Hydrogen and FCEVs discussion thread

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WetEV said:
GRA said:
WetEV said:
LOL. 120 years ago, "gas stations" were cheap and reliable. Gasoline was expensive, however, adjusted for inflation. $0.20 a gallon or so. Gasoline was sold in 5 gallon cans. Cheap. Reliable. Still used today, for remote delivery. Hydrogen has no analog. Hydrogen is expensive fuel delivered by unreliable and very expensive equipment.

Actually, I meant to write 110 years ago.

So? A "hydrogen can" doesn't exist. Gas infrastructure started cheap and reliable, not at all like hydrogen.

And you are still wrong.

Hydrogen production is still almost all from fossil fuels. Hydrogen production will be mostly from fossil fuels for more than a decade, right?


No, gas infrastructure didn't start cheap and reliable, because you never knew if the store had any (deliveries being what they were outside of major cities, as no paved roads existed outside of them. How far you were from a rail line determined how reliable deliveries were), and as I noted the quality was highly variable (gas was typically only about 50-60 octane in any case at the time, although use of an octane rating didn't come in until some years later). The proliferation of branded gas stations owned/franchised by oil companies is what made gas cheap and reliable, as they had competition and a rep to uphold.

But for a long time, the infrastructure was seriously lacking outside of major urban areas, just as it is now for H2 and to a lesser but still large extent for charging. Most rural areas lack charging competition and see only occasional use, and unlike gas stations there's still no profit to be had without construction and/or operating subsidies.

For transportation use, H2 production will be increasingly non-fossil-fueled as governments e.g. California demand that. Which is why, although California required first 33 1/3rd and more recently 40% renewable H2 for retail H2 stations, we're actually achieving 90%+. Ever tightening renewable H2 requirements will be the norm here and elsewhere, just as they will be for industrial and other uses.
 
WetEV said:
GRA said:
The EV1 had as much market potential as BEVs did two decades before after the first oil crunch when they were similarly hyped, i.e. minimal.
FTM, the Spark and Fit also sold poorly, despite having much better batteries than the EV1 and not looking like someone stepped on the car. Face it, in order to move beyond the hobbyist niche you've got to have far better range than batteries could provide until recently, and they're not yet at a reasonable price. which is why I think GM got into BEVs seriously at the right time with the Bolt. And blew it with the non-AWD CUV Gen 2 Volt.

Yet the facts disagree with your opinion. The EV1 had more interest than the Spark or the Fit.

The Spark and Fit were compliance cars that had better choices for competition. GM and Honda wanted to sell a specific number of these only. These were competing against the LEAF, the Tesla Model S, the iMiEV, the Ford Focus EV (all sold nationwide) as well as other compliance cars. I never heard of any waiting lists for Chevy Spark EVs or Honda Fit EVs. Have you?


I don't recall any waiting lists for any of the 2010+ cars except the Model S, the only one of the bunch that couldn't be dismissed as a glorified golf cart. And let's not forget that the EV1 was also a compliance car, one made necessary by California's (later eased) ZEV requirement in the '90s. Unlike this century's compliance cars, the EV1 didn't have the benefit of the federal and IIRR state tax credits or subsidies either. If far more desirable 4-5 passenger compliance cars that were far cheaper thanks to subsidies sold so poorly, how would the 2-passenger non-sport car EV1's market be better?


WetEV said:
The LEAF was a modest success. The Tesla Model S outsold many of the competing cars, and has been successful even where there are no rebates, subsidies, mandates or other perks for EV ownership.

Hydrogen cars don't sell without subsidies.


We've never had any disagreement that high-end BEVs can sell without subsidies, because their clientele isn't driven by economic considerations and usually has access to other cars. OTOH, I do recall when seemingly every Hollywood celebrity was vying to be the first to get a new Beetle. I forget who won that one - Leonardo di Caprio? Waiting lists for new cars are often driven by hype rather than any large potential market.

As to don't sell without subsidies , you did see where the SCE just quadrupled their subsidy for used EVs?
 
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
I never saw a post detailing the root cause of the Norway hydrogen station explosion, but just came across this post recently:https://www.fleeteurope.com/en/new-energies/norway/article/norway-hydrogen-explosion-mystery-solved?a=BUY03&t%5B0%5D=Hydrogen&t%5B1%5D=Fuel%20Cell&t%5B2%5D=Safety&curl=1

"About a month after a hydrogen filling station exploded in Norway, the cause has been found: a faulty valve."

So it turns out the explosion wasn't due to explosive decompression afterall, but actual combustion of the H2 gas.

And this is why FCEV's will be a dead end. IF the number of FCEV's get large enough, all it will take is a few poorly maintained cars to cause enough collateral damage to bury the tech permanently.


Are you saying that the general public would consider unacceptable a flammable fuel that if a leak happens will rise straight up and quickly disperse, yet they will accept a flammable fuel that's responsible for hundred of thousands of cars fires and the odd explosion every year, and as it's at room temp is likely to pool beneath the vehicle before igniting? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA8dNFiVaF0

Reading your link, it says the following:
Reportedly, the issue is related only to this particular filling station, because safety standards weren’t respected during installation. It is likely that quality checks for hydrogen filling stations will be made more stringent following this incident.

Pretty much the same for every hazardous new tech, which is why gas stations now require break-away hoses and fire sprinklers among other safety improvements.

"a flammable fuel that if a leak happens will rise straight up and quickly disperse" ... yeah that industry talking point worked so well in Norway and Bay Area huh? You obviously don't have a firm grounding in physics, which is why you rely on reports and studies for your "answers" and not on any fundamental understanding of tech. An explosion from an invisible flame (or just plain decompression of the tank) is no where near equivalent to a gasoline fire. Although flammable gasoline is bad, getting hurt because your car was simply within 50 feet of someone else's poorly maintained FCEV isn't acceptable by anyone, period.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLUtd10Z6F4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxYKm828QZk

I'm sure I could find others with little effort, but these were the first two links that came up. BTW, the Bay Area explosion you refer to is presumably the one at the Air Products H2 production plant. Are you claiming that oil and gas refineries don't have explosions and fires?


Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
Green ammonia has a more viable future than green hydrogen. It has none of the drawbacks of hydrogen (liquid at -33C, therefore much lower containment temperatures and pressures and more easily dispensed), and many of the same use cases - source of hydrogen for industrial applications, as well as a feedstock for fuel cells (still in development).


Ammonia presents an obvious inhalation hazard, which is why current developments for its commercial use as a transport fuel seem to be aimed at oceanic shipping, as noted in the articles I've linked in the "AFV truck and commercial vehicles" topic. Liquid H2 will probably be limited to commercial rather than private vehicle use due to handling issues while fueling (very low temps requires protective clothing, so dedicated attendants or at least provision of safety gear with individual driver training needed), although if robotic fueling systems become available that could change. As noted uptopic, DoE awarded Nikola a contract recently ($2.1M IIRR) to develop just such a system. Alternatives for land and probably air transport strike me as more likely methanol or LOHCs rather than ammonia, if LH2 doesn't serve.

I don't have any skin in ammonia. Just pointing out that it's much easier to solve the issue of leaking ammonia at low pressures than it is to solve it for H2's extreme pressure and temperatures. And if both are to be produced using renewable energy with similiar use cases, then my bet is on the material that is easier to handle (which directly means lower costs).


Which is why I expect methanol and/or LOHCs will play a major role for commercial transport, as they are liquid at reasonable temps, but it will be a balance between cost and capability. LH2 doesn't have the pressure issues of gaseous H2, although as noted temp is a problem. For passenger car use, if H2 storage in nanotubes or adsorption can be commercialized, that will eliminate the need for high pressure tanks.
 
Both GCC:
Kongsberg launches first full-scale hydrogen-based marine propulsion system; HySeas III

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/12/20211204-kongsberg.html


Kongsberg has tested and verified a full-scale, full-size, zero-emissions drivetrain powered by hydrogen fuel cells designed for ships and ferries. The program is the third and final part of the EU-funded project HySeas (HySeas III) which has been running since 2013 to prepare and demonstrate a scalable hydrogen system for ships and ferries. Kongsberg has been the technical lead of the project, which has involved participants from Scotland, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and England.

Such testing (string testing) involves assembling all of the key powertrain components and testing them as a system, usually on the factory floor and prior to the commencement of any ship building. This process is used to mitigate risk by fully validating the vessel’s powertrain prior to committing to full vessel build cost. Both stress and durability testing can be carried out with minimal risk.

The HySeas III string test consists of the following components:

Fuel cell system (consisting of 6 100kW Ballard HD-100 fuel cells)
Lithium-ion batteries
2 Multidrives
Transformers
Switchboards
Variable load banks to simulate azimuth and bow thrusters
Hydrogen storage and piping
Cooling system
Safety, Alarm and detection systems
Battery firefighting systems
Energy management and control system
Data logging system

In this final stage, Kongsberg has built a full-scale electric propulsion system based on hydrogen-powered fuel cells at Ågotnes outside Bergen. The system will now undertake a 4-month testing program for validation purposes with the aim of verifying the final design for an H2-powered RoPax ferry.

The testing mirrors the operational loads which would be experienced by a vessel on a route between Kirkwall and Shapinsay in Orkney. It will confirm safe operation and power and fuel capacity requirements, together with other valuable information to feed back to the vessel design team at Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) in Scotland.

CMAL plans to complete the design in March 2022. Hydrogen fuel will be generated through wind power at the ferry port.




Aramco to explore hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/12/20211205-aramco.html


The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) signed five agreements with leading French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin, a pioneer in clean and intelligent transport solutions.

The agreement between Aramco and Gaussin aims to establish a modern manufacturing facility for on-road and off-road hydrogen powered vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As a first step, Gaussin and Aramco will study the feasibility of a manufacturing facility and a hydrogen distribution business to serve the Middle East region.

The two companies also agreed that Aramco’s Advanced Innovation Center (LAB7) will be closely involved in Gaussin’s development of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the development of a remote controlled/autonomous hydrogen racing truck.

LAB7 aims to integrate Aramco’s composite materials into Gaussin’s existing range of products to reduce the weight, energy consumption and cost of these vehicles.

Aramco will also be sponsoring the world’s first hydrogen-fueled racing truck, which has been developed by Gaussin and which will compete in the 2022 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

Additional MoUs. The other agreements seek to further Aramco’s research and development in the areas of carbon capture technology, artificial intelligence and local manufacturing. The MoUs include:

Air Liquide – Non-binding MoU to evaluate low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production, logistics, and backcracking technology and an additional non-binding MoU to evaluate Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) opportunities. . . .
 
Both GCC:
Iberdrola and H2 Green Steel to build 1GW green hydrogen plant to fuel DRI furnace for green steel; €2.3B investment

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/12/20211206-iberdrola.html


Iberdrola and H2 Green Steel (H2GS, earlier post)have signed an agreement to build a plant with an electrolysis capacity of 1 GW. Green hydrogen from the new plant will power a direct reduced iron (DRI) furnace with a capacity to produce around 2 million tonnes per year of pure pig iron, which would allow the production of green steel with a 95% reduction of CO2 emissions. The estimated investment is €2.3billion.

The site will be located on the Iberian Peninsula, where several possible locations are currently being considered, with the intention of production starting in 2025 or 2026. All locations that H2 Green Steel and Iberdrola are evaluating will have access to renewable energy, as well as all the infrastructure necessary to operate a successful hydrogen, green steel business.

The electrolyzer will be jointly operated by Iberdrola and H2 Green Steel. Iberdrola will supply renewable energy to the plant, while the production of green molten steel and all downstream metallurgical processes will be operated and owned by H2 Green Steel. Both companies will also explore the possibility of locating a steelmaking facility capable of producing between 2.5 and 5 million tonnes of green steel plate per year on the same site.

The project in Boden in northern Sweden has shown that there is a strong demand for green steel from a broad customer base. The collaboration with Iberdrola will strengthen and refine our Boden platform, infrastructure and project execution. With two European locations, we will make an even greater impact, be closer to customers and be able to meet the demand of a growing market. Together with Iberdrola, we are creating a broader European platform for the green hydrogen economy.

—Kajsa Ryttberg-Wallgren, EVP Head of Business Unit Hydrogen at H2 Green Steel

The project will be financed through a combination of public funds, green project financing instruments and own funds. With a budget of approximately €2 billion, the large-scale production of green hydrogen will contribute to the transition of heavy industry towards sustainable operations. . . .

The decarbonization of the steel production industry is a great growth opportunity for Iberdrola, as it could mean an additional demand of around 5,000 TWh/year, equivalent to almost twice the current electricity generation in Europe, as well as 40 million tonnes of green hydrogen. The company is therefore accelerating the implementation of the entire hydrogen value chain.

The project will be financed through a combination of public funds, green project financing instruments and own funds. With a budget of approximately €2 billion, the large-scale production of green hydrogen will contribute to the transition of heavy industry towards sustainable operations. . . .




Alstom and MOL to explore use of hydrogen technologies for rail transport in Hungary

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/12/20211206-alstom.html


Alstom and MOL, Hungary’s leading oil and gas company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to structure cooperation in examining the use of hydrogen technology in rail transportation. MOL Group already produces and utilizes almost 150,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year.

As part of its National Hydrogen Strategy, Hungary has been investigating the feasibility of introducing hydrogen technology to rail transportation.

Alstom is a pioneer of hydrogen technology, having introduced the Coradia iLint to the German market in September 2018 (earlier post). The Coradia iLint trains have run more than 200,000 km with zero CO2 emission in passenger service in Germany and Austria and has been successfully tested in the Netherlands. Alstom’s hydrogen technology has also been purchased by SNCF (France) and FNM (Italy).

Coradia iLint hydrogen trains are electric trains with a hydrogen-powered fuel cell for onboard electricity generation. The battery is used to store braking energy, to boost acceleration and for auxiliary supply. An intelligent energy management system constantly supervises the energy usage of the train, taking into consideration the track ahead, including slopes, and thus allowing for a range of up to 1000 km. . . .
 
GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
Are you saying that the general public would consider unacceptable a flammable fuel that if a leak happens will rise straight up and quickly disperse, yet they will accept a flammable fuel that's responsible for hundred of thousands of cars fires and the odd explosion every year, and as it's at room temp is likely to pool beneath the vehicle before igniting? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA8dNFiVaF0

Reading your link, it says the following:

Pretty much the same for every hazardous new tech, which is why gas stations now require break-away hoses and fire sprinklers among other safety improvements.

"a flammable fuel that if a leak happens will rise straight up and quickly disperse" ... yeah that industry talking point worked so well in Norway and Bay Area huh? You obviously don't have a firm grounding in physics, which is why you rely on reports and studies for your "answers" and not on any fundamental understanding of tech. An explosion from an invisible flame (or just plain decompression of the tank) is no where near equivalent to a gasoline fire. Although flammable gasoline is bad, getting hurt because your car was simply within 50 feet of someone else's poorly maintained FCEV isn't acceptable by anyone, period.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLUtd10Z6F4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxYKm828QZk

I'm sure I could find others with little effort, but these were the first two links that came up. BTW, the Bay Area explosion you refer to is presumably the one at the Air Products H2 production plant. Are you claiming that oil and gas refineries don't have explosions and fires?

The one in russia, did you see that the building was ALREADY ON FIRE before the explosion?

And that second video was hardly an explosion, since the guy standing next to it was completely unharmed.

Anyway, the point wasn't "hydrogen fire bad, gasoline fire good". The point is "gasoline fire bad, hydrogen explosion worse", because there's no warning signs.


GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
Ammonia presents an obvious inhalation hazard, which is why current developments for its commercial use as a transport fuel seem to be aimed at oceanic shipping, as noted in the articles I've linked in the "AFV truck and commercial vehicles" topic. Liquid H2 will probably be limited to commercial rather than private vehicle use due to handling issues while fueling (very low temps requires protective clothing, so dedicated attendants or at least provision of safety gear with individual driver training needed), although if robotic fueling systems become available that could change. As noted uptopic, DoE awarded Nikola a contract recently ($2.1M IIRR) to develop just such a system. Alternatives for land and probably air transport strike me as more likely methanol or LOHCs rather than ammonia, if LH2 doesn't serve.

I don't have any skin in ammonia. Just pointing out that it's much easier to solve the issue of leaking ammonia at low pressures than it is to solve it for H2's extreme pressure and temperatures. And if both are to be produced using renewable energy with similiar use cases, then my bet is on the material that is easier to handle (which directly means lower costs).


Which is why I expect methanol and/or LOHCs will play a major role for commercial transport, as they are liquid at reasonable temps, but it will be a balance between cost and capability. LH2 doesn't have the pressure issues of gaseous H2, although as noted temp is a problem. For passenger car use, if H2 storage in nanotubes or adsorption can be commercialized, that will eliminate the need for high pressure tanks.

Still relying on the talking points without seeing the reality. When you hope for future tech to solve current problems, that should have been your reality check.

And if you think it's just around the corner, do you even know how H2 storage in nanotubes would work? Do you know how much it costs to make those nanotubes? You can't talk commercialization until you actually have cost structures detailed. Until then, it's all hopium. Stop parroting propaganda.
 
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
"a flammable fuel that if a leak happens will rise straight up and quickly disperse" ... yeah that industry talking point worked so well in Norway and Bay Area huh? You obviously don't have a firm grounding in physics, which is why you rely on reports and studies for your "answers" and not on any fundamental understanding of tech. An explosion from an invisible flame (or just plain decompression of the tank) is no where near equivalent to a gasoline fire. Although flammable gasoline is bad, getting hurt because your car was simply within 50 feet of someone else's poorly maintained FCEV isn't acceptable by anyone, period.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLUtd10Z6F4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxYKm828QZk

I'm sure I could find others with little effort, but these were the first two links that came up. BTW, the Bay Area explosion you refer to is presumably the one at the Air Products H2 production plant. Are you claiming that oil and gas refineries don't have explosions and fires?

The one in russia, did you see that the building was ALREADY ON FIRE before the explosion?

And that second video was hardly an explosion, since the guy standing next to it was completely unharmed.

Anyway, the point wasn't "hydrogen fire bad, gasoline fire good". The point is "gasoline fire bad, hydrogen explosion worse", because there's no warning signs.


I'm so glad we cleared that up. And sure, invisible flame is a problem. The question is whether an H2 fire is more or less likely to happen than gasoline, and the likely casualties from each. it will be upon those issues that society will determine whether or not H2 is adequately safe, and in what circumstances, just as we determine acceptable risk with every other hazardous tech out there.


Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
I don't have any skin in ammonia. Just pointing out that it's much easier to solve the issue of leaking ammonia at low pressures than it is to solve it for H2's extreme pressure and temperatures. And if both are to be produced using renewable energy with similiar use cases, then my bet is on the material that is easier to handle (which directly means lower costs).


Which is why I expect methanol and/or LOHCs will play a major role for commercial transport, as they are liquid at reasonable temps, but it will be a balance between cost and capability. LH2 doesn't have the pressure issues of gaseous H2, although as noted temp is a problem. For passenger car use, if H2 storage in nanotubes or adsorption can be commercialized, that will eliminate the need for high pressure tanks.

Still relying on the talking points without seeing the reality. When you hope for future tech to solve current problems, that should have been your reality check.

And if you think it's just around the corner, do you even know how H2 storage in nanotubes would work? Do you know how much it costs to make those nanotubes? You can't talk commercialization until you actually have cost structures detailed. Until then, it's all hopium. Stop parroting propaganda.


I don't know if either will work, I'm pointing out that either method would solve the issue that you're concerned about, should it be made to work. Whether that issue needs to be solved remains to be seen (see acceptable risk above).
 
GRA said:
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
GRA said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLUtd10Z6F4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxYKm828QZk

I'm sure I could find others with little effort, but these were the first two links that came up. BTW, the Bay Area explosion you refer to is presumably the one at the Air Products H2 production plant. Are you claiming that oil and gas refineries don't have explosions and fires?

The one in russia, did you see that the building was ALREADY ON FIRE before the explosion?

And that second video was hardly an explosion, since the guy standing next to it was completely unharmed.

Anyway, the point wasn't "hydrogen fire bad, gasoline fire good". The point is "gasoline fire bad, hydrogen explosion worse", because there's no warning signs.


I'm so glad we cleared that up. And sure, invisible flame is a problem. The question is whether an H2 fire is more or less likely to happen than gasoline, and the likely casualties from each. it will be upon those issues that society will determine whether or not H2 is adequately safe, and in what circumstances, just as we determine acceptable risk with every other hazardous tech out there.

"We" don't determine jack-diddly. You're playing "daddy knows best" when you think that "we" as a society need to determine what's best for everyone. The church does this with Pro-Life and it is WRONG!

And just so I understand. Are you saying that gasoline fires are more prevalent and H2 explosions less so, and thus the occasional H2 explosion is a preferable event to more gasoline fires?
 
https://electrek.co/2021/12/29/hyundai-pauses-genesis-hydrogen-fuel-cell-project-just-days-after-ending-ice-engines/

"... Hyundai has, in the past, stated that they view battery electric vehicles as a stopgap “until fuel cell vehicles take hold,” but that was in 2016.
... In September of this year, Hyundai revealed a hydrogen strategy aiming for significant penetration of both commercial and passenger markets by 2040. ... But since then, an internal audit showed that Hyundai has fallen short of virtually every target they had for fuel cell vehicles. ... cost is falling slower than expected, ... and hydrogen fuel prices are higher than expected.

Hyundai was about a year into a projected four-year development period for the Genesis hydrogen car. But these problems with their third-generation fuel cell have resulted in an indefinite pause on the project.
"
 
Oils4AsphaultOnly said:
https://electrek.co/2021/12/29/hyundai-pauses-genesis-hydrogen-fuel-cell-project-just-days-after-ending-ice-engines/

"... Hyundai has, in the past, stated that they view battery electric vehicles as a stopgap “until fuel cell vehicles take hold,” but that was in 2016.
... In September of this year, Hyundai revealed a hydrogen strategy aiming for significant penetration of both commercial and passenger markets by 2040. ... But since then, an internal audit showed that Hyundai has fallen short of virtually every target they had for fuel cell vehicles. ... cost is falling slower than expected, ... and hydrogen fuel prices are higher than expected.

Hyundai was about a year into a projected four-year development period for the Genesis hydrogen car. But these problems with their third-generation fuel cell have resulted in an indefinite pause on the project.
"

And in other related news, Hyundai is moving its 12,000 person ICE R&D workforce to EV development.

It doesn't sound like they checked with GRA first.
 
I'm surprised that GRA hasn't been on lately.

But just to continue closing the door on this thread: https://electrek.co/2022/01/11/city-cancels-order-50-hydrogen-buses-after-realizing-electric-buses-best/

Oh look, another city realized that hydrogen's too expensive even for large vehicles like busses. Color me surprised.

Edit: Excerpt from the article:
"
Montpellier, a city in the south of France, had 50 hydrogen fuel cell buses on order for over two years.

However, the city updated its plan to decarbonize its public transport last week and noted that it canceled the order after reviewing the financials.

Michaël Delafosse, president of the municipality, said that they now expect hydrogen buses to be six times more expensive than electric buses because of the cost of operation (via La Tribune and translated from French):

“Hydrogen technology is promising. But we were helped on the investment but not on the operation. However, it would be six times more expensive than with electric buses. So, for the moment, we are giving up on hydrogen buses, we will see in 2030 if hydrogen is cheaper.”
"
 
https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/350

Fuel Cell Vehicle tax credit died at the end of last year without much fanfare. I can't imagine there's going to be much of a political will to revive it a 2nd time.
 
Been busy and then my back's been bothering me so haven't been getting around to libraries that much to go online (normally bike, and don't want to drive), and thus haven't been keeping various topics up to date. Feeling better today, so here's some for this one, all GCC:


ICCT study finds LH2-powered combustion aircraft can play an important role in meeting aviations 2050 climate goals

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220207-icctlh2.html




Fraunhofer analysis finds battery-electric trucks have energy cost advantage over hydrogen trucks

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220208-isi.html




Phillips 66 and H2 Energy Europe to from JV to develop up to 250 hydrogen retail refueling stations by 2026 in Germany, Austria and Denmark

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220208-p66.html




BNEF: electrolyzer sales more than doubled in 2021, set to grow 4-5x this year

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220208-bnef.html




Fukuoka City, Toyota and CJPT to cooperate in realizing a hydrogen society; talks on introduction of fuel cell vehicles

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220207-toyota.html




Shell starts up 20 MW hydrogen electrolyzer in China

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/01/20220129-shell.html




Yara and Linde Engineering to build a 24 MW green hydrogen plant in Norway

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/01/20220129-yara.html
 
Been a while since I had time to surf and post, so this is a longish bunch of links. All GCC:
Consortium developing flat hydrogen storage solution for fuel cell vehicles: FlatHyStor

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220214-flathystor.html


. . . The project called FlatHyStor—“Functional design and testing of an innovative hydrogen tank system”—with a total project budget of 6 million Euros has been granted funding by the German BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy).

The aim of the project is to develop an advanced hydrogen storage system solution for the flat space of light-duty car underbodies that are usually intended for the integration of the battery modules in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).

The consortium is led by BMW AG, which will coordinate the different activities and provide the technical specifications for the storage system integration and application. Hexagon Purus will develop the high-pressure hydrogen cylinders as well as the corresponding vehicle integration structure. Robert Bosch GmbH will develop the advanced tank valve and high-pressure regulator technology and TesTneT Engineering GmbH will deliver the validation of the storage components according to the latest codes and standard evolutions.

The first prototypes of the 700 bar high-pressure storage systems are due to be delivered by the end of 2022.

Flat storage will really help with space utilization and designing cars that can be BEVs or FCEVs. Such storage has been the driving force behind nanotube etc. tank development.


Rolls-Royce, Porterbrook to investigate potential for synthetic & net zero fuels in fuel cells and engines for rail decarbonization

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220215-rr.html



Toyota commissions Yamaha to develop hydrogen-fueled 5.0L V8; follow-on from Nov 2021 announcement

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220219-yamaha.html




DOE issues two RFIs to move ahead with IIJA $9.5B clean hydrogen initiatives

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220216-doerfi.html


. . . Feedback received from these RFIs will also support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot efforts to cut to cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kilogram in one decade.

SQL errors so can't quote more extensively.




Electrolyzer company Verdagy closes $25M funding round led by TDK Ventures

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220221-verdagy.html


. . . Syndicate members represent leaders in a wide range of industries focused on the use of green hydrogen and renewable energy for deep decarbonization, and include (in alphabetical order) BHP Ventures, Doral Energy Tech Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Orbia Ventures, Shell Ventures, and Temasek.

Spun out of Chemetry in early 2021 with seed investment from Khosla Ventures, Verdagy is leveraging years of electrochemical experience to develop technology that will meet the cost and performance targets necessary for broad adoption of green hydrogen across multiple industries.

Verdagy’s novel approach to large-scale water electrolysis is to incorporate the advantages of alkaline electrolysis (AWE) and proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEM) while designing out their inherent limitations.

Verdagy created a new membrane-based approach to electrolysis leveraging very large active area cells, with the ability to operate at industry-leading high current densities and a wide dynamic operating range.

This approach enables low capital and operating costs and is expected to meet or exceed the US Department of Energy’s targets for water electrolysis.

Verdagy operates laboratory and pilot plant facilities in Moss Landing, California to further develop and rapidly scale the technology platform.




Airbus and CFM collaborating on hydrogen combustion demonstration program

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220223-airbus.html


Airbus has signed a partnership agreement with CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, to collaborate on a hydrogen demonstration program that will take flight around the middle of this decade.

The program’s objective is to ground- and flight-test a direct combustion engine fueled by hydrogen, in preparation for entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. The demonstration will use a A380 flying testbed equipped with liquid hydrogen tanks prepared at Airbus facilities in France and Germany. Airbus will also define the hydrogen propulsion system requirements, oversee flight testing, and provide the A380 platform to test the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise phase.

The ZEROe Demonstrator flying testbed is the A380 MSN1—the first A380 to roll off Airbus’ production line. . . .

CFM International (CFM) will modify the combustor, fuel system, and control system of a GE Passport turbofan to run on hydrogen. The engine, which is assembled in the US, was selected for this program because of its physical size, advanced turbo machinery, and fuel flow capability.

It will be mounted along the rear fuselage of the flying testbed to allow engine emissions, including contrails, to be monitored separately from those of the engines powering the aircraft. CFM will execute an extensive ground test program ahead of the A380 flight test. . . .
 
GCC:
Gold Hydrogen Program coalition launches program for subsurface biomanufacturing of hydrogen

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220224-goldh2.html


SQL errors so can't quote more.




Pratt & Whitney awarded $3.8M by ARPA-E to develop novel hydrogen-fueled propulsion for aviation: HySIITE

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220224-hysiite.html


SQL errors ditto.




Ballard & ABB receive approval in principle for high-power fuel cell concept to power ships; 3 MW

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220224-ballardabb.html


Ballard Power Systems and ABB have received an approval in principle (AiP) from leading classification society DNV for a jointly developed fuel cell concept capable of generating 3 megawatts, or 4,000 HP, of electrical power. DNV is an international accredited registrar and classification society headquartered in Hovik, Norway.

The AiP represents an important milestone in developing new technology, as independent assessment of the concept confirms feasibility of the design and no significant obstacles exist to prevent the concept from being realized. With the AiP in place, the jointly developed solution can be initiated with confidence that it is eligible to receive final approval for application onboard a wide range of vessels.

The high-power fuel cell unit is a flexible solution that will support the energy needs of multi-megawatt scale vessels with diverse use cases. For example, a cruise vessel operating in coastal areas could either run entirely on zero-emission fuel cell power or switch to it when operating in environmentally sensitive areas or emission control zones, while a ferry with a regular schedule and frequent bunkering opportunities could operate solely on fuel cell power.

For ocean-going vessels, fuel cell power could support auxiliary needs. The concept of the solution also envisions the integration with an energy storage system.

The successful development of this system concept builds on a three-year collaboration between ABB and Ballard Power Systems.

As part of its strategy to develop alternative emission-free technologies, ABB is already well advanced in collaborative development of fuel cell systems for ships. Zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells are already powering smaller vessels over short distances and the technology is on the verge of being ready for installation on larger ships.

Shipping contributes close to three percent to global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) every year and pressure to transition the industry to more sustainable power sources has resulted in fixed reduction targets from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping. IMO aims to cut for GHGs from ships by at least 50 percent by 2050 from 2008 levels.
 
Both GCC:
Ballard and MAHLE working on new fuel cell system concept for long-haul trucks

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220225-ballard.html


Ballard Power Systems and MAHLE Group, a Tier 1 automotive supplier, are progressing the development of a new fuel cell system concept for long-haul trucks, with MAHLE taking delivery of a 120kW module at the company’s hydrogen test center in Stuttgart, Germany.

The new concept system is a part of the ongoing development of Ballard’s future product platform—which will feature power outputs from 180kW to 360kW—specifically to address the requirements of heavy-duty and long-haul trucks on global markets.

The joint project is a multi-year development program in which Ballard and MAHLE will continuously refine Ballard’s compact, energy-dense fuel cell stack and an integrated engine to meet the quality and performance expectations of the truck industry.

The module incorporates Ballard’s FCgen-HPS Fuel Cell stack, which addresses limited engine space, and maximizes freight and cargo capacity. Based on an earlier high power density design, the technology draws on Ballard’s on-road experience of 100 million km in service and proven fuel cell durability, exceeding 30,000 in vehicle operation as demonstrated in the London bus fleet. . . .

The new concept engine for heavy-duty vehicles will feature:

High Power for Heavy Payloads: the 120kW module is a building block for systems that can deliver up to 240kW power to serve the needs of heavy Class 8 and long-haul freight trucks and coaches that require more power and longer range than transit buses or short-range delivery vehicles.

Easier Maintenance for Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): the module design features reduced weight, fewer parts and a more compact design. A key new feature, the “Open Engine Concept Design”, provides better access to parts and the subsystem, for easier maintenance and ultimately, a lower total life cycle cost.

Robust, Reliable Design: For long-haul trucks delivering critical goods, reliability and robustness are essential; the Concept Engine’s reduced parts count and simplified integration design are key factors in dependable long-term performance.

Durability: The Concept Engine is based on field-proven technologies and designs and vast experience in heavy-duty transport.

Fuel Efficiency for Economical Operation: Fuel costs are a major component of a Class 8 truck’s TCO. Fuel efficiency is also key for a manageable heat rejection system.

Freeze Start for Cold Weather: commercial trucks have to power up and deliver the goods, even in midwinter in the worst mountain roads. . . .




Chevron, Iwatani to build 30 hydrogen fueling stations in California

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220226-chevron.html


Chevron USA, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, and Iwatani Corporation of America (ICA), a wholly owned subsidiary company of Iwatani Corporation will co-develop and construct 30 hydrogen fueling sites in California by 2026.

As part of the agreement, Chevron plans to fund construction of the sites, which are expected to be located at Chevron-branded retail locations across the state. The stations will initially fuel light-duty vehicles while retaining the flexibility to service heavy-duty vehicles over the long term.

Iwatani will operate and maintain the hydrogen fueling sites and provide hydrogen supply and transportation logistics services. Chevron plans to supply a portion of the fueling sites with excess hydrogen production capacity at its Richmond Refinery and future hydrogen production from pilot projects in Northern California.

Iwatani is Japan’s only fully integrated supplier of hydrogen and presently supplies its extensive base of light and heavy-duty hydrogen refueling stations and industrial customers via five liquid and ten gaseous hydrogen production plants throughout the country. . . .


Be interesting to see how they plan to meet California's renewable H2 standard. Will they produce green H2 from the pilot projects mentioned?
 
All GCC:
Hyundai Motor and Shell expand collaboration on clean mobility and carbon reduction; EV charging and hydrogen

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220228-shellhyundai.html


. . . Areas of focus for the two companies will include: . . . .

Providing integrated hydrogen solutions, where Hyundai Motor could provide fuel cell trucks and Shell offers hydrogen infrastructure for targeted fleet customers.

Continuing Hyundai’s participation in Shell’s project to expand California’s hydrogen infrastructure to meet increasing consumer demand for fueling options for vehicles like the NEXO SUV. . . .




Been awhile since I posted any H2/FC lab links , so here's a couple. As always, lab results rarely lead to commercialization, and even when they do it's years away:
Korean researchers improve fuel cell catalyst performance by using semiconductor manufacturing technology

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220228-kist.html


A research team in Korea has synthesized metal nanoparticles that can significantly improve the performance of hydrogen fuel cell catalysts by using the semiconductor manufacturing technology. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that the research team led by Dr. Sung Jong Yoo of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research Center succeeded in synthesizing nanoparticles by a physical method rather than the existing chemical reactions by using sputtering technology—a thin metal film deposition technology used in semiconductor manufacturing.

The KIST research team synthesized a platinum-cobalt-vanadium alloy nanoparticle catalyst using this technology and applied it for the oxygen reduction reaction in hydrogen fuel cell electrodes. The resulting catalyst activity was 7- and 3-times higher than those of platinum and platinum-cobalt alloy catalysts that are commercially used as catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells, respectively.

Furthermore, the researchers investigated the effect of the newly added vanadium on other metals in the nanoparticles. They found that vanadium improved the catalyst performance by optimizing the platinum–oxygen bonding energy through computer simulation.

A paper on the work is published in the journal Nano Today. . . .




New efficient metal-free catalyst for releasing hydrogen from LOHCs

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/02/20220228-lohc.html
 
I had a rare sighting of a Nexo earlier today. It had some decal along the rocker panel or above it with the text Hydrogen Powered EV or something like that. I think it was in all caps. Don't know if this is standard issue or something Hyundai is tending to include.

I had to run an errand during the middle of the day so I passed by the local H2 station. Spotted 1 car fueling and another in line. I've been not passing by that area much any more as my Niro EV is leased and I'm trying to keep the miles down. I have a slightly shorter route that I take to go home which doesn't pass by the H2 station.
 
I've seen two or three Nexos, including one last Friday during my occasional Friday evening PEV/FCEV commute count. OTOH, I see a Mirai 1 almost every day and occasionally a Mirai 2, plus a Clarity FCEV once in a very great while. I'm really surprised that people still have the latter, when the PHEV offers far more utility and is much cheaper than either the FCEV or the BEV. Of course, they've all been discontinued here, but there are lots of the PHEVs running around. The BEV never made any sense at all to me, since its range was about five years behind the competition when it was introduced.
 
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