Malaysia: Gentari and SECS plan to jointly produce green hydrogen +++ USA: Universal Hydrogen tests liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft propulsion system +++ Austria: Wiener Linien to purchase H2 buses from Caetano +++ Germany: 15 percent weight reduction in hydrogen tanks +++ Norway: Authorities give Teco and Umoe the green light for the design of a high-speed H2 vessel +++ Canada: ABO Wind commissions Worley to conduct a feasibility study for a wind and hydrogen project in Newfoundland +++ DISCOUNT offer: Your advertisement on the PtX portal
A selection of PtX topics summarized at the end of the week
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Gentari and SECS want to produce hydrogen together in Malaysia. © Gentari Sdn Bhd
(Malaysia) Malaysian clean energy solutions provider Gentari Sdn Bhd, through its subsidiary Gentari Hydrogen Sdn Bhd, has signed an agreement with SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, to build a hydrogen production center in the coastal city of Bintulu (Sarawak region), Borneo. The facility, dubbed the "Sarawak H2 Hub," will eventually supply green hydrogen to downstream industries in Bintulu. According to the company, Sarawak has been positioning itself for some time to become a commercial hydrogen producer by 2027, advancing Malaysia's hydrogen economy. Gentari says the strategic partnership between SEDC Energy and Gentari for the Sarawak H2 Hub will stimulate development and attract new investors.
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Universal Hydrogen is testing the interaction of its liquid hydrogen module with the aircraft powertrain in Mojave. © Universal Hydrogen Inc.
(USA) Universal Hydrogen Inc. has tested a megawatt-class fuel cell powertrain. "This is the largest fuel cell powertrain ever powered by liquid hydrogen," said Mark Cousin, president and CTO of the company. The liquid hydrogen module powered the "Iron Bird" ground test stand for more than one hour and 40 minutes, simulating a regional airliner flight profile. Preliminary work has been underway since March 2023. The hydrogen module can power "Iron Bird" at full capacity for over three hours, and two such modules would provide a range of 500 nautical miles for an ATR72 regional airliner. These aircraft, manufactured by ATR, can carry between 40 and 75 passengers, depending on the configuration. The demonstration was conducted at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California. The liquid hydrogen module was developed at Universal Hydrogen's engineering and design center in Toulouse, France. According to the company, it plans to begin commercial operations in 2026.
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Wiener Linien will convert line 2025A to hydrogen buses in 39. © Wiener Linien / Alexandra Gritsevskaja
(Austria) By the end of 2025, ten "H2.City Gold" hydrogen city buses from the Portuguese manufacturer Caetano Bus, equipped with Toyota fuel cell technology, will be operating in Vienna. The public transport operator Wiener Linien, a subsidiary of Wiener Stadtwerke GmbH, is thus converting the entire 39A bus route to hydrogen buses. The twelve-meter-long, barrier-free vehicles will be refueled at the hydrogen filling station operated by Wien Energie and Wiener Netze. Construction of the station was initiated in 2022 (as previously reported). "The first large electric buses are already operating in southern Vienna, and ten hydrogen buses will follow next year in the north of the city," says City Councillor Peter Hanke. "Together with the Ministry for Climate Action and the EU, we are investing around 90 million euros in the purchase of the electric and hydrogen buses and the construction of the necessary infrastructure." The acquisition will mark "another milestone in our hydrogen strategy" and cover the entire value chain: from the production of green hydrogen and its transport to refueling and use. Vienna Lines Managing Director Gudrun Senk says they have tested various hydrogen buses in recent years. Due to gradients, short distances between stops, and high passenger volume, the 39A is "one of the most demanding lines in the city, which is why hydrogen buses are particularly well-suited for these routes." This followed a Europe-wide tender. The contract was initially awarded to Solaris Austria, a subsidiary of the Polish bus manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o. However, after tests with an H2 bus from the winning bidder, it became clear that this vehicle was "not ideally suited for the challenging conditions of Vienna's urban traffic." Therefore, a new tender was launched.
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Cevotec, Roth and Cikoni achieve 15 percent weight reduction for hydrogen tanks. © Cevotec GmbH
(Germany) The technology company Cevotec GmbH, together with Roth Composite Machinery GmbH and the engineering firm Cikoni GmbH, which specializes in lightweight construction and fiber composite solutions, has achieved a 15 percent weight reduction in its composite hydrogen pressure tank. According to the company, production takes place in a fully automated industrial process. This approach reduces fiber requirements by approximately 15 percent, depending on the specifications of a pressure tank. With equivalent mechanical properties, this results in significant weight and cost savings. "Due to the reduced wall thickness resulting from less fiber material, the reinforced tanks can also offer greater storage volume within the same installation space and have a better CO2 balance." An optimized, full-size demonstrator was developed in collaboration with the project partners. “The 300-bar Type 4 pressure tank has a thinner wound laminate with fewer layers, which can be replaced by the dome reinforcements. Compared to a 700-bar tank, this presents a greater challenge,” says Florian Lenz, Technical Director at Cevotec. “To achieve the optimal design with the greatest possible material savings, various laminates were investigated.” In the third iteration, they achieved 108 percent of the required burst pressure with 15 percent less material.
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3D rendering of the high-speed ship designed by Umoe Mandal and powered by Teco technology. © Teco 2030
(Norway) Norwegian PEM fuel cell stack manufacturer Teco 2030 and Umoe Mandal have received approval for the preliminary design from the Norwegian Maritime Authority for a hydrogen-powered high-speed vessel with multi-megawatt fuel cells. The vessel concept, as previously reported, is based on Umoe Mandal's "Surface Effect Ship" technology, a hovercraft catamaran design for crew transfer vessels (CTVs). This configuration ensures very high fuel efficiency and sufficient range to complete an entire route without refueling stops, unlike battery-powered vessels. Furthermore, it offers a high level of passenger comfort even in rough seas. CTVs are commonly used for the construction, maintenance, and operation of offshore wind farms. Compared to the fuel consumption of existing equivalent high-speed passenger ships powered by fossil fuels, consumption will be reduced by more than 55 percent, according to Teco. This approval marks the completion of the first phase of the entire process for this vessel, which complies with the requirements of the International Maritime Organization's IGF Code and the Alternative Design Process. Passenger transport by high-speed ferry is widespread in Norway, but is associated with very high greenhouse gas emissions per passenger kilometer, Teco stated. The Norwegian government plans to introduce a zero-emissions regulation for high-speed ferries from 2025 onwards. The project was financed by the Norwegian municipalities of Finnmark, Nordland, Trøndelag, and Vestland.
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Area in Newfoundland on which ABO Wind wants to develop its wind farms. © ABO Wind Canada Ltd.
(Canada) German company ABO Wind AG is advancing the development of its Toqlukuti'k wind and hydrogen project in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador and has commissioned Worley Consulting to conduct a feasibility study. According to its subsidiary ABO Wind Canada Ltd., the five-gigawatt project, "Toqlukuti'k Wind and Hydrogen Ltd.", will produce green hydrogen and green ammonia for the global market using wind power. The hydrogen will supply the adjacent refinery of Braya Renewable Fuels in Come by Chance, making the production of low-carbon fuels even more climate-friendly. In August 2023, ABO Wind was granted the exclusive right to develop the project on Crown land. Subsequently, ABO Wind launched a tender process for engineering services for a feasibility study. This will lay the foundation for the next development phases. This includes analyzing potential alternatives to the original project plan, planning the facilities, estimating costs related to electricity generation and transmission, and the production, storage, and marketing of hydrogen (and derivatives). Worley plans to submit his report by July 2024. (Project website: www.toqlukutikproject.com )
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Photos
iStock / © Danil Melekhin
