Duisburg: Thyssenkrupp will be connected to the hydrogen pipeline + + + Weimar: Public transport gets three hydrogen buses + + + Wilhelmshaven: Mannesmann supplies H2-ready natural gas pipes to EWE + + + USA: Hyzon Motors will manage European business alone in the future + + + Essen: Eon supplies Nikola trucks with hydrogen + + + Berlin: EU Commission approves EEG and WindSeeG 2023 + + + Norway: Teco 2030 commissions Thyssenkrupp to build a stack production line + + + Algeria: VNG and Sontrach work together to develop hydrogen value chain + + + USA: Plug Power supplies hydrogen to Nikola + + + Copenhagen: Sungas is to produce methanol for the Maersk fleet + + + Berlin: Call for funding for buses with alternative drives + + + DISCOUNT promotion: Your ADVERTISING on the PtX portal
A selection of PtX topics for
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Gilles Le Van (Air Liquide); Mona Neubaur, Bernhard Osburg (Thyssenkrupp Steel). © Air Liquide
The manufacturer of industrial gases Air Liquide has completed the approximately four kilometer long hydrogen pipeline to the Duisburg steelworks Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG fertiggestellt. In 2019, the two companies tested hydrogen into a blast furnace to reduce CO2 emissions from conventional steel production. “By connecting our site to Air Liquide’s hydrogen pipeline, we at Thyssenkrupp Steel are creating the conditions for climate-friendly steel production,” says Managing Director Bernhard Osburg. From 2024, the line will be able to supply hydrogen, which will be needed for research and simulation purposes and ultimately to supply the company's first direct reduction plant. Air Liquide wants to connect the electrolysers with major customers in Marl, Oberhausen, Duisburg, Krefeld, Leverkusen, Dormagen, Düsseldorf and other cities in the region with a 200 kilometer long hydrogen pipeline network. In autumn 2023, the first 20-megawatt water electrolysis plant on an industrial scale will be connected to Air Liquide's hydrogen network in Oberhausen. An expansion of capacity by ten megawatts is in preparation. Thyssenkrupp plans to complete a test plant for the direct reduction of iron ore for steel production by 2026.
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Signing of the contract for hydrogen buses (from left to right): Bernd Wagner (Managing Director of Stadtwirtschaft Weimar GmbH), Mayor Peter Kleine, Christian Goll (Managing Director of Solaris Deutschland GmbH) and Otto Jörn (Managing Director of Stadtwerke Weimar GmbH). © SWG
The Stadtwirtschaft Weimar GmbH (SWG) has ordered three hydrogen buses from the Polish vehicle manufacturer Solaris. According to the information, delivery will take place by the end of 2023. “Compared to electric vehicles, the hydrogen buses have a longer range,” says SWG managing director Bernd Wagner. With a full charge of 35 kilograms of hydrogen, such a bus can travel around 350 kilometers. The refueling process at an SWG hydrogen station takes 15 to 20 minutes. “In the long term,” green hydrogen should be produced on the municipal utility site. A tender for hydrogen suppliers is currently underway. The Free State of Thuringia and the Thuringian Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation are supporting the purchase of the buses with around 1,6 million euros. SWG itself is investing over two million euros in the new vehicles. After the pilot phase, the aim is to “convert the entire bus fleet to hydrogen vehicles,” says Bernd Wagner.
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Mannesmann supplies EWE with gas pipes that are also suitable for hydrogen. © Mannesmann
The Mannesmann Line Pipe GmbH delivers 4.100 natural gas pipes to EWE Netz GmbH to expand the infrastructure in northern Germany. The planned line connects to the Wilhelmshaven connection line (WAL) of the transmission system operator Open Grid Europe GmbH, which is currently under construction, to Etzel and goes from Sande in the Friesland district via Westerstede to Nüttermoor/Jemgum in the Leer district. On December 17, 2022, in Wilhelmshaven Germany's first pier for ships using liquefied natural gas (LNG) was inaugurated. At least five billion cubic meters of regasified natural gas are to be fed into the German long-distance gas network via the terminal every year. On the one hand, the gas is released into the EWE cavern storage Huntorf and Nüttermoor/Jemgum as well as via the downstream gas networks to industrial and household customers. The line is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2023. The pipes could also be used for hydrogen in the future, explains Mannesmann, a subsidiary of the steel group Salzgitter AG.
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Hyzon takes over all shares in its European joint venture. © Hyzon Motor Inc.
The US developer of fuel cell trucks Hyzon Motors Inc. separates from the Dutch Holthausen Clean Technology Investments, BV The companies once founded the joint venture Hyzon Motors Europe BV to pave the way for the US company to enter the European market. Hyzon had already removed its European boss Craig Knight from his post in August and replaced him with Parker Meets. According to the information, Hyzon will acquire all shares in Hyzon Europe for 5,52 million euros by the end of the year and will thus become the sole owner. The aim of the campaign is to correct “inefficiencies”.
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Eon supplies Nikola with hydrogen for the Nikola Tre FCEV truck. © Nikola Corp.
The hydrogen logistics joint venture between Nikola Energy and Eon Hydrogen is expected to begin work in early 2023. According to the information, the joint company covers the entire value chain of the hydrogen industry, “from the supply of green hydrogen to the development of a needs-based refueling infrastructure” to the provision of fuel cell vehicles. By 2027 and beyond, green hydrogen will be delivered to power up to 5.000 hydrogen-powered Nikola Tre FCEVs with a range of up to 800 kilometers. Nikola Corporation and Eon SE announced the partnership in September 2022.
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On December 21st, the European Commission approved the amendments to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG 2023) and the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG 2023) in terms of state aid. This means that all measures planned there to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies can be applied as planned from January 1, 2023, according to a statement from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). Minister Robert Habeck sees this as “an important push for renewables”. The renewable energy target for 2030 will be increased to a share of at least 80 percent of renewable energy in gross electricity consumption. The first tender for onshore wind energy according to the EEG 1 will be carried out on February 2023, 2023. The first tenders under the Offshore Wind Energy Act would also be announced in February.
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The Norwegian fuel cell manufacturer Teco 2030 has signed an agreement with Thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering GmbH to supply a complete fuel cell stack production line. The contract covers the design, manufacture and delivery of the system. The future location is the Teco Innovation Center in Narvik, Norway. Test production will initially take place at Thyssenkrupp's headquarters in Bremen, and the system is scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024. Commissioning is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024. Teco 2030 is developing a factory for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells in Narvik with an initial annual production capacity of 120 megawatts, which is expected to increase to 2025 megawatts by 400.
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Signing of the declaration of intent in Algiers. Front row (from left to right): Hans-Joachim Polk (CTO VNG) and Fethi Arabi (board member Sonatrach). Back row (from left to right): Elisabeth Wolbers (German Ambassador), Franziska Brantner (Parliamentary State Secretary in the BMWK), Samia Moualfi (Minister for Environment and Renewable Energy, Algeria) and Mohamed Arkab (Minister for Energy and Mines, Algeria). © Meziane Djaout
The Leipzig gas company VNG AG and the state-owned Algerian energy company Sonatrach want to work on ramping up a German-Algerian value chain for green hydrogen. Both companies signed a corresponding declaration of intent in Algiers. Together, we are examining the possibilities of implementing long-term hydrogen and ammonia projects in order to import green hydrogen from Algeria to Germany. The potential for this in the country is “huge,” says Hans-Joachim Polk, member of the VNG board. “Sontrach is part of the national Algerian hydrogen roadmap, which aims to launch pilot projects by 2030,” says Fethi Arabi, member of the Sonatrach board: “The international infrastructure connection between Algeria and Europe, necessary for the transport of green hydrogen can be exploited, as well as the availability of solar energy potential, allows us to pursue a long-term strategy to realize green hydrogen projects at competitive costs.”
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The US fuel cell manufacturer Plug Power Inc. will Nikola Corp. supply with green hydrogen from January 2023. The agreement envisages a volume of 125 tonnes per day (TPD) by the end of 2026. Nikola has awarded Plug a contract to supply a hydrogen liquefaction system with an initial capacity of 30 TPD for Nikola's hydrogen center in Arizona. It can be expanded to up to 150 TPD. Nikola plans to build 2026 hydrogen delivery stations and provide hydrogen supply of up to 60 TPD by 300. The Arizona project is currently in the approval process. Plug will support the launch of Nikola's zero-emission Class 8 trucks (more than around 15 tonnes) and will purchase up to 75 Tre Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) from the carmaker over the next three years. The first vehicles are scheduled to be delivered in 2023.
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The Danish shipping company Maersk wants to operate 19 new container ships with green methanol. © AP Moller – Maersk A/S
The US-based Sungas Renewables, Inc. is to sell green methanol to the Danish logistics group AP Moller-Maersk A/S deliver. As part of an agreement, Sungas will develop corresponding production facilities in the USA, the proceeds of which will go to Maersk. The basis is residues from forestry and the wood industry. The first plant with an annual capacity of around 390.000 tons is scheduled to start operations in 2026. This brings the company closer to the previous ones eight partners who are already working to secure green fuel for 19 dual-fuel container ships that Maersk has ordered.
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The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) is funding feasibility studies on switching to battery-electric and fuel cell-based drives in buses. Vehicle fleet, fleet and depot analyzes with the aim of switching to alternative drives, studies of alternative and innovative vehicle provision, route and deployment analyzes such as the development of adapted circulation plans for the use of buses with alternative drives, but also infrastructure requirements such as Development of the charging and refueling infrastructure necessary for operation. Up to 200.000 euros in funding can be applied for per project. Transport companies that want to convert their bus fleets promptly can apply for funding until February 28, 2023. At the January 17, 2023 from ten to eleven o'clock in an online seminar the contents of the new funding call for feasibility studies were presented. Application documents and advice on the current funding call are available on the website Project sponsor Jülich (PtJ) and the federal one Now GmbH.
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Photos
iStock / © Danil Melekhin
