Singapore: GIC invests in Intercontinental Energy + + + Berlin: Kaufmann remains the federal government's hydrogen commissioner + + + Puchheim: Proton supplies fuel cell system to shipbuilder Fincantieri + + + Salzgitter: Steel company purchases wind power from Ørsted + + + Oman: Mammoth project for hydrogen production + + + Europe: Backbone Initiative gets six new members + + + Berlin: The federal government is funding Allane Mobility with 11,4 million euros for the introduction of the Hyundai Nexo + + + Canada: Ballard Power supplies additional fuel cells to Canadian Pacific + + + South Korea: 625 hydrogen buses ordered from Hyundai + + + Editorial guidelines
A selection of PtX topics summarized at the end of the week
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Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC is joining Australian green hydrogen project developer Intercontinental Energy (ICE) as a strategic investor. The amount of the planned participation was not mentioned; the project still has to be approved by the authorities. ICE is involved in projects in Australia, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The portfolio consists of projects amounting to 200 gigawatts of onshore wind and solar power plants. The yield could produce more than 14 million tons of green hydrogen per year or 80 million tons of green ammonia per year.
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Stefan Kaufmann remains the Federal Government’s “Green Hydrogen Innovation Officer”. Typically, key positions are adjusted to reflect any changing political circumstances after elections. The role of hydrogen commissioner with Stefan Kaufmann, CDU member, is in Federal Ministry of Research located, Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger is with the FDP. The function was created by the Federal Cabinet in June 2020 as part of the National Hydrogen Strategy. The new coalition agreement provides for their continuation in 2022, including an update.
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The Bavarian Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH is supplying its “HyShip 72” fuel cell system to the Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri SpA Delivery includes after company information two fully redundant systems for the energy supply of the electric drive train as well as for other consumers on board the ship “ZEUS” (Zero Emission Ultimate Ship). Its construction was funded as a research platform by the Italian government. According to Fincantieri, it serves as a “floating laboratory” to study the behavior of fuel cells “in a natural environment”. The aim is to improve the environmental compatibility of cruise ships, yachts, ferries and oceanographic research ships. The Proton systems have an output of 142 kilowatts and are equipped with a battery system and metal hydride hydrogen storage.
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Salzgitter AG and the Danish Ørsted A/S have agreed on a strategic partnership. Accordingly, Ørsted will in future supply electricity from offshore wind turbines to produce hydrogen, which in turn will produce low-CO2 steel as part of the SALCOSproject is produced. The energy supplier, on the other hand, purchases from Steel company low-emission steel for use in components for Ørsted's offshore wind farms. It is also planned to return scrap from decommissioned wind turbines to the steel production process.
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An international consortium is planning one of the world's largest hydrogen projects in Oman. The energy center called Green Energy Oman (GEO) will be developed in Al Wusta governorate, reports the daily “Oman Observer". At full capacity, around 25 million tons of green hydrogen and ten million tons of green ammonia could be produced per year using solar and wind turbines with an installed capacity of 1,8 gigawatts. A Final Investment Decision (FID) for the multibillion-dollar project is scheduled for early 2026, the article said. The implementation should extend over a period of ten years. The consortium includes the oil and chemicals company OQ, the Australian hydrogen project developer Intercontinental Energy (ICE) and Enertech from Kuwait.
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The European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative is expanding the number of its members. The six natural gas transmission system operators AB Amber Grid (Lithuania), Bulgartransgaz EAD (Bulgaria), Conexus Baltic Grid AS (Latvia), Gassco (Norway), Plinacro doo (Croatia) and REN SA (Portugal) are new additions. This means that 29 companies are now out passes 27 countries represent. The goal of the company founded in 2020 Initiative is the development of a European hydrogen market and a pan-European hydrogen transport infrastructure based on the existing natural gas network with a length of 40.000 kilometers.
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The Allane Mobility Group (formerly Sixt Leasing SE) will receive up to 11,4 million euros from the National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). The money is for that Promotion of marketing of up to 800 new Hyundai “NEXO” models with environmentally friendly hydrogen and fuel cell technology to leasing customers. This corresponds to around 14.200 euros per vehicle, which reduces the leasing rate to around 719 euros net.
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The US fuel cell manufacturer Ballard Power Systems will deliver an additional eight 2022 kilowatt fuel cell modules to Canadian Pacific (CP) in 200. The company will thus increase the number of its hydrogen-powered locomotives from one to three. The transcontinental railroad company announced in November that it would do so Emissions Reduction Alberta receives funding of 15 million Canadian dollars (10,5 million euros). Ballard delivers a total of 14 such fuel cell modules for this program.
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The two South Korean port cities of Busan and Ulsan as well as the province of South Gyeongsang want to replace city buses with conventional combustion engines by 2025 and replace them with 624 fuel cell buses. According to the business newspaper “Help Business DailyThe Ministry of the Environment has promised funding of 300 million won (221.000 euros) as part of a cooperation agreement with Hyundai Motor. Hyundai will also test an intercity bus with fuel cells. The ministry and the car manufacturer would collect NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) data as well as information on the cost efficiency and performance of the bus, according to the paper. The Ministry of Environment, Busan City, Ulsan City and Gyeongsang Province will jointly set up hydrogen filling stations. More than 2022 hydrogen filling stations are expected to be built across the country in 38.
Photos
iStock / © Danil Melekhin
