogen Credit, part of Canada’s Climate Change Tax Credits, reduces carbon emissions. The credit encourages hydrogen generation, a sustainable energy source that can cut carbon emissions in many industries.
The Clean Hydrogen Credit is an investment tax credit that covers 6–30% of the capital cost of hydrogen producing equipment. The credit scales with production emissions. Low-emission hydrogen producers will get more credit.
The Clean Hydrogen Credit is essential to the federal government’s climate change aims. The Clean Hydrogen Credit helps Canada meet its 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 40–45% below 2005 levels.
Hydrogen can minimize carbon emissions in transportation, electricity, and manufacturing. It powers automobile fuel cells, powers industrial processes, and stores wind and solar energy.
The US Inflation Reduction Act inspired the Clean Hydrogen Credit. The US hydrogen production tax credit is not included in the Canadian investment tax credit.
Clean Hydrogen Credit costs $5.56 billion over five years. The federal government should make this large investment because it might reduce carbon emissions and boost clean energy investment.
Iveco buys full ownership of Nikola JV to focus on electrification
Iveco Group, the Italian truckmaker, has announced it will purchase the full ownership of its joint venture with US-based start-up Nikola, which was formed in 2019 to develop battery electric and fuel cell heavy-duty trucks. The deal is set to loosen ties between the two companies as Nikola faces challenges amid slowing demand and production difficulties, along with declining market valuations.
Iveco, based in Ulm, Germany, initiated the joint venture with Nikola to catch up with its European rivals in electrification, including Daimler Truck and Volvo. Despite Nikola’s struggles, battery electric trucks developed by the venture are already in circulation in the United States, with European orders being collected. Fuel cell hydrogen trucks are expected to hit the road next year.
In a statement, Iveco confirmed that the deal would produce a €44 million ($48 million) one-off impact on its Q1 income statement, which it expects to absorb through cash flow generation without changing its cash flow target for the year. The announcement demonstrates Iveco’s commitment to shifting towards electrification in the trucking industry.
While the purchase of the joint venture indicates a new direction for Iveco, it could pose a challenge for Nikola, whose future remains uncertain. Nikola has faced numerous setbacks in recent months, including the resignation of its founder and Chairman, Trevor Milton, in 2020 amid accusations of fraud. The company has also scaled back its ambitions for its Badger electric truck and reduced production targets for its fuel cell truck.
