Oldenburg: EWE determines hydrogen storage requirements +++ Denmark: Ursula von der Leyen christens Maersk's first methanol ship +++ Berlin: Parliamentary inquiry on H2 refueling infrastructure +++ Portugal: Caetano and Temsa develop H2 coach +++ Cologne: Toyota and VDL present fuel cell truck +++ Sweden: Ikea orders green steel from H2 Green Steel +++ USA: Chevron joins ACES storage project +++ USA: EH2 delivers 100 MW electrolyzer to NFE +++ South Korea: Vinssen's 100 kW fuel cell for shipping verified +++ Norway: Transport of hydrogen to Germany +++ Events +++ DISCOUNT promotion: Your advertisement on the PtX portal
A selection of PtX topics summarized at the end of the week
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A test cavern for hydrogen storage is being built near Rüdersdorf at a depth of 1.000 meters. © EWE AG
EWE Gasspeicher GmbH , a subsidiary of the utility company EWE AG, is conducting a market survey on hydrogen storage needs from September 18 to October 20. This survey is aimed at industrial companies, as well as operators of (future) hydrogen power plants and importers. Registration is required to participate. Based on the reported hydrogen storage needs, EWE plans to develop corresponding capacities in caverns. As part of the IPCEI project "Clean Hydrogen Coastline," EWE is pursuing various hydrogen projects along the entire value chain. This includes hydrogen production, transport, application, and storage. EWE has built the first underground hydrogen storage facility in Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg , and has already demonstrated that the pipeline to the cavern is leak-proof down to a depth of 1.000 meters. Extensive operational tests are scheduled to begin there in the fall.
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Ship naming ceremony in Copenhagen with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. © AP Moller – Maersk
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen christened the first methanol-powered vessel of the Danish shipping company AP Moller – Maersk , naming it "Laura Maersk." The feeder ship is "proof that a path to a sustainable future emerges when we unite as an industry," said Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc. "This new environmentally friendly vessel is the breakthrough we needed." The name is a tribute to the company's founder. When Captain Peter Maersk Moller bought his first steamship in 1886, he named it "Laura." Maersk aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and to transport at least 25 percent of its ocean freight using environmentally friendly fuels by 2030. The company has ordered 24 more methanol-powered vessels, scheduled for delivery between 2024 and 2027.
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The CDU/CSU parliamentary group is asking about hydrogen infrastructure for transport. © German Bundestag
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag is inquiring about the refueling infrastructure for hydrogen buses and trucks (Bundestag printed matter 20/8285 ). In a parliamentary question, the members of parliament want to know from the Federal Government, among other things, how many hydrogen refueling stations for heavy commercial vehicles and hydrogen buses are in operation or under construction in Germany. They are also asking about relevant funding programs. Furthermore, they are requesting information on the proportion of hydrogen-powered coaches among all coaches and a timeline for the development of the master plan for hydrogen and fuel cell technology in the transport sector. Answering such inquiries can take several weeks.
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Caetano Bus and Temsa are working together on an H2 coach. © Caetano Bus
The Portuguese vehicle manufacturer Fabricação de Carroçarias, SA (Caetano Bus), in collaboration with the Turkish bus manufacturer Temsa, plans to develop a hydrogen-powered coach. The vehicle is slated for market launch in 2024. Initially, a two-axle version based on the electric version of the "Temsa HD12" is planned to accelerate the market launch of the pre-series in 2024 and the start of series production in 2025. A three-axle version is planned to follow immediately. The HD12, developed for the British market, features 53 seats, a wheelchair space, and a toilet. The electric version has a power output of 300 kilowatts (408 hp). The hydrogen bus will be able to be refueled with hydrogen at either 350 or 700 bar (H2 Dual System), offering greater flexibility in choosing refueling stations. A range of 1.000 kilometers is promised on a single tank.
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The hydrogen-powered truck prototype from Toyota and VDL Groep is entering the testing phase under real conditions. ©Toyota
The automotive group Toyota and the Dutch VDL Groep have unveiled a truck powered by Toyota fuel cell technology. The prototype will be used and tested as part of Toyota Logistics. According to the company, VDL Groep is already preparing four more fuel cell trucks, which will be deployed by Toyota's logistics service providers VOS Transport Group, CEVA, Groupe CAT, and Yusen. These trucks will operate daily on routes between Cologne, Antwerp (Belgium), Lille (France), and Amsterdam and Rotterdam (both in the Netherlands). At least one hydrogen refueling station is located along these routes. The field trial is planned to last five years. The companies did not disclose any technical details. Toyota announced the development collaboration in May.
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The Ingka Group wants to replace half of the storage shelves at Ikea with shelves made with green steel from H2 Green Steel. © Ingka Group
Swedish steel producer H2 Green Steel will supply Ingka Group, the largest Ikea retailer, with green steel for warehouse shelving. The agreement is part of Ingka Group's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and will reportedly account for 50 percent of its globally sourced warehouse shelving. Ikea aims to become "carbon neutral" by 2030, meaning, according to its own definition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than the company emits across its value chain. The agreement between Ingka Procurement AB and H2 Green Steel will take effect in 2026. The green steel will be produced at H2 Green Steel 's new plant in Boden, northern Sweden, starting production at the end of 2025 and being used in Ikea stores from 2026 onwards.
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A consortium is developing two salt caverns in Utah, USA, each capable of storing 150 gigawatt hours of energy. © Mitsubishi Power
The oil and gas company Chevron USA Inc. is acquiring Magnum Development, LLC, thereby gaining a majority stake in ACES Delta, LLC, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc. and Magnum Development. ACES Delta is currently developing the "Advanced Clean Energy Storage" (ACES) hydrogen project in Delta, Utah. The project will utilize electricity from renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen in large-scale Mitsubishi electrolyzers. The first phase (ACES 1), designed to convert and store up to 100 tons of hydrogen per day, is under construction and is scheduled to begin operation in mid-2025. Storage will be provided by two salt caverns, each with a capacity of 150 gigawatt-hours. This long-term energy storage will help utilize renewable energy sources when they are abundant and feed them back into the grid when needed. Furthermore, by 2025, 30 percent hydrogen is expected to be co-fired at the Intermountain Power Agency's 840-megawatt natural gas power plant in central Utah. The goal is to reach 100 percent by 2045.
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Electric Hydrogen Co. (EH2) is supplying New Fortress Energy Inc. (NEF) with 100-megawatt electrolyzers. The plants are designed to produce approximately 50 tons of green hydrogen per day in Texas. Commissioning is planned for the fourth quarter of 2024, with commercial operation scheduled for 2025. The site and plant are reportedly scalable to 200 megawatts. The electrolyzer stacks are being manufactured in Devens, Massachusetts. The production facility there, announced in May 2023, is expected to produce stacks with an annual capacity of up to 1,2 gigawatts.
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Vinssen is developing fuel cell modules for the maritime sector. © Vinssen
South Korean technology company Vinssen has received "Approval in Principle" certification for its self-developed 100 kW fuel cell module. This is the first step in a four-stage evaluation process and, based on plans from the early design phase, confirms the fundamental technical feasibility. Previously, Korean authorities had already granted the company type approval for its lithium-ion battery system for marine applications. According to the company, the fuel cell module, based on PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) technology, is an integrated system that powers both the propulsion system and various auxiliary equipment on board. Vinssen plans a "project for the construction, verification, and development of a mobile fuel cell-based charging station" in 2024, in which two of these modules will be installed in a recreational vessel. Vinssen also intends to install and operate a mobile hydrogen refueling station at a shipyard near the Daebool industrial complex.
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Gassco’s “Norsea Gas Terminal” in Emden. Before the gas is delivered from the terminal to downstream transport companies, gas measurements and quality controls are carried out. © Gassco AS
Norway and Germany plan to establish a task force to examine the next steps in an ongoing joint feasibility study on the transport of hydrogen and CO2. The study investigates the technical and economic viability of large-scale hydrogen supply solutions, particularly via pipeline. A second part of the study also includes solutions for CO2 transport from Norway to Germany. The feasibility study is being conducted by the Norwegian state-owned gas network operator Gassco AS and the German Energy Agency (dena) on behalf of industry. The hydrogen pipeline infrastructure between the two countries is scheduled for completion by 2030.
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Photos
iStock / © Danil Melekhin
