Hydrogen and FCEVs discussion thread

[GRA]

I've seen two or three Nexos, including one last Friday during my occasional Friday evening PEV/FCEV commute count. OTOH, I see a Mirai 1 almost every day and occasionally a Mirai 2, plus a Clarity FCEV once in a very great while. I'm really surprised that people still have the latter, when the PHEV offers far more utility and is much cheaper than either the FCEV or the BEV. Of course, they've all been discontinued here, but there are lots of the PHEVs running around. The BEV never made any sense at all to me, since its range was about five years behind the competition when it was introduced.

[GRA]

GCC:

ExxonMobil planning hydrogen production, carbon capture and storage at Baytown complex; 1B cfd of blue hydrogen

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... ytown.html

ExxonMobil is planning a hydrogen production plant and one of the world’s largest carbon capture and storage projects at its integrated refining and petrochemical site at Baytown, Texas, supporting efforts to reduce emissions from company operations and local industry. . . .

The Refinery has the capability to process up to 584,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it the second-largest refinery in the US and one of the ten largest refineries globally.

The proposed hydrogen facility would produce up to 1 billion cubic feet per day of “blue” hydrogen—hydrogen produced from natural gas and supported by carbon capture and storage. The carbon capture infrastructure for this project would have the capacity to transport and store up to 10 million metric tons of CO2 per year, more than doubling ExxonMobil’s current capacity.

Using hydrogen as a fuel at the Baytown olefins plant could reduce the integrated complex’s Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by up to 30%, supporting ExxonMobil’s ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its operated assets by 2050.

The Baytown Olefins Plant, which began operations in 1979, is one of the largest ethylene plants in the world. In 2018, ExxonMobil completed the construction of a multi-billion dollar ethane cracker at the olefins plant, which has a capacity of 1.5 million tons per year.

Using hydrogen also would enable the site to manufacture lower-emissions products for its customers. Access to surplus hydrogen and CO2 storage capacity would be made available to nearby industry.

The project would form ExxonMobil’s initial contribution to a broad, cross-industry effort to establish a Houston carbon capture and storage hub with an initial target of about 50 million metric tons of CO2 per year by 2030, and 100 million metric tons by 2040. Evaluation and planning for the Baytown project are ongoing and, subject to stakeholder support, regulatory permitting and market conditions, a final investment decision is expected in two to three years.

ExxonMobil has extensive experience with hydrogen and already produces about 1.5 billion cubic feet per day. The company is uniquely positioned to participate in the growing hydrogen market and is evaluating strategic investments to increase the use of this important lower-emissions energy technology.

Equally important is the company’s more than 30 years of experience capturing and permanently storing CO2. ExxonMobil says that it has cumulatively captured more human-made CO2 than any other company and has an equity share of about one-fifth of the world’s carbon capture and storage capacity, which amounts to about 9 million metric tons per year. . . .

[GRA]

Both GCC:

MAN investing up to €500M in hydrogen production; scaling up H-TEC SYSTEMS

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... 3-man.html

Over the next few years, MAN Energy Solutions will invest up to €500 million in its subsidiary H-TEC SYSTEMS to transform the hydrogen specialist into a mass-producer of PEM electrolyzers as quickly as possible.

Our plan is clear. We are transforming H-TEC SYSTEMS into one of the world’s leading players in the field of PEM electrolysis. Over the next five to ten years, green hydrogen will become one of the most important primary energy sources for the global economy as it continues to decarbonize. With PEM electrolysis, H-TEC SYSTEMS has mastered one of the most important processes for industrially scaled hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. The technology is mature and has already been placed on the market successfully. The next step is therefore to scale and set up highly automated serial production—and we would like to make rapid progress with this.

—Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions . . . .

Siemens Energy secures 50 MW electrolyzer order from European Energy for first large-scale eMethanol project

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... emens.html

European Energy, a Danish developer and operator of green energy projects, has ordered a 50 MW electrolyzer from Siemens Energy for use in developing the first large-scale commercial e-Methanol production facility.

The plan is that the plant will be built in Kassø, located west of Aabenraa in the South of Denmark, near the German border. Through the nearby 300 MW solar park of Kassø, developed by European Energy, the project will have access to the low-cost renewable electricity needed to produce cost-effective e-Fuel. End users of the e-Methanol will be the shipping company Maersk and the fuel retailer Circle K among others.

The project secures the e-Methanol supply for Maersk’s first e-Methanol-driven container vessel, and thus demarks the starting point into CO2-neutral shipping in large-scale. Start of commercial methanol production is planned for second half of 2023.

Siemens Energy will design, supply and commission the electrolysis system consisting of three full arrays of its latest and most powerful line of PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolysis products including transformers, rectifiers, distributed control system (DCS) plus the equipment to produce demineralized water.

European Energy is the owner of the project and will be responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction, as well as for the operation of the facility. . . .

The global shipping consumes around 3,050 terawatt hours (TWh) of the worldwide final energy consumption. For comparison: This is more than five times the total electricity consumption of Germany. As nearly all is based on fossil fuels, mainly bunker oil, the shipping sector emits about 1,000 million tons of CO2 per year, about 13% of the greenhouse gas emissions from global transport.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has already committed the shipping sector to halve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 (based on 2008 level) to meet Paris Agreement targets. Measures are new logistics approaches, increased efficiency, speed/power reductions and—as the most effective pathway—the application of sustainable fuels, i.e. largely carbon-neutral electricity-based fuels (e-Fuels), for propulsion.

[Marktm]

GCC:

ExxonMobil planning hydrogen production, carbon capture and storage at Baytown complex; 1B cfd of blue hydrogen

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... ytown.html

GRA - Any more details on how Exxon will use the Blue H2 as "fuels"? My guess it's by blending with the nat gas used in furnaces (of all types) and by changing burner systems, reducing the carbon content of their internal gas fuels systems - just a guess. IMO, it's a smart strategy for pragmatic reductions in "carbon", but for Exxon Baytown it depends on what the H2 is currently used for (usually hydrogenation reactions that are required for optimal fuels productions)
Mark

[GRA]

^^^ I have no more info, although aside from your suggestions H2 for shipping seems a possibility.

[cwerdna]

I finally saw a gen 2 Mirai in the wild the other day. I think this is my 1st sighting in wild.

[GRA]

I finally saw a gen 2 Mirai in the wild the other day. I think this is my 1st sighting in wild.

I've seen or perhaps a more accurate description would be 'identified' two or three. Part of the problem is that the Mirai 2's looks are kind of "generic Japanese luxury sedan", so easy to overlook or mistake it for a Lexus/Infiniti/Acura. Whereas the Mirai 1's looks are, um, 'distinctive', to put it as politely as possible. I see one or more of the latter on almost a daily basis. It's impossible to miss them, much as I'd like to.

[GRA]

Deleted dup. post.

[GRA]

Lots of catching up to do, so expect several posts with links for the next few days. All GCC:

Honeywell develops new catalyst-coated membranes for more efficient and lower cost green hydrogen production

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... ywell.html

. . . The new Honeywell technology focuses on CCMs for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolyzers.

Honeywell’s latest CCMs have been shown in lab testing to enable higher electrolyzer efficiency and higher electric current density enabled by a breakthrough proprietary high ionic conductivity membrane and high activity catalyst. This is projected to provide a 25% reduction in electrolyzer stack cost, based on a PEM water electrolysis system using renewable power to produce 2,300 MT H2/y with 5,000 operating hours/y. . . .

BMW iX5 Hydrogen in final winter testing close to the Arctic Circle

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... ix5h2.html

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen (earlier post) is currently undergoing testing in extremely challenging winter weather conditions on public roads and at the BMW Group’s testing center in Arjeplog, northern Sweden. The integrated functional testing and validation of the fuel cell system, hydrogen tanks, peak power battery and central vehicle control unit have confirmed that this additional CO2-free mobility option can also be relied on to provide sustainable driving pleasure with high levels of comfort and performance in extreme sub-zero temperatures. . . .

The tests close to the Arctic Circle see the BMW Group pressing ahead with its development process for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The company will produce a small series of the model later in the year and is also committed to helping expand the network of hydrogen fuelling stations.

The winter testing under extreme conditions clearly shows that the BMW iX5 Hydrogen can also deliver full performance in temperatures of -20 deg.C [-4 deg.F] and therefore represents a viable alternative to a vehicle powered by a battery-electric drive system. For us to be able to offer our customers a fuel cell drive system as an attractive sustainable mobility solution, a sufficiently extensive hydrogen infrastructure also needs to be in place.

—Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development

Under these cold conditions, the hydrogen fuel cell drive system displays the same everyday usability as a conventional internal combustion engine. Full system power quickly comes on tap. Even in these freezing conditions, the drive system continues to offer its full operating range. Replenishing the hydrogen tanks takes only three to four minutes, even in the depths of winter. . . .

The drive system on board the BMW iX5 Hydrogen teams fuel cell technology with an electric motor using fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology. The hydrogen it uses as an energy source is stored in two 700-bar tanks made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). The fuel cell converts the hydrogen into electric power, generating output of 125 kW/170 hp.

The electric motor can add the energy stored in a power battery to the mix. This battery is charged either through energy recovery or from the fuel cell. All of which means that system output of 275 kW/374 hp is available when the driver decides to explore the upper reaches of the car’s dynamic abilities. . . .

Aberdeen City Council and bp sign joint venture agreement to develop city hydrogen hub

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... rdeen.html

Aberdeen (Scotland) City Council and bp have signed an agreement to form a joint venture partnership that will deliver a scalable green hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility in the city powered by renewable energy. The Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub is to be developed in three phases in response to growing demands for hydrogen.

Phase one, which involves delivery of a green hydrogen production and transport refueling facility powered by a solar farm, is targeting first production from 2024, delivering more than 800 kilograms of green hydrogen per day—enough to fuel 25 buses and a similar number of other fleet vehicles.

Aberdeen City Council and bp—which will operate the joint venture under the name bp Aberdeen Hydrogen Energy Limited—have committed £3 million (US$3.9 million) for initial design work with a final investment decision for the phase one facility build expected in early 2023.

Future phases could see production scaled up through further investment to supply larger volumes of green hydrogen for rail, freight and marine, as well as supply of hydrogen for heat and potentially export. This expansion would be enabled by the expected increased availability of local renewable energy sources, including developments that emerge from the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round. . . .
Aberdeen City Council embarked on its hydrogen journey more than 10 years ago and has already demonstrated how demand can be created within cities, using the zero-emission fuel to power a fleet of 25 buses, 60 public sector vehicles and waste trucks, as well as the P&J Live events complex. More than 2 million passengers have travelled on the city’s hydrogen buses, and CO2 savings to date are in excess of 100 tonnes over the past six years.

Honda to install stationary fuel cell power station on California campus as first step toward commercialization of zero-emission backup power generation

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... honda.html

Honda plans to install a stationary fuel cell power station on its corporate campus in Torrance, Calif. by early 2023. The station will serve as a proof of concept for the future commercialization of a power generation unit for use as a zero-emission backup power source for facilities such as data centers, which require reliable and clean auxiliary power generation to continue operations even in emergency situations.

This new initiative will leverage Honda’s fuel cell technology expertise as part of the company’s global goal to achieve carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050.

Honda's proof of concept fuel cell power station will utilize fuel cell components from Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles in a flexible, four-quad parallel stationary fuel cell power generation system capable of generating up to 1152kW-DC/1MW-AC from an inverter. A unique advantage of the four-quad design is the flexibility to change the layout of the four individual fuel cell units to suit the installation environment, accommodating a cuboid, L-shape, Z shape or other packaging requirements.

The station will be connected to the data center on the American Honda campus in early 2023, providing a real-world power generation application to verify performance. This will enable Honda to advance its know-how in the power supply area, as well as supply chain development, grid connection access, construction specifications, AC/DC connection requirements and other critical areas.

While Honda remains committed to developing fuel cell systems for passenger vehicles, the market for fuel cell systems to power larger trucks and transport ships, as well as stationary generation, is expanding rapidly in the US and is expected to grow to more than $86.7 billion annually by 2030. Data centers in particular require high-quality and reliable power, where any disruption in power supply can lead to downtime or problems such as data corruption and damage to servers. . . .

Toyota develops storage module for 70 MPa automotive hydrogen tanks; transportation of H2, other applications

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... oyota.html

Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a storage module that integrates multiple 70 MPa automotive hydrogen tanks—already proven in the Mirai fuel cell vehicle (FCEV)—and safety devices such as a hydrogen detector and an automatic shut-off switch.

Toyota has been working on initiatives toward realizing a hydrogen-based society, such as the sale of FCEVs and FC systems. As part of this, the 70 MPa resin high-pressure hydrogen tank developed for—and certified for—automobiles is now being requested for other applications in railways, shipping, and port cargo handling, as well as for FC generators.

However, using the same tanks in a variety of types of applications requires meeting different safety standards and adjusting to each environment. For this reason, they are not currently used for a wide range of purposes. The government is working on a range of studies to promote the early adoption of hydrogen while ensuring safety, and Toyota and its business partners are ready to offer cooperation and support. Toyota developed this hydrogen storage module as a way to answer these demands and expand the use of hydrogen.

The module unit is integrated with various safety devices that automatically monitor operation status to ensure the module is extremely safe. As storing and transporting hydrogen more safely and efficiently can be done through high-capacity hydrogen loads, it is possible to use hydrogen-based energy in a range of locations where hydrogen filling is difficult, such as ports or mountain areas.

Starting last year, Toyota has been carrying out repeated verification testing with its business partners throughout the whole phases of producing, transporting, and using at the Super Taikyu Series venue, a place for agile development that embodies the idea of “making ever-better motorsports-bred cars.” This is also connected to the development of this conceptual model. This year too, starting with the Super Taikyu Race in Suzuka (March 19 to 20), Toyota will be working on connecting with new business partners and carrying out verification testing with the idea of expanding hydrogen use even further.

This race will be used to verify the transport of large amounts of hydrogen by an FC truck that will carry resin high-pressure hydrogen tanks for automobiles with large volumes (2 sets of 16-tank packages) filled at 45 MPa. . . .

Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas partner for regional hydrogen hub to compete for IIJA funding

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... lohub.html

The US states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas have entered into a bipartisan three-state partnership to establish a regional hub for development, production, and use of clean hydrogen as fuel and manufacturing feedstock.

In entering the agreement, the states intend to compete as a unit for funding established in the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, in which the United States Department of Energy (DOE) is directed to seek out and select regional clean hydrogen hubs to fund.

The act specifies that such hubs should be selected by DOE based on mix of feedstock available to produce hydrogen, available users of hydrogen, geographic locations, and potential effects on employment, among other considerations. . . .

These states are situated to demonstrate the entire value chain of hydrogen and are situated to tackle the hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as industrial, manufacturing, and transportation. The partnership builds upon existing advantages, such as an inland seaport system that runs from Oklahoma through Arkansas and down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana, existing intermodal rail, existing pipeline infrastructure that runs from Oklahoma through Arkansas to the Gulf of Mexico, and some of the most valuable interstate freight highways in the United States. More importantly, hydrogen is already available for demonstration with new large clean hydrogen production hubs scheduled to come on line in the near future.

Hydrogen is presently used in many manufacturing processes and has increasingly gained interest as a clean-burning fuel source that could help reduce carbon emissions from manufacturing, heavy industry and long haul trucking. Currently, a great deal of hydrogen is produced in the partner states through separating methane into its components of hydrogen and carbon. While this process still produces waste carbon, the process can be made cleaner by capturing the waste carbon and injecting it into permanent underground storage zones. There has also been growing interest and investment in making the electrolysis of water to release hydrogen more commercially available.

The three states have been focused on hydrogen as an additional resource in their all-of-the-above approach to a diversified and clean energy portfolio. In late 2021, a hydrogen-from-natural-gas project with carbon capture and sequestration was announced in Louisiana and a large electrolytic production hub was announced in Oklahoma. . . .

Saudi Aramco joins Rice University’s Carbon Hub; coproduction of hydrogen and advanced carbon materials from hydrocarbons

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/0 ... ramco.html

The Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Aramco) has joined Carbon Hub, a research initiative led by Rice University to develop sustainable uses of hydrocarbons. Launched in 2019, Carbon Hub supports a zero-emissions future where clean hydrogen energy and advanced carbon materials are coproduced efficiently and sustainably from hydrocarbons.

Aramco has joined Carbon Hub with a $10 million, five-year sponsorship commitment.

Carbon Hub provides funding and direction to basic science, engineering and policy research. The goal is to accelerate the development and deployment of large-scale technologies that coproduce clean hydrogen fuel and carbon materials from hydrocarbons. These products are used sustainably in construction, mobility, textile and food industries.

Carbon Hub’s technologies produce no carbon dioxide and provide a path to simultaneously decarbonize the industrial sector, preserve and expand manufacturing jobs and promote economic growth.

Carbon Hub’s focus aligns with Aramco’s corporate initiatives on hydrogen and nonmetallic materials. With its SABIC partner, Aramco and other Carbon Hub members plan to develop carbon materials that could potentially displace emissions-intensive materials across broad industry sectors.

Examples include steel and other metals, concrete and soil enhancers. For example, innovative carbon conductors could address market needs for increased electrification and alleviate emissions and environmental impacts associated with mining copper and aluminum. . ..

[SageBrush]

These hydrogen stories are going to continue until the Federal money pot is emptied.
What a colossal waste of money.