Some recent hydrogen developments

Worley supports GEO low-carbon fuels project

Worley has been contracted by Green Energy Oman (GEO), an international consortium, to support its 25 GW low-carbon fuels project in Oman.

Worley is providing concept feasibility study services to develop and challenge GEO’s defined green hydrogen energy project. The project includes optimising around 25 GW of wind and solar generation, transforming this renewable energy through electrolysis into green hydrogen, and producing, storing, and exporting green ammonia.

The GEO project consortium comprises OQ – the Sultanate of Oman’s global integrated energy company, InterContinental Energy (ICE) – the leading dedicated green fuels developer, and EnerTech (ETC) – a Kuwait government-backed clean energy investor and developer.

The project will produce over 1.8 million tonnes/year of low-carbon green hydrogen, which can produce up to 10 million tonnes/year of green ammonia, supporting the local economy and global market by exporting green ammonia to help other countries decarbonise.

ITM Power partners with Vitol for hydrogen refuelling

ITM Power has announced that it has concluded a strategic partnership agreement with Vitol Holdings SARL for wholly-owned subsidiary ITM Motive Limited, trading as Motive, to become a 50/50 joint-venture owned between ITM Power and Vitol.

Vitol is a leader in the energy sector with a presence across the spectrum: from oil through to gas, power, renewables and carbon. Vitol will invest up to £30 million in the venture, which a similar investment from ITM Power will match.

Motive owns all UK public hydrogen refuelling stations constructed by ITM Power. On completion, it will operate as a distinct entity with its own board, which will comprise three directors from ITM Power and three from Vitol.

As part of the transaction, Motive has entered into a framework agreement with ITM Power, under which Motive appoints ITM Power as its preferred supplier for up to 240 MW of electrolysis equipment to support Motive with the development and roll-out of new green hydrogen refuelling stations. Motive has also appointed Vitol as its preferred supplier for up to 240 MW of electricity demand, which will provide green power to the network of new refuelling stations.

Over the past 18 months, Motive has been working to develop deep relationships with a small number of blue-chip heavy goods users in the UK and aims to develop standard 4 MW sites around the UK.

Neste’s clean hydrogen project at the Porvoo refinery in Finland

Neste has closed the grant agreement process with CINEA and the European Commission following the earlier announced positive EU Innovation Fund grant decision of € 88 million to Neste’s clean hydrogen project at the Porvoo refinery in Finland.

The ‘SHARC’ project introduces electrolysis and carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions that allow the quick and efficient reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at the refinery. Neste’s project is in the feasibility phase with no final investment decision yet, and the planned start of the operations around the mid-2020s.

With this transformation project, a reduction of more than 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions can be achieved at the Porvoo refinery in the first ten years of operation. The project would strongly contribute to reaching both Finland’s and the EU’s climate targets by accelerating the green transition and has a significant role in Neste’s target of carbon-neutral production by 2035.

hypersonic UAV project receives $2.95M funding

Aerospace engineering business Hypersonix Launch Systems together with the University of Southern Queensland, LSM Advanced Composites (LSM) and New South Wales-based Romar Engineering, have been awarded a $2.95M Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) grant from the Federal Government.

The project, titled ‘DART CMP Airframe – a reusable hypersonic platform’, is a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) that can travel at hypersonic speeds up to Mach 12 (twelve times the speed of sound). The SPARTAN hydrogen-fuelled scramjet engine powers it.

Hypersonix role in the project will be developing and testing the prototype ultra-high temperature composite material needed.

Gordonbush project

Leading low-carbon energy company SSE has taken the next step in its green hydrogen to push with SSE Renewables and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, unveiling plans to produce and deliver green hydrogen through electrolysis, using renewable energy from SSE’s 100 MW-plus Gordonbush onshore wind farm in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands.

Green hydrogen would be produced by SSE Renewables at Gordonbush wind farm using Siemens Gamesa’s Renewable Hydrogen Upgrade solution. The green hydrogen could then be used as a clean alternative to petrol, diesel or natural gas to help decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as industry, transport and manufacturing.

The plans unveiled by SSE Renewables would see the integration of Siemens Gamesa’s Renewable Hydrogen Upgrade at its Gordonbush site near Brora, comprising electrolyser and ancillary technology. The facility would produce up to 2,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year using wind energy generated at Gordonbush, helping the UK and Scottish Governments reach their net-zero targets while supporting the UK’s goal of hitting 5 GW of low carbon hydrogen production by 2030.

The overall development would also include a battery energy storage system capable of storing any surplus or constrained, renewable energy produced by the wind farm at times of excess wind on the electrical grid.

The project will also see SSE Renewables working to explore opportunities to unlock the full potential of the green hydrogen value chain in the Scottish Highlands and support Scotland’s emerging green hydrogen economy.

Suncor Energy strengthens its focus on hydrogen

Suncor will strengthen its focus on hydrogen and renewable fuels to accelerate progress toward its objective to be a net-zero company by 2050. Optimising the portfolio to drive shareholder returns and continue to reduce emissions requires focus and discipline. Therefore, Suncor plans to divest its wind and solar assets.

CPH2 receives an order from AFCryo

CPH2(a UK-based green hydrogen technology company) has entered into a purchase order with AFCryo (a New Zealand based manufacturer of composite cryostats and cryogenic cooling systems) for the sale of a 1MW MFE220 electrolyser unit to be delivered in early 2023. This is the second 1MW electrolyser unit that AFCryo has purchased within 18 months.

CPH2 has an established working relationship with AFCryo and utilises the AFCryo cryogenic cooling system in its MFEs. CPH2’s MFE220 runs with 1MW of input power with eight stacks and can produce 450kg/day of high purity hydrogen output.

In May 2021, AFCryo ordered its first 1MW MFE220 electrolyser, with delivery anticipated in September 2022.

Hydrogen Utopia International to enhance design and integration

Hydrogen Utopia International LC has recently tasked Linde Engineering to provide engineering guidance and advice by assessing the interfacing of the kiln and synthesis gas designs.

Where necessary or desirable, improvements will be suggested to enhance the potential performance, longevity and/or integration of a complete HUI waste plastic to the hydrogen facility. Furthermore, Linde Engineering will help facilitate the fabrication and commissioning of a fully integrated HUI waste plastic to a hydrogen plant.

Green Hydrogen Systems receives an order from Gaznat in Switzerland

Green Hydrogen Systems has signed an agreement with Gaznat to deliver electrolysis equipment for its Innovation Lab in Switzerland.

The order includes the supply of a GHS HyProvide® A90 electrolyser with a capacity of ~0.5 MW to produce green hydrogen from renewable solar energy. The electrolyser will be deployed in a 20ft container as a complete green hydrogen plant.

When fully operational, the ordered electrolyser will have the capacity to supply approximately 195 kg of green hydrogen per day. The hydrogen will be used to produce synthetic methane with a new and innovative methanation reactor developed by Gaznat, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and GRZ Technologies. The synthetic methane will be injected into the distribution grid covering the region of Chablais in Switzerland.

Aviation H2 to start work on prototype soon

Aviation H2’s goal of becoming Australia’s first hydrogen-fuelled aviation company is coming into fruition, with the construction of its first modification prototype expected to begin soon.

They will start constructing Australia’s first hydrogen-powered aircraft, which they expect to have in the skies midway through 2023.

The results from its analysis have been very positive, and it now has a pathway outlined toward building a hydrogen-fuelled plane that will be both efficient and commercially viable.

One of the most important elements of their strategy is developing a state-of-the-art method for converting existing aircraft into a hydrogen-fuelled engine with the majority of the base certification retained.