Hydrogen News

Leuna

Linde makes plans about the hydrogen fuel supply of the cars of the rather near future. Recent reports say that Leuna, a traditional center of the chemical industry, is a top candidate for a new plant for this purpose. There is already a large scale hydrogen production, but not for cars or for the general market but for the chemical industry. It could be liquefied and used as fuel as well. The only site in Germany where this happens now is Ingolstadt (another Linde plant). The company might create a subsidiary at Leuna for this purpose which would bundle the hydrogen activities.

Washington

President Bush's address on the state of the Union in January 2003 has kicked of a veritable hydrogen avalanche in the USA. So it is little wonder that on 25. May he visited the hydrogen filling station in Washington operated by Shell Hydrogen and General Motors. This is the only site on North America where gasoline and hydrogen are offered next to each other, similar to the CEP station in Berlin and elsewhere. Rick Scott of Shell Hydrogen presented the visitors center to the high guest and then let him refuel a few cars.

Bush told the media that hydrogen could reduce the dependence of the USA from foreign sources of energy which have to be imported. And on top of all it is clean. „So I'm excited to be part of a technological revolution that's going to change the country.“ There is certainly still a lot of work ahead, „but it's coming.“ (White House Press release of 25. May 2005)

National Hydrogen Association chairman Jeff Serfass was of course very satisfied with Bush's visit. „The main reasons to develop hydrogen technologies are to reduce dependence on imported fuels, improve the environment, and drive economic growth. I am pleased to see the President recognizing the investment and progress made by industry. Hydrogen fuel has become more affordable and the costs of hydrogen technologies, like fuel cells, are falling.“ (NHA press release of 25. May 2005)

Audi

It takes about 10 km driving to generate one liter of lukewarm drinking water. Of course this is not the only thing you can use the new Audi A2 Hybrid with fuel cell for. The special thing about the car is that it is a hybrid: the electromotor with a maximum output of 109 kW gets its electrical power from a fuel cell which generates it from hydrogen. A battery which is charged during breaking serves as secondary energy source. Both together are used for acceleration, resulting in a maximum speed of 175 km/h an an acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 11 s. In terms of Diesel equivalents the hydrogen consumed by the A2H2 amounts to less than 4 l fuel on 100 km.

Audi A2H2 serves as technology carrier for fuel cell drives. Its development was supported with funds of the Bavarian Ministry for Economy and the Federal Future Investment Program.

(Audi press release of 2. May 2005).

IKEA

The Swedish based furniture company IKEA is now using a hydrogen car for customer service in and around Berlin. On 3. June Manfred Stolpe, Federal Minister for Transport, gave the green light for a General Motors HydroGen 3 which gets its power from liquid hydrogen. The vehicle is now one of those being served at the filling station of CEP (Clean Energy Partnership) close to the fair ground. Two IKEA people were trained to go to the customers without noise and emissions and additionally to collect data which is evaluated during the everyday life test. Minister Stolpe said on occasion of the start: „IKEA as new ‚customer’ for the fuel cell car of the CEP partner Opel shows courage and pioneering spirit. Testing new technologies in the traffic requires the commitment of interested companies. This readiness to accept risks deserves appreciation. From the point of view of transport policy it sets an example.“

„We want to keep the society of tomorrow mobile without the emission of greenhouse gases“ said Hans H. Demant, chairman of Adam Opel AG. „General Motors and Opel have now invested more than one billion Dollar in the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technology.“ While the HydroGen3 proves the high standard already achieved there is still a lot of work ahead until fuel cell cars can be made profitably in high numbers.

Across the alps

Hydrogen fuel will come, and so will the corresponding infrastructure. A number of cities and regions are already active in order not to miss anything. On 24. May in Bolzano a press conference was held on occasion a natural gas vehicle world conference during which it was announced that the region of Southern Tyrol together with Bavaria, Tyrol, and Trentino plans a track for gas cars extending from Munich to Mantua.

„We can no longer afford the oil, first because it is to expensive and second because it is not good for the environment – so we have to look for alternatives“, said Michl Laimer, the environment minister of Southern Tyrol. He sees good chances for the project. Both the Brenner highway and the Bavarian government have promised support. For the start the track will be equipped with natural gas filling stations. But in the long run the transition to hydrogen is seen as compelling: „In the medium term the state of Southern Tyrol wants to start the production and distribution of environmentally friendly hydrogen“, Laimer declared.

Wales

Even though many English people might consider the country in the west as a bit strange, Wales is rather active in the field of renewable energies. Together with the Scots they are ahead of England. Some projects were presented on 11. June during a meeting of the National Assembly Sustainable Energy Group.

If there is public funding a „Hydrogen Farm“ will be created in the area of Carmarthenshire which will produce hydrogen from biomass and use it on site. Another topic is the vision of a Welsh hydrogen highway, and there are various ideas like the operation of a hydrogen bus and a fuel cell boat in the harbor city of Cardiff. The latter projects are still nearer to ideas than real planning, but during the NASEG meeting there was an enthusiasm which could not be observed in the past.

Additionally the University of Glamorgan in Pontypridd near Cardiff will offer an additional course for MSc Renewable Energy and Resource Management in autumn; hydrogen will be an important topic. The „Hydrogen Research Unit“ of this university has a long history of work in this field and has already submitted several strategy papers about the conversion of Wales into a hydrogen economy.

Bavarian bus

The only hydrogen buses operating in the state of Bavaria at this time are those on the airport of Munich. This will change. A regional bus with the number 699 made by MAN will connect the village of Hallbergmoos with the airport of Munich. The project with a duration of 15 months is supported by the state government with 761 k€ from enhanced funds for public transport. The objective is the verification of the technology in everyday operation. Since the foundation of the „Hydrogen Initiative Bavaria“ (wiba) in 1996 the state has funded about 40 projects with a total of 40 million Euro.

Norway

Though Norway is a petroleum producing country renewable energies play an important role. This includes strong support of hydrogen and fuel cells, which was recently enhanced by the government. Norway's Minister of Transport and Communication, Torild Skogsholm, announced on 20. May that some 50 million NOK (about 6,35 M€) is earmarked for testing alternative fuels and environmentally friendly technology. About 3,8 M€ go into a project lead by the company Hydro about a hydrogen highway from Oslo to Stavanger. Skogsholm said that since 2001 his ministry has tripled the funds for such projects. „Norway will be a trendsetter in using such technology, and it's a great pleasure to have received so many exciting and solid applications”. In 2008 it will be possible to drive a hydrogen car from the capital to the harbor city at the west coast, which includes the construction of corresponding filling stations.

Head count

How many hydrogen cars are there in the world? An inquiry by Fuel Cell Today says that the figure of the fuel cell cars alone has now exceeded 500 and will probably be above 600 at the end of 2005. The leader is the combination of PEM fuel cells with high pressure hydrogen gas tanks; 700 bar storages appear to become the standard.

Add to this the vehicles with internal combustion engine which are all running on liquid hydrogen. This is a concept most obviously followed by BMW; there are rumors that other manufacturers work in this field as well, because they think this will facilitate the market entry, but little is said publicly.

(H2-Expo press release of 18. June 2005)

California

Governor Schwarzenegger is writing the „Hydrogen Highway Plan“ with details about the creation of a hydrogen fuel infrastructure. More than 200 scientists, business people, and environmentalists take part in this since more than one year. Details recently disclosed say that until 2010 about 100 stations are planned in the regions of San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Each would cost about 1 M$. 54 M$ from the state budget are reserved for this. This includes grants of 10 k$ per vehicle for the manufacturers. In a second phase until 2015 the network will be extended to 250 stations. Alan Lloyd, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, explained it in a very simple way: „The idea is that if you build it, they will come.“ California needs to move aggressively to help solve the chicken and the egg problem, in spite of all problems. In order to move away from our addiction to petroleum the start must be made now.

Fuel Cells

Aircraft

Portable applications will probably be the first field in which fuel cells will play an economical role in a mass market. The autonomy of a laptop for example will be significantly enhanced so that you can work all the time on a flight from Europe to the American west coast. If you think that this is good news you may look ahead to it.

But of what help is the fuel cell when you are not allowed to bring your fuel into the cabin? At least as far as methanol is concerned the problems appears to be in the process of solution. On the basis of an initiative of Japan and the USA the committee of the United Nations for the transport of dangerous goods has decided to change the relevant rules. Such cartridges if transported as freight shall no longer be considered as „fuel containers“ (class 3) but as „other dangerous objects“ (class 9), which means that a lower danger potential is associated with them (UN number 3473). This is under the condition that the content does not exceed 200 cm³ and that they have a valve which releases the content in a controlled way. They will also be submitted to a type test program.

While the UN recommendations have a guiding function they are not immediately compelling. What you can or can not take with you into the aircraft is decided by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). Here a similar rule is in the making. Decisions are expected for October.

Ballard

DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor have taken over the Canadian share of 50,1 % of Ballard Power Systems AG in Kirchheim-Nabern. This is under the condition that the anti-trust authority and the shareholders agree. This would mean that Ballard Power Systems AG would in the future be lead jointly by DaimlerChrysler and Ford. The transaction makes DaimlerChrysler and Ford responsible for the integration of the fuel cell systems in the vehicle. But Ballard remains responsible for development and manufacture of the fuel cells. Another thing which remains unchanged is the objective: until 2010 Ballard will make the fuel cell ready for serial production by the car industry.

(Handelsblatt, 24. June 2005)

Energy and Climate

Lots and lots of wind

There is much more wind power in the world than even the optimists thought. Two US climatologists evaluated the wind measurements of 7500 weather stations and 500 balloons for one year and made a „wind world map“. It is to assist the selection of sites for wind turbines. One of the stormiest regions of the world is the North Sea. Other good places are Fireland, the Great Lakes in North America, and Tasmania. Wind power generators in all these regions could mathematically generate 72 TW — about 40 times the global consumption of electrical power in 2000. For comparison: 500 nuclear power stations or thousands of coal stations are necessary to generate one TW. Of course wind turbines can not be built everywhere in arbitrary numbers. The scientists highlight the potential of offshore wind parks. The measurements have shown that on sea the wind speed of 8,6 m/s is twice that on the land.

Politics

Fine tuning

The White House appears to use rather uncommon means to harmonize scientific results on global warming with the political demands. A report of the New York Times says that a high ranking advisor or President Bush has systematically manipulated scientific studies in order to play down the role of greenhouse gas emissions for climate change. Philip Cooney, former American Petroleum Institute lobbyist and then Chief of Staff of the White House Council of Environmental Quality, is said to have repeatedly changed expert offices for the government though the studies had already been confirmed by scientists. With his legal and economic background he is of course scientifically qualified to do so.

The newspaper received the studies as the scientists had delivered them. The comparison with the published versions showed interesting differences. So the public learned: „The attribution of the causes of biological and ecological changes to climate change or variability is extremely difficult“. The word „extremely“ was missing in the original. Another sentence was: „Many scientific observations indicate that the Earth is undergoing a period of relatively rapid change“. Published was: „...point to the conclusion that the Earth may be undergoing a period of relatively rapid change“. Unpleasantly clear descriptions of glacier melting were deleted altogether, and a margin said that this be „straying from research strategy into speculative findings/musings“.