Change of Directions Hydrogen Newsletter 31.05.2023
In this week's edition, we look at Toyota's liquid hydrogen-powered racer, and an innovative fuel cell that generates electricity from both hydrogen and waste plastic hydrogen.
Russia has revised its hydrogen production targets downward following the Ukraine invasion, abandoning plans to export blue hydrogen and reducing production by almost 75%. The country's hydrogen strategy, which was drafted prior to the invasion, included exporting blue hydrogen to Europe. However, with the EU no longer purchasing energy from Russia and focusing on green hydrogen, there are no ready buyers for Russia's low-carbon gas. As a result, Russia plans to produce only 550,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2030, significantly lower than the original target of two million tonnes by 2035. While a Russian energy official claims that most of the hydrogen will be used domestically, analysts doubt this assertion due to the lack of incentives for industries to transition to low-carbon hydrogen within Russia. The country's low energy prices and emphasis on nature-based solutions over renewables and carbon capture and storage present obstacles to the adoption of low-carbon hydrogen domestically. Russia intends to invest in its hydrogen sector, particularly in nuclear hydrogen and midstream expertise. Although exporting hydrogen to China is unlikely, Russia's gas contracts being negotiated with Beijing may prompt China to shift from black to grey hydrogen, reducing emissions in its hydrogen sector.
Read Polly Martin’s full analysis over at Hydrogen Insight:
https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/production/analysis-russia-scraps-blue-hydrogen-export-plans-following-ukraine-invasion-with-no-chance-of-re-routing-to-china/2-1-1458045
Toyota's newly revamped liquid hydrogen-powered racer successfully completed the Fuji 24 Hours race on its debut. The #32 Rookie Racing Toyota Corolla H2 Concept finished 47th overall and sixth in the ST-Q class. The car's design had to be modified after a testing fire, with changes made to the piping around the engine bay to improve safety. Despite a reduction in performance compared to the previous year, the car showcased increased cruising range, completing the race with only 25 pit stops. The overall victory in the ST-X class went to Rookie Racing's Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.
https://www.motorsport.com/super-taikyu/news/toyota-liquid-hydrogen-fuji-24hours/10475048/
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the organizer of the Le Mans 24 Hours, has revealed its vision for a hydrogen-only top class by 2030. ACO president Pierre Fillon announced plans to introduce hydrogen-powered prototypes progressively from 2026, with the aim of having all cars competing for overall victory at Le Mans powered by hydrogen by 2030. The new category, originally intended for zero-emissions fuel cell machinery, will now also allow combustion-engined cars using hydrogen to compete alongside fuel cell vehicles. Fillon emphasized the importance of allowing manufacturers to test different technologies. The ACO will use Balance of Performance to ensure fairness between the various technologies in the hydrogen class and the Hypercar class from 2026. Toyota, which has been racing a hydrogen-powered Corolla since 2021, expressed enthusiasm for the ACO's announcement. The ACO has been exploring hydrogen power through its MissionH24 initiative and has built fuel cell prototypes based on an ADESS LMP3 chassis.
https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/le-mans-wants-hydrogen-only-top-class-by-2030/10474311/
Subsea 7, an engineering company, has been awarded a contract to conduct engineering studies on underwater hydrogen storage at the Port of Aberdeen. This project, called "H2Shore – Hydrogen coastal storage and distribution," has received £150,000 in funding from the Scottish Government. The studies will focus on developing a modular and scalable hydrogen storage solution, identifying a suitable offshore site, and outlining a business case. Consultancy firm Xodus will examine the distribution and bunkering requirements for the project. The Port of Aberdeen sees this initiative as a significant achievement in positioning itself at the forefront of Scotland's growing hydrogen economy. The Scottish Government aims to achieve five gigawatts of hydrogen production by 2030, and this funding is expected to play a crucial role in meeting that target. Subsea 7, with its expertise in offshore projects, aims to contribute to the acceleration of offshore hydrogen production, storage, and infrastructure.
https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/hydrogen/uk-hydrogen/505501/subsea-7-hydrogen-storage-aberdeen/
The Tokyo Tech InfoSyEnergy Research and Education Consortium and the Tokyo Tech Academy of Energy and Informatics have unveiled a fuel cell that generates electricity from both hydrogen and waste plastic hydrogen. They are now testing a 100 kW fuel cell system in Tokyo. “The system is the first in the world to mix renewable energy hydrogen and waste plastic hydrogen, supply the mixture to a fuel cell, and connect it to the building's air conditioning system for advanced use of electricity and heat,” said the Japanese consortium.
It uses fuel cell technology supplied by Toshiba – the H2Rex system. Their solid polymer fuel cells are capable of tracking load changes because of their ability to change power output, making them ideal for energy generation applications. The demonstration is designed to establish an urban hydrogen energy utilization model that appropriately mixes global hydrogen and local hydrogen.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/05/29/japanese-group-unveils-fuel-cell-system-based-on-green-hydrogen-waste-plastic/
In case you missed it: check out our conversation with the CTO of Quantron, René Christopher Wollmann. Wollmann's profound understanding of hydrogen-based technologies and his visionary approach have positioned Quantron as a trailblazer in the industry.
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