California fuel cell advocates are urging a national strategy to replace diesel-powered heavy trucks at major U.S. ports and link future regional hydrogen hubs to create a fueling infrastructure.
That scenario was revealed by Bill Elrick, executive director of the California-government-backed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership, who led a session called “Heavy-Duty Implementation for Electric and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles” at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting on Jan. 9.
Under the terms of the MoU, both parties seek to establish a framework for potential green hydrogen supply agreements as well as pursue other opportunities for collaboration. The parties will establish a steering committee and working groups to take this effort forward.
The hydrogen-fueled vehicles can start quickly in the low winter temperatures of minus-30-degrees Celsius in the high-latitude city, some 160 km to the north of Beijing.
Abstract
Widespread adoption of hydrogen as an energy carrier is widely believed to require continued advances in Power-to-Gas (PtG) technologies. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of the dynamics of system prices and conversion efficiency for three currently prevalent PtG technologies: alkaline, polymer electrolyte membrane, and solid oxide cell electrolysis. We analyze global data points for system prices, energy consumption, and the cumulative installed capacity for each technology. Our regression results establish that, over the past two decades, every doubling of cumulative installed capacity resulted in system prices coming down by 14-17%, while the energy required for electrolysis was reduced by 2%. Incorporating multiple forecasts of future deployment growth, our calculations project that, in the coming decade, all three technologies will become substantially more economical than previously thought. Specifically, the life-cycle cost of electrolytic hydrogen production is projected to get close to the $1.0/kg cost target set by the U.S. Department of Energy for the year 2030.
Importantly, it has been pointed out that FCVs “may yet threaten Tesla” given the fact that Toyota, the world’s second largest automaker, has made consistent and strategic commitments to FCVs in collaboration with Honda. Therefore, major automakers in Japan and the world still find FCVs promising, and it has been argued that FCVs could be Tesla’s “biggest threat” in the future. In terms of recharging, for example, FCVs are superior to EVs because the hydrogen tank can be refilled in less than five minutes at a hydrogen station, whereas it takes about 15 minutes for EVs to be charged from 30 to 50 percent. It takes about an hour for EVs to fully recharge at a charging station.
A new study by Bosch has found that 41% of people surveyed globally believe hydrogen and fuel cells have the greatest potential to drive sustainability in the future, putting it in joint first with climate engineering.
The Bosch Tech Compass 2023 surveyed people around the world to take the temperature on feelings and public perception towards technology. A headline figure of the report was that 83% of respondents think that future technology will play a key role in combating climate change, up from 76% from the 2022 survey.
But with new, long-term tax credits built in to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed by President Joe Biden in August and the opportunity to apply for funding to establish ‘clean hydrogen’ hubs under the federal H2 Hubs programme, “green hydrogen production is poised to be the main driver and off-take route for offshore wind in the GoM”, said Aegir.
Cynthia Selin, an associate professor at the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University, believes that in 2023, as we continue to build more capacity for renewables, short-term and long-term energy storage such as batteries and hydrogen will be key.
“Continued investment and favorable policy conditions … mean that clean hydrogen (including hydrogen made using renewable energy) could see sustained growth, the development of necessary infrastructure, and better cost competitiveness,” she says. “In terms of consumer-facing developments in relation to hydrogen, in ’23 the most likely area of attention will be in long-haul trucking.”
As with nearly all Hollywood films, “Glass Onion’s” top priority is entertainment, and as a result, the film glosses over key facts and leans heavily on myth and hyperbole. Our goal is not to diminish anyone’s enjoyment of the film (which boasts a very strong 93% on Rotten Tomatoes), but rather to clear up any misunderstandings that could arise, particularly as so many individuals are just now beginning to learn about the benefits of clean hydrogen. Looking for an additional perspective? Check out Plug Power’s response here, as well.
New Flyer Industries Canada ULC (New Flyer), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (NFI), has received new firm orders for 16 battery-electric and fuel cell-electric transit buses from Winnipeg Transit. The contract also has options to be extended for up to four years to purchase up to 150 40-foot zero-emission buses (“ZEB”). In total, NFI will add up to 166 buses to its backlog from firm and option orders. The new five-year contract includes the following firm orders:
Four Xcelsior CHARGE FC™ fuel cell-electric 40-foot, heavy duty transit buses and four Xcelsior CHARGE FC fuel cell-electric 60-foot transit buses
Four Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ battery-electric 40-foot transit buses and four Xcelsior CHARGE NG battery-electric 60-foot transit buses.
Utility giant PG&E Corp. and Energy Vault Holdings Inc. plan to create a microgrid covering most of Calistoga, a small town of restaurants, tasting rooms and shops at Napa Valley’s northern end. During disruptions on the region’s electrical grid, the microgrid would use a mix of lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells running on hydrogen to supply the town, with no greenhouse gas emissions.