What's also important... TICKER (week 04)

Denmark: European Energy leases land for methanol production in Texas +++ Norway: Teco 2030 launches second EU Horizon project +++ UK: First Hydrogen begins testing of FCEV commercial vehicles +++ Germany: Ecoclean starts series production of electrolyzers +++ India: AM Green and Envision collaborate on hydrogen production +++ Denmark: CIP establishes new company for "Energy Island" projects +++ Germany: Airbus strengthens Stade site with H2 technologies +++ UK: Cers and Delta cooperate on SOEC production +++ Norway: Samsung orders 10 MW of electrolyzer equipment from Nel +++ Germany: Ruhrbahn orders 19 H2 buses from Solaris +++ DISCOUNT promotion: Your advertisement on the PtX portal

A selection of PtX topics summarized at the end of the week

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(Denmark) – Danish project developer European Energy A/S has signed a 50-year lease agreement with the Victoria County Navigation District (Port of Victoria) in Texas, located in the port's North Industrial Park. The company plans to build an e-methanol plant with a production capacity of 100.000 tons. The process uses solar and wind energy to split water (H2O) into green hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then synthesized on-site with biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce e-methanol. A positive Final Investment Decision (FID) will trigger an investment of several hundred million dollars in port infrastructure and create more than 200 jobs during the construction phase and an additional 60 jobs locally. European Energy is one of approximately half a dozen companies slated to produce methanol for the new container fleet of the major Danish shipping company AP Moller Maersk. European Energy's reportedly "world's largest e-methanol plant," located in Kassø, Denmark, is nearing completion and has a capacity of 32.000 tons. Future customers include Maersk, Novo Nordisk, and the Lego Group.

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(Norway) – Teco 2030 ASA, together with 13 European partners, is launching its second EU Horizon project. Called “Zero Emission Adriatic Ship – ZEAS,” the project focuses on the use of climate-neutral fuels in the Adriatic Sea, particularly through a hydrogen fuel cell system for maritime applications. The total EU grant amounts to over €13,5 million, with €2,3 million earmarked for the development of fuel cells for ship propulsion. The core of the project includes the design and construction of the vessel, the development of comprehensive hydrogen distribution, storage, and bunkering solutions, as well as sea trials to ensure compliance with certification standards. The consortium dedicated to the development and validation of a hydrogen-powered passenger ship includes Lurssen Design Center Kvarner, Gitone Kvarner, Maritime Center of Excellence, Jadrolinija, University of Rijeka – Maritime Faculty, DNV Greece, Hycenta Research, TECNO Ambiente, Scan Project, Chemnitz University of Technology, Zenlab and the Croatian Hydrogen Association.

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(Great Britain) – British-Canadian First Hydrogen Corp. is beginning trials of hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) with the UK gas network operator Wales & West Utilities (WWU). The vehicles will be based at the WWU depot in Swansea. The van will support network technicians during customer visits, as well as repair and maintenance work. The trials aim to demonstrate the advantages of FCEVs over battery electric vehicles, particularly in terms of range (630 kilometers), payload, and rapid refueling. The vehicle is the first of its kind to be deployed in Wales. It is being developed in collaboration with AVL Powertrain and Ballard Power Systems Inc. Local support is being provided by Protium Green Solutions, a green hydrogen producer, and Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions, a hydrogen services company. Wales & West Utilities supplies gas to more than 7,5 million customers in Wales and southwest England. The gas distribution network operator recently announced a proposal to develop a major hydrogen pipeline through South Wales. Until now, First Hydrogen's FCEV test runs have taken place near existing hydrogen refueling stations. This field test aims to demonstrate how refueling options can be developed in areas lacking infrastructure. By utilizing Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions' mobile refueling service and Protium Green Solutions' green H2 fuel, WWU can refuel its FCEV near its depot in Swansea without having to visit a public refueling station.

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(Germany) – Ecoclean GmbH, based in Filderstadt, Baden-Württemberg, has begun series production of its "Ecolyzer" electrolyzers. These are technologically based on a system for alkaline pressure electrolysis (AEL) developed and optimized over the past ten years by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). Among the advantages is the fact that "neither resource-critical raw materials such as precious metals nor rare earth elements are required." Designed as modular units, the electrolyzers allow for the construction of systems with capacities ranging from one to twenty megawatts. This modular design enables delivery times of currently twelve months. The systems deliver a standard system pressure of up to 30 bar. Ecoclean is also in the process of adding pressureless alkaline electrolysis to its product range.

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(India) – Hydrogen producer AM Green India Pvt Ltd., part of the Indian Greenko Group, and wind turbine and battery storage manufacturer Envision Energy International will be working more closely together in the future. According to an agreement signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the companies plan to manufacture wind turbines in India, which AM Green will use to generate the electricity for green hydrogen production. They will also jointly develop industry standards for green hydrogen and establish production sites in India.

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(Denmark) – Danish investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has founded Copenhagen Energy Islands (CEI). Its mission is the development of offshore wind power projects and the construction of "energy islands" in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and Southeast Asia. "Energy islands" are large-scale offshore hubs that enable massive scaling. They combine innovative existing technologies on a significantly larger scale, allowing for the cost-effective development and integration of offshore wind power. This reduces electricity transmission costs and allows power generation to be combined with offshore green hydrogen production. Copenhagen Energy Islands, headquartered in Copenhagen, is an independent company majority-owned by CIP and a group of investors. The founders include major Nordic, European, and North American investors, such as Pension Danmark, PFA, SEB, and Andel.

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(Germany) – The French aerospace group Airbus is strengthening its presence in Germany with the opening of a "ZEROe" Development Center (ZEDC) for hydrogen technologies in Stade, northern Germany. The company announced that this will accelerate the development of hydrogen composite technologies for the storage and distribution of cryogenic liquid hydrogen (LH2). A key focus will be the development of cost-effective, lightweight hydrogen systems, such as cryogenic tanks made of composite materials. This includes the production of individual components, their assembly, and testing procedures. Furthermore, the ZEDC will benefit from the broader ecosystem of composite materials research and development, including Airbus subsidiaries such as the Composite Technology Center (CTC GmbH), CFK NORD in Stade, and other synergies from activities in the aerospace and marine sectors. The Stade ZEDC is part of a network of development centers for technologies aimed at decarbonizing the aerospace industry. It will complement the other activities of the Airbus sites in Bremen (Germany), Nantes (France), Madrid (Spain) and Filton (United Kingdom) to put a hydrogen-powered aircraft into the air by 2035 as part of its “ZEROe” program.

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(UK) – Ceres Power Holdings plc (CWR.L) and Taiwanese company Delta Electronics Inc. have signed a long-term production and licensing agreement for the manufacture of solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The agreement provides Ceres with revenues of £43 million (€50 million) through technology transfer, development license fees, and engineering services, approximately half of which is expected to be recognized as sales in 2024. The agreement also includes license payments to Ceres for future commercial production and sales to end customers by Delta. Construction of the manufacturing plant will begin in 2024, with Delta reportedly commencing production by the end of 2026.

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(Norway) – Norwegian company Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser AS, a subsidiary of Nel ASA, has signed a contract with Samsung C&T Corporation Engineering & Construction Group for the delivery of ten megawatts of alkaline electrolyzer equipment, valued at approximately five million euros, for its first off-grid green hydrogen production project in South Korea. The order reportedly includes alkaline stacks and balance-of-stacks (BoS). The electrodes will be manufactured on the fully automated electrolyzer production line in Herøya, Norway. Samsung C&T (Construction and Trading) operates globally in the fields of engineering, procurement, and construction. The company has signed several green hydrogen contracts and is further expanding its business portfolio for the energy transition.

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(Germany) – Polish bus manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach Sp. z o.o. has signed a contract with Ruhrbahn GmbH for the delivery of 19 hydrogen-powered buses to Essen. The order comprises nine Urbino 12 and ten Urbino 18 models. This is the operator's first order. The vehicles are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025, marking the first time Solaris buses will be operating on Essen's streets. The 12-meter models will be equipped with a 70 kW fuel cell, while the articulated buses will have a 100 kW fuel cell. All models will be powered by central electric motors. According to Solaris, it has an order backlog of more than 700 vehicles, of which 180 are already in operation in European cities and 530 are scheduled for delivery in the coming months.

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Photos
iStock / © Danil Melekhin