Japan: Automakers plan to further develop PEM systems +++ France: Watèa expands its product range to include H2 vehicles +++ China: Technical problems with Kuqa H2 capacity +++ Düsseldorf: Rheinbahn orders 10 Urbino H2 buses +++ Herzogenaurach: Schaeffler receives a €420 million loan +++ Australia: Darwin H2 hub recognized by the government as a major project +++ Egypt: Green hydrogen promotion planned +++ DISCOUNT offer: Your advertisement on the PtX portal
A selection of PtX topics summarized at the end of the week
+ + + + +
Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, and WL Gore & Associates have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of an advanced polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) for hydrogen fuel cell systems. The goal is to develop PEM technology for next-generation fuel cell electric commercial vehicles. A key focus of the collaboration is improving performance and durability. Hyundai Motor Group established a new business unit, "HTWO," in 2020 to consolidate its hydrogen activities.
+ + + + +
Watèa is expanding its range to include hydrogen vehicles. © Watèa
Watèa, the mobility service provider owned by Michelin, is expanding its offerings to include hydrogen vehicles for commercial fleets. The service encompasses fuel cell vehicles, charging solutions (including renewable and low-carbon hydrogen), maintenance, 24/7 service, and digital services. This also includes access to funding programs, such as subsidies from the French Agency for Environment and Energy (ADEME) and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Watèa handles all the necessary arrangements for its customers. "From our perspective, the hydrogen ecosystem in cities like Paris and Lyon is already very mature," says Pascal Nouvellon, CEO and President of Watèa. "Our customers are showing strong demand."
+ + + + +
Sinopec's Xinjiang Kuqa Green Hydrogen Pilot Project. © Sinopec
China Petroleum & Chemical (Sinopec), the state-owned Chinese oil company, now expects its Kuqa project in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Province to reach its full production capacity of 20.000 tons of green hydrogen per year only in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. This capacity was originally slated to be reached upon completion in July 2023. The electrolysis plant has a capacity of 260 megawatts. The gas is produced using photovoltaics and transported to the nearby Tahe oil refinery. According to the report, Sinopec stated that approximately 22 million cubic meters of green hydrogen were produced between June 30 and December 21. This equates to an annual production of about 2.000 tons. Sinopec explained that it had experienced problems with electrolyzers that were unable to cope with fluctuations in electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources. Analyst Xiaoting Wang of BloombergNEF had already pointed out in November that the project was “operating at less than a third of its installed capacity due to a multitude of technical problems”, the newspaper reported.
+ + + + +
The Düsseldorf public transport company Rheinbahn has ordered ten Urbino 12 hydrogen buses from the Polish manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o. The twelve-meter-long vehicles are equipped with a fuel cell system from the Canadian company Ballard Power Inc. The buses will be fueled with green hydrogen. The companies did not disclose details regarding costs or delivery dates.
+ + + + +
Schaeffler will receive an R&D loan of 420 million euros from the EIB to further develop electromobility and hydrogen drives. © Schaeffler AG
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a promotional loan of €420 million for Schaeffler AG. The funds, with a term of up to ten years, are "intended for research and development in selected areas with a focus on sustainable technologies in the European Union," the company announced. The financing will cover parts of the personnel costs for research and development in the fields of renewable energies, electromobility, and hydrogen. This includes, for example, electronic axle systems and electric motors, as well as chassis and bearing applications. The funds will "contribute to strengthening our locations in Europe," said Claus Bauer, CFO and CIO of Schaeffler AG.
+ + + + +
The government of Australia's Northern Territory has granted Major Project Status to Total Eren's planned Darwin H2 Hub. The project aims to produce more than 80.000 tons of hydrogen annually using solar power. According to the government, approximately 800 jobs will be created during the construction phase and 175 after commissioning. The hydrogen is intended for local use as well as export. A statement indicated that the government has been working closely with Total Eren, now "TE H2," since 2022. TE H2 is a joint venture established by the oil giant Total Energies and Eren, which develops large-scale green hydrogen production projects. Major Project Status entails expedited permitting processes and additional government support.
+ + + + +
Central administrative building of the Egyptian government in Cairo (“Mogamma”). © Faris El-Gwely / Wikimedia (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
Egypt plans to introduce tax and non-tax incentives to promote green hydrogen. This is intended to optimize the production, use, and export of green hydrogen, as well as the establishment of projects for its production and derivatives, such as green ammonia and green fuel, according to a government statement. The House of Representatives' Energy and Environment Committee, chaired by Representative Talaat Al-Suwaidi, has approved a corresponding bill. At the end of last year, the National Green Hydrogen Council officially approved the country's "National Green Hydrogen Strategy," which aims to achieve a five to eight percent share of the global hydrogen market.
+ + + + +
Photos
iStock / © Danil Melekhin
