Searching Wide & Flying High
[A review by Dr John Massey - with links – of some of the hydrogen news catching my eye this week - this service is part of the package of benefits members receive as part of the World's Leading Hydrogen Business Community - World Hydrogen Leaders]
No sooner had they finished reading last week’s letter from green hydrogen advocates, than a new missive arrived on the desks of EU leaders.
This one was from thirty industry groups and firms, including heavyweights such as ExxonMobile, Equinor and Uniper. Given those names, alert readers have probably already guessed what it said. Yes, it urged a “technology-neutral” approach to hydrogen production, one that doesn’t “prioritise renewable hydrogen”. Translated, what they really meant was: don’t forget about blue hydrogen!!
But hydrogen activity isn’t just about Europe, as other news this week demonstrated.
In the US, Plug Power – a company with actual hydrogen customers – announced they were acquiring two new companies (United Hydrogen Group and Giner ELX) with the aim of “becoming one of the largest green hydrogen generation companies in the United States over the next five years”. By 2024, they expect to be selling 100 tons per day of hydrogen, although only around 50% of that is likely to be green by then. The stock market was pleased, for whatever that’s worth, with Plug Power “surging” on the news.
In more miserly fashion, but nevertheless a significant sign of support, the US Department of Energy announced an intention to spend “up to $100m” over five years: on hydrogen and fuel-cell related R&D. A particular focus will be on heavy-duty, long-haul trucks, which is a segment set for quite a battle over the coming years.
In Asia, Tokyo residents could partially offset their disappointment at the absence of an Olympics with news that Japan's Advanced Hydrogen Energy Chain Association for Technology Development (AHEAD) had brought hydrogen from Brunei to Tokyo Bay to use in power generation.
Claiming this as “the world's first supply chain of foreign-origin hydrogen”, the project uses methylcyclohexane as a ‘LOHC’ (a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier) to transport the hydrogen – removing the need for compression or cryogenics. Sadly the current hydrogen supply is from steam-reformed gas though, so not clean. The power plant currently using it lies within Tokyo Bay’s Keihin refinery.
South Korea may be among those watching that last story with interest, since it too is looking at importing hydrogen. Or, as one article suggested in more sinister fashion, “on the hunt” for it. Six locations are reportedly under consideration, including Australia, Saudi Arabia and the US.
Following feasibility studies it will, much like the organising committee of the Eurovision Song Contest, choose "a host country" for its hydrogen production. Private companies will then submit project proposals which must “demonstrate their commercial viability” (something which has never been a requirement for Eurovision entries).
As an alternative, they should perhaps also look at Denmark’s approach to hydrogen supply.
Although I suspect a Venn diagram would show little overlap between the Danes and Donald Trump, this week one common theme did emerge. It was the announcement that “We’re going to build a hydrogen plant and the Dutch are going to pay for it!”
Yes, it emerged that “The Netherlands will pay at least €100m to finance a tender of 100MW in green H2 output capacity” in Denmark.
This odd deal arises because the Dutch will fail to meet their 2020 green energy targets, but Denmark will exceed theirs. An arrangement called 'statistical transfer' allows Denmark to pass part of its excess renewable energy output to the Netherlands in exchange for money. Obviously the mechanics of this carbon-accounting regulatory arrangement are complex and involved, so I’ll simplify them for you: it’s called ‘cheating’.
If carbon accounting flies over your head, then perhaps you’ll be more interested in something else which could one day do the same: hydrogen-powered planes.
That’s because in the UK, as part of the ‘HyFlyer’ project, ZeroAvia this week conducted “the UK’s first commercial-scale electric flight” using “Europe's largest zero-emission aircraft”.
Don’t bring your extended family along just yet though – this is a six-seater aircraft and not due to be brought to market until “as early as 2023”. Though by then, ZeroAvia are aiming at “up to 500-mile regional flights in 10 to 20-seat fixed-wing aircraft”.
Helpfully supporting the notion of hydrogen-fuelled air transport, a study funded by the EU found that the climate effects of aviation could be reduced by 75-90%. The market for hydrogen could be significant too: “transforming just short-haul flights would drive an estimated 40 million-ton hydrogen market by 2050”.
Of course there remains plenty to be done before hydrogen flight become a reality: lighter fuel tanks, more efficient fuel cells, low NOx hydrogen jet engines, new plane designs and so on. On the plus side, “industry insiders speculate such advances could be achieved within 5-10 years”.
And if that’s not enough speculation for you, consider this claim: “CityHawk is a hydrogen-powered flying car almost ready for sale”. An accompanying and truly magnificent photoshop mock-up illustrates what the scene on a typical US city street may soon look like.
Clearly the word ‘almost’ is working extremely hard in the headline. Among likely delaying factors is that the “door-to-door flying car” aims to be “ready for when legislation and FAA approval of airspace are also ready”. Once that’s the case though, six people could be able to cruise for “just under 100 miles” at around 145 mph.
And nervous flyers will be buoyed by the news that “to increase your chances of survival in case of loss of power, a ballistic parachute has been incorporated”.
Phew! I feel much better for having read that.