- Email: [email protected]
H2SHIPS project will demonstrate hydrogen propulsion in shipping
NEWS / IN BRIEF Insitu: www.insitu.com
WSU, Insitu win US Army grant to develop liquid hydrogen UAV
W
ashington State University has received a $1.8 million grant from the US Army to demonstrate a liquid hydrogen powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, or drone) and refueling system. The $7.2 million total award includes researchers from Mississippi State University, Insitu Inc, and Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation. Boeing subsidiary Insitu will provide its ScanEagle3® UAV [FCB, May 2017, p3], equipped with a fuel cell powered electric engine, while MSU will measure performance characteristics of the drone. ‘Our goal is to make hydrogen refueling of military vehicles more convenient and reliable than conventional hydrocarbon fuels,’ says Dr Jacob Leachman, associate professor in WSU’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. He heads the HYdrogen Properties for Energy Research (HYPER) laboratory, which specialises in working with hydrogen at low temperatures [November 2018, p15]. Liquid hydrogen occupies a much smaller volume compared to its gaseous state, so a lot more can be carried onboard a UAV, providing a much longer range. This liquid hydrogen system operates at a pressure of less than 30 psi (2 bar), so the storage tank is lighter, essentially increasing the quantity of stored hydrogen. To create this lightweight tank, Leachman is working with Protium Innovations, a local startup founded by former WSU graduate students [July 2019, p8]. Protium plans to use lightweight polymers instead of metal for the tanks, which will save weight, reduce filling time, and increase flight time relative to gaseous storage or traditional battery solutions. The tank liners will be 3D‑printed to ensure optimal insulation. Part of the project will involve building a hydrogen liquefier – roughly the size of a small shipping container – that can be housed on a ship, military base, or remote fire station from where the UAVs could take off for surveillance and reconnaissance. The liquid hydrogen powered UAV will begin test flights this winter. The grant will also fund construction of an outdoor facility on the WSU Pullman campus for testing liquid hydrogen fuel transfers. HYPER lab: https://hydrogen.wsu.edu Protium Innovations: www.protiuminnovations.com
August 2019
Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation: www.nasc.com
IN BRIEF
H2SHIPS project will demonstrate hydrogen propulsion in shipping
Combining fuel cells and catenary is best technology mix for heavy-duty trucking A combination of fuel cell and catenary (overhead line) power is the best route to dramatically reducing emissions in the French heavy-duty, long-haul truck sector, according to a joint report by Hinicio (www.hinicio.com) and LudwigBölkow-Systemtechnik (LBST, www.lbst.de/ index_e.html). The study, Techno-economic & Environmental Performance Comparison of GHGNeutral Fuels & Drivetrains for Heavy-Duty Trucks [https://tinyurl.com/fond-tuck-hinicio-lbst], was prepared for the Tuck Foundation’s Future of Energy programme (www.fondation-tuck.fr). The study compared diesel, compressed/ liquefied natural gas (CNG/LNG), zerocarbon fuels (Power-to-Diesel and Power-toCNG/LNG), hydrogen fuel cells, and catenary powered heavy-duty trucks in France with regard to their environmental and techno-economic performance, including the option of renewable fuel imports from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. In the mid- to long term, hydrogen fuel cells and catenary-battery stand out as the most robust solutions in terms of cost, performance and environmental impact (for both CO2 and local pollutants). The study shows that hydrogen fuel cells are a universal and flexible solution, while catenarybattery is suitable for point-to-point transport. Other e-fuel alternatives can provide close-tozero GHG emissions (based on renewable and low-carbon electricity), at a similar long-term cost, but still lead to local emissions. Between 2020 and 2025, deployment should focus on the largest fleet operators to quickly achieve economies of scale across the entire value chain, and unlock rapid cost reductions to further accelerate deployment. Smaller fleets could follow in a second stage (2025–2030) by leveraging the deployed infrastructure.
T
he new Interreg North-West Europe project H2SHIPS will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of hydrogen ‘bunkering’ (supplying for use by ships) and propulsion for shipping, and will identify the conditions for successful maritime market entry for the technology. Two pilot projects will be implemented as part of H2SHIPS: a new hydrogen powered port vessel will be built in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and a hydrogen refueling system suitable for open sea operation will be developed and tested in Belgium. Another major output will be an action plan for the implementation of an H2SHIPS pilot on the river Seine in Paris, France in 2022. Further project outputs will include a blueprint for the uptake of a new hydrogenbased transport system in North-West Europe, and the creation of a hydrogen value chain designed to support public authorities, shipbuilders and operators in the implementation of hydrogen products and services in cooperation with research and industry. A key objective is to provide knowledge in a way which can be transferred easily to other regions, with an emphasis on how the different measures can be scaled up, so they can be replicated comprehensively. The three-year project kicks off with a launch event on 27 August, as part of the Hydrogen Days event in Ostend, Belgium, and will run to July 2022. By then, a port vessel will be converted to hydrogen and be fully operational. By 2032, a total of 58 hydrogen-powered boats are expected in the project region. H2SHIPS has 13 partners: the EIFER European Institute for Energy Research (coordinator) [see also page 14] and Steinbeis 2i GmbH in Germany; the EDF subsidiary Hynamics [FCB, May 2019, p12], Navalu shipyard, Ports of Paris and waste management company Syctom in France; University of Birmingham in the UK; Delft University of Technology, Port of Amsterdam and Tata Steel Europe in the Netherlands; and Port of Ostend, Hydrogen Europe and the European Federation for Transport & Environment in Belgium. The E6.3 million (US$7 million) project will receive E3.5 million ($3.9 million)
Toyota to supply fuel cells, parts for fuel cell buses with FAW, Higer Bus in China Toyota Motor Corporation will supply parts for hydrogen fuel cell buses to Chinese state-owned automaker FAW and Higer Bus, as the Japanese automaker works to accelerate the development and deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles in China. Toyota’s PEM fuel cells and related parts will be sold along with integrated fuel cell systems from its partner Shanghai Re-Fire Technology Co, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report. Higer Bus plans to build 20 fuel cell buses this year for a transport company in Changshu, Jiangsu Province. The deal also broadens Toyota’s collaboration with FAW. The new partnerships follow deals with Beiqi Foton Motor and Beijing SinoHytec to jointly develop fuel cell buses for the fast-growing Chinese market [FCB, May 2019, p5].
Fuel Cells Bulletin
5
NEWS in co-funding from the Interreg North-West Europe Programme [see also page 8]. Interreg North-West Europe, H2SHIPS project: https://tinyurl.com/nwe-h2ships EIFER: www.eifer.org
SMALL STATIONARY
Ceres is supplying its IT-SOFC technology for the forthcoming FC-5B combined heat and power (CHP) system from Japanese industrial boiler manufacturer Miura [July 2019, p4], and also has key partnerships with Bosch in Germany [September 2018, p11] and Weichai Power in China [January 2019, p11].
businesses and banks to help avoid the losses that can occur when power outages disable retail payment systems and ATMs. And the military may adopt the technology to provide backup power for the many bases operating throughout the Philippines.
Ceres Power: www.cerespower.com
Amorele Technology: www.amorele.com
GenCell Energy: www.gencellenergy.com
Doosan Fuel Cell America: www.doosanfuelcell.com
Ceres, Doosan sign Energy-efficient Amorele to accelerate collaboration, licence house in South Tyrol deal for Korean market GenCell fuel cell uses hydropower and adoption in Philippines Hy2green storage K-based solid oxide fuel cell
U
specialist Ceres Power has signed a collaboration and licensing agreement with South Korean conglomerate Doosan, to jointly develop highly efficient fuel cell distributed power systems, initially targeting the Korean commercial buildings market. The £8 million (US$9.7 million) agreement is over two years and includes licensing, technology transfer and engineering services (subject to attainment of key milestones). Doosan will take a system-level licence of Ceres’ SteelCell® intermediate-temperature SOFC technology to develop a low-carbon 5–20 kW power system for use in the commercial stationary power market. They also intend to explore an expansion of the collaboration to access broader applications in South Korea and internationally, as well as the potential to broaden the collaboration to include manufacturing. Doosan is a leading player in the fuel cell sector, and is adding SOFC technology to its portfolio of fuel cell technologies. Its existing stationary fuel cell business exceeded KRW1 trillion ($820 million) in orders for the first time in 2018, three years after entering the market in Korea [FCB, June 2015, p6]. In 2014 it established Doosan Fuel Cell America (Doosan FC) in Connecticut, following its acquisition of ClearEdge Power [July 2014, p5], focusing primarily on the stationary phosphoric acid fuel cell products (PureCell Model 400) that ClearEdge had acquired from UTC Power [January 2013, p8, and see the PureCell feature in February 2012]. Two years ago Doosan built a fuel cell manufacturing facility in Korea, to produce 63 MW per annum of 440 kW PureCell 400 systems [June 2017, p10], and recently said that it intends to separately list its fuel cell business to better capitalise on anticipated growth in the fuel cell sector. 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
I
srael-based GenCell Energy has appointed specialist systems integrator Amorele Technology to offer its portfolio of alkaline fuel cell solutions in the Philippines. The systems – initially targeted at first responders, local businesses, and the military – will work to reduce the country’s high humanitarian and financial costs associated with longduration power outages caused by brownouts, severe weather conditions, typhoons, and earthquakes. To support the Philippines moving towards ‘green’ technologies and renewable energy [FCB, June 2019, p7], Amorele has partnered with GenCell to enable Philippine businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. Amorele recently installed the Philippines’ first GenCell G5 fuel cell at its new GenCell showroom in Binan, Laguna Province. Amorele is a systems integrator specialising in structured cabling, communications, wireless networking, and security surveillance. The company employs skilled and certified electrical engineering professionals who will market, sell and support GenCell product deployments in the country. It has a broad range of clients, including government agencies, airports, banks, commercial properties, and businesses, and aims to integrate GenCell technologies across diverse industry sectors. In the longer term, it plans to develop a nationwide network of channel partners to whom it will supply sales and technical support. Amorele is pursuing opportunities for Philippine government units to use GenCell fuel cells in hospitals [e.g. February 2019, p7] and with emergency services during typhoons, providing power for first responders at the scenes of incidents, enabling reliable communications and the ability to pump water and provide critical light and heat. The GenCell G5 will also be offered to local
A
pilot project in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol has combined a small hydroelectric power supply with hydrogen storage and a fuel cell system to turn a historic miner’s house into a zero-emissions, energy-efficient residential building. The installation was completed in mid-July at the 500-year-old ‘Knappenhaus’ in Kasern (Casere), in the Ahrntal valley on the border with Austria, which already has an in-house water turbine. The pilot project was managed by GKN Powder Metallurgy in South Tyrol, which supplied a metal hydride storage unit, and deployed a Hy2green energy storage system manufactured by its subsidiary Hy2green. The 7.8 kW fuel cell system features an S8 PEM fuel cell module supplied by German-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH [see also page 11]. A key energy challenge with the mountain hut is the fact that the watercourse drops significantly in the winter, when it ices over, so a new storage technology was needed to keep the building ‘green’ over the long term. The special feature of Hy2green is the local production and storage of hydrogen in the form of metal hydride powder, a particularly secure storage medium for hydrogen without additional compression. Hydrogen is generated by water electrolysis and piped into the metal hydride storage tank from GKN Powder Metallurgy [FCB, August 2014, p8]. The hydrogen stored in the metal hydride can be released by simply adjusting the pressure and temperature. The hydrogen is directed into the fuel cell, to generate electricity. In addition, the integrated heat management uses the heat produced for heating the house, significantly increasing the building’s overall energy efficiency. This is the second energy-independent and completely zero-emissions residential building project involving Proton Motor [see the Proton Motor feature in May 2015], following
August 2019
WSU, Insitu win US Army grant to develop liquid hydrogen UAV
W
ashington State University has received a $1.8 million grant from the US Army to demonstrate a liquid hydrogen powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, or drone) and refueling system. The $7.2 million total award includes researchers from Mississippi State University, Insitu Inc, and Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation. Boeing subsidiary Insitu will provide its ScanEagle3® UAV [FCB, May 2017, p3], equipped with a fuel cell powered electric engine, while MSU will measure performance characteristics of the drone. ‘Our goal is to make hydrogen refueling of military vehicles more convenient and reliable than conventional hydrocarbon fuels,’ says Dr Jacob Leachman, associate professor in WSU’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. He heads the HYdrogen Properties for Energy Research (HYPER) laboratory, which specialises in working with hydrogen at low temperatures [November 2018, p15]. Liquid hydrogen occupies a much smaller volume compared to its gaseous state, so a lot more can be carried onboard a UAV, providing a much longer range. This liquid hydrogen system operates at a pressure of less than 30 psi (2 bar), so the storage tank is lighter, essentially increasing the quantity of stored hydrogen. To create this lightweight tank, Leachman is working with Protium Innovations, a local startup founded by former WSU graduate students [July 2019, p8]. Protium plans to use lightweight polymers instead of metal for the tanks, which will save weight, reduce filling time, and increase flight time relative to gaseous storage or traditional battery solutions. The tank liners will be 3D‑printed to ensure optimal insulation. Part of the project will involve building a hydrogen liquefier – roughly the size of a small shipping container – that can be housed on a ship, military base, or remote fire station from where the UAVs could take off for surveillance and reconnaissance. The liquid hydrogen powered UAV will begin test flights this winter. The grant will also fund construction of an outdoor facility on the WSU Pullman campus for testing liquid hydrogen fuel transfers. HYPER lab: https://hydrogen.wsu.edu Protium Innovations: www.protiuminnovations.com
August 2019
Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation: www.nasc.com
IN BRIEF
H2SHIPS project will demonstrate hydrogen propulsion in shipping
Combining fuel cells and catenary is best technology mix for heavy-duty trucking A combination of fuel cell and catenary (overhead line) power is the best route to dramatically reducing emissions in the French heavy-duty, long-haul truck sector, according to a joint report by Hinicio (www.hinicio.com) and LudwigBölkow-Systemtechnik (LBST, www.lbst.de/ index_e.html). The study, Techno-economic & Environmental Performance Comparison of GHGNeutral Fuels & Drivetrains for Heavy-Duty Trucks [https://tinyurl.com/fond-tuck-hinicio-lbst], was prepared for the Tuck Foundation’s Future of Energy programme (www.fondation-tuck.fr). The study compared diesel, compressed/ liquefied natural gas (CNG/LNG), zerocarbon fuels (Power-to-Diesel and Power-toCNG/LNG), hydrogen fuel cells, and catenary powered heavy-duty trucks in France with regard to their environmental and techno-economic performance, including the option of renewable fuel imports from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. In the mid- to long term, hydrogen fuel cells and catenary-battery stand out as the most robust solutions in terms of cost, performance and environmental impact (for both CO2 and local pollutants). The study shows that hydrogen fuel cells are a universal and flexible solution, while catenarybattery is suitable for point-to-point transport. Other e-fuel alternatives can provide close-tozero GHG emissions (based on renewable and low-carbon electricity), at a similar long-term cost, but still lead to local emissions. Between 2020 and 2025, deployment should focus on the largest fleet operators to quickly achieve economies of scale across the entire value chain, and unlock rapid cost reductions to further accelerate deployment. Smaller fleets could follow in a second stage (2025–2030) by leveraging the deployed infrastructure.
T
he new Interreg North-West Europe project H2SHIPS will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of hydrogen ‘bunkering’ (supplying for use by ships) and propulsion for shipping, and will identify the conditions for successful maritime market entry for the technology. Two pilot projects will be implemented as part of H2SHIPS: a new hydrogen powered port vessel will be built in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and a hydrogen refueling system suitable for open sea operation will be developed and tested in Belgium. Another major output will be an action plan for the implementation of an H2SHIPS pilot on the river Seine in Paris, France in 2022. Further project outputs will include a blueprint for the uptake of a new hydrogenbased transport system in North-West Europe, and the creation of a hydrogen value chain designed to support public authorities, shipbuilders and operators in the implementation of hydrogen products and services in cooperation with research and industry. A key objective is to provide knowledge in a way which can be transferred easily to other regions, with an emphasis on how the different measures can be scaled up, so they can be replicated comprehensively. The three-year project kicks off with a launch event on 27 August, as part of the Hydrogen Days event in Ostend, Belgium, and will run to July 2022. By then, a port vessel will be converted to hydrogen and be fully operational. By 2032, a total of 58 hydrogen-powered boats are expected in the project region. H2SHIPS has 13 partners: the EIFER European Institute for Energy Research (coordinator) [see also page 14] and Steinbeis 2i GmbH in Germany; the EDF subsidiary Hynamics [FCB, May 2019, p12], Navalu shipyard, Ports of Paris and waste management company Syctom in France; University of Birmingham in the UK; Delft University of Technology, Port of Amsterdam and Tata Steel Europe in the Netherlands; and Port of Ostend, Hydrogen Europe and the European Federation for Transport & Environment in Belgium. The E6.3 million (US$7 million) project will receive E3.5 million ($3.9 million)
Toyota to supply fuel cells, parts for fuel cell buses with FAW, Higer Bus in China Toyota Motor Corporation will supply parts for hydrogen fuel cell buses to Chinese state-owned automaker FAW and Higer Bus, as the Japanese automaker works to accelerate the development and deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles in China. Toyota’s PEM fuel cells and related parts will be sold along with integrated fuel cell systems from its partner Shanghai Re-Fire Technology Co, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report. Higer Bus plans to build 20 fuel cell buses this year for a transport company in Changshu, Jiangsu Province. The deal also broadens Toyota’s collaboration with FAW. The new partnerships follow deals with Beiqi Foton Motor and Beijing SinoHytec to jointly develop fuel cell buses for the fast-growing Chinese market [FCB, May 2019, p5].
Fuel Cells Bulletin
5
NEWS in co-funding from the Interreg North-West Europe Programme [see also page 8]. Interreg North-West Europe, H2SHIPS project: https://tinyurl.com/nwe-h2ships EIFER: www.eifer.org
SMALL STATIONARY
Ceres is supplying its IT-SOFC technology for the forthcoming FC-5B combined heat and power (CHP) system from Japanese industrial boiler manufacturer Miura [July 2019, p4], and also has key partnerships with Bosch in Germany [September 2018, p11] and Weichai Power in China [January 2019, p11].
businesses and banks to help avoid the losses that can occur when power outages disable retail payment systems and ATMs. And the military may adopt the technology to provide backup power for the many bases operating throughout the Philippines.
Ceres Power: www.cerespower.com
Amorele Technology: www.amorele.com
GenCell Energy: www.gencellenergy.com
Doosan Fuel Cell America: www.doosanfuelcell.com
Ceres, Doosan sign Energy-efficient Amorele to accelerate collaboration, licence house in South Tyrol deal for Korean market GenCell fuel cell uses hydropower and adoption in Philippines Hy2green storage K-based solid oxide fuel cell
U
specialist Ceres Power has signed a collaboration and licensing agreement with South Korean conglomerate Doosan, to jointly develop highly efficient fuel cell distributed power systems, initially targeting the Korean commercial buildings market. The £8 million (US$9.7 million) agreement is over two years and includes licensing, technology transfer and engineering services (subject to attainment of key milestones). Doosan will take a system-level licence of Ceres’ SteelCell® intermediate-temperature SOFC technology to develop a low-carbon 5–20 kW power system for use in the commercial stationary power market. They also intend to explore an expansion of the collaboration to access broader applications in South Korea and internationally, as well as the potential to broaden the collaboration to include manufacturing. Doosan is a leading player in the fuel cell sector, and is adding SOFC technology to its portfolio of fuel cell technologies. Its existing stationary fuel cell business exceeded KRW1 trillion ($820 million) in orders for the first time in 2018, three years after entering the market in Korea [FCB, June 2015, p6]. In 2014 it established Doosan Fuel Cell America (Doosan FC) in Connecticut, following its acquisition of ClearEdge Power [July 2014, p5], focusing primarily on the stationary phosphoric acid fuel cell products (PureCell Model 400) that ClearEdge had acquired from UTC Power [January 2013, p8, and see the PureCell feature in February 2012]. Two years ago Doosan built a fuel cell manufacturing facility in Korea, to produce 63 MW per annum of 440 kW PureCell 400 systems [June 2017, p10], and recently said that it intends to separately list its fuel cell business to better capitalise on anticipated growth in the fuel cell sector. 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
I
srael-based GenCell Energy has appointed specialist systems integrator Amorele Technology to offer its portfolio of alkaline fuel cell solutions in the Philippines. The systems – initially targeted at first responders, local businesses, and the military – will work to reduce the country’s high humanitarian and financial costs associated with longduration power outages caused by brownouts, severe weather conditions, typhoons, and earthquakes. To support the Philippines moving towards ‘green’ technologies and renewable energy [FCB, June 2019, p7], Amorele has partnered with GenCell to enable Philippine businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. Amorele recently installed the Philippines’ first GenCell G5 fuel cell at its new GenCell showroom in Binan, Laguna Province. Amorele is a systems integrator specialising in structured cabling, communications, wireless networking, and security surveillance. The company employs skilled and certified electrical engineering professionals who will market, sell and support GenCell product deployments in the country. It has a broad range of clients, including government agencies, airports, banks, commercial properties, and businesses, and aims to integrate GenCell technologies across diverse industry sectors. In the longer term, it plans to develop a nationwide network of channel partners to whom it will supply sales and technical support. Amorele is pursuing opportunities for Philippine government units to use GenCell fuel cells in hospitals [e.g. February 2019, p7] and with emergency services during typhoons, providing power for first responders at the scenes of incidents, enabling reliable communications and the ability to pump water and provide critical light and heat. The GenCell G5 will also be offered to local
A
pilot project in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol has combined a small hydroelectric power supply with hydrogen storage and a fuel cell system to turn a historic miner’s house into a zero-emissions, energy-efficient residential building. The installation was completed in mid-July at the 500-year-old ‘Knappenhaus’ in Kasern (Casere), in the Ahrntal valley on the border with Austria, which already has an in-house water turbine. The pilot project was managed by GKN Powder Metallurgy in South Tyrol, which supplied a metal hydride storage unit, and deployed a Hy2green energy storage system manufactured by its subsidiary Hy2green. The 7.8 kW fuel cell system features an S8 PEM fuel cell module supplied by German-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH [see also page 11]. A key energy challenge with the mountain hut is the fact that the watercourse drops significantly in the winter, when it ices over, so a new storage technology was needed to keep the building ‘green’ over the long term. The special feature of Hy2green is the local production and storage of hydrogen in the form of metal hydride powder, a particularly secure storage medium for hydrogen without additional compression. Hydrogen is generated by water electrolysis and piped into the metal hydride storage tank from GKN Powder Metallurgy [FCB, August 2014, p8]. The hydrogen stored in the metal hydride can be released by simply adjusting the pressure and temperature. The hydrogen is directed into the fuel cell, to generate electricity. In addition, the integrated heat management uses the heat produced for heating the house, significantly increasing the building’s overall energy efficiency. This is the second energy-independent and completely zero-emissions residential building project involving Proton Motor [see the Proton Motor feature in May 2015], following
August 2019