The Hydrogen Stream: Toyota and Kawasaki want to develop hydrogen engine

Japan’s heavyweights confirmed their interest in hydrogen investments on Saturday. Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Yamaha Motor are proceeding with joint research for hydrogen engine development for two-wheeled and other vehicles, while Toyota's hydrogen-engine vehicle will compete in the Super Taikyu Race in Okayama. “Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Yamaha Motor have started considerations toward the joint development of a hydrogen engine for possible use in two-wheeled vehicles. Going forward, they are set to be joined by Honda Motor Co., Ltd and Suzuki Motor Corporation, and the four companies intend to jointly explore the possibility of achieving carbon neutrality through the use of internal combustion engines in two-wheeled vehicles,” Toyota wrote on its website. In terms of hydrogen production, Toyota is teaming up with Fukuoka City, which is to supply Toyota with hydrogen derived from sewage biogas. “The city is producing non-CO2-increasing green hydrogen from biogas generated during sewage treatment at the Fukuoka City Chubu Water Treatment Center and has a daily hydrogen production capacity of 3,300 Nm3,” wrote Toyota. It seems clear that Toyota is ready to diversify its strategy, and join Japanese collaborations in the hydrogen sector.

After the launch of the Renault Master Van H2-TECH last month, France-based Hyvia has announced two new prototypes of hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicles, increased range, and a five-minute recharge time. Renault Master Chassis Cab H2-TECH offers an autonomy of about 250 km and a 19 m3 loading space. Renault Master City Bus H2-TECH is an urban minibus, which can carry up to 15 passengers with a range of about 300 km. “Both vehicles will be available in 2022 with green hydrogen production and distribution solutions,” Hyvia wrote on Tuesday, adding that they are equipped with a 30 kW fuel cell assembled in France. Hyvia is a joint venture between Renault and U.S. hydrogen solutions company Plug Power

German engineering conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is considering listing its hydrogen business in an initial public offering (IPO) in the first quarter of 2022, Bloomberg reported on Monday. Uhde Clorine Engineers could be valued at €5 billion. The Dortmund-based thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers is a 66-34 joint venture between thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions and Italy’s Industrie De Nora. It is reportedly the largest supplier of chlor-alkali membrane technologies.

Portugal’s renewable energy company EDPR announced last week that it plans to invest in 1.5 GW of renewable hydrogen by 2030, a six-fold increase from its initial target of 250 MW of hydrogen electrolyzer capacity by 2025. The company will coordinate, among others, the Green H2 Atlantic project that will generate green hydrogen in Sines, Setúbal district, in Portugal. It will involve a total investment of €76.6 million, with a contribution of €30 million from European funds. EDPR will also lead a project in Asturias, which aims to create a Hydrogen Valley.

Canadian mineral exploration and development company Mkango has announced that HyProMag has established an 80% owned German subsidiary. HyProMag GmbH is 20% held by Carlo Burkhardt of Pforzheim University in Germany, who has also been appointed to the Board of Directors. The company wants to roll out the commercialization of HPMS (Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap) technology into Germany and Europe. “Germany has no domestic sources of primary rare earths. Development of domestic sources of recycled rare earths via the patented HPMS is a significant opportunity to diversify and strengthen development of a more resilient rare earths supply chain in Europe,” the company wrote on Monday.

The government of Alberta presented its Hydrogen Roadmap earlier this month, focused on exporting hydrogen. “With Alberta’s Recovery Plan, we are laying the groundwork now to establish Alberta as a source of low-emitting hydrogen that can power Canada and the world for decades to come,” said Premier Jason Kenney on November 5. Alberta’s strategy hinges also on carbon capture, utilization, and storage.

Switzerland’s energy company Axpo, petroleum merchant Voegtlin-Meyer, medium-sized energy supply company IBB Energie and the town of Brugg have signed a letter of intent to build a green hydrogen facility close to the power plant in Brugg. “The plant is designed for an installed capacity of up to 15 MW and will produce about 2,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year by electrolysis. The electricity required for production comes from the nearby Wildegg-Brugg hydropower plant owned by Axpo,” the companies wrote on Monday. They explained that some of the produced hydrogen will be transported via pipeline to the nearby filling station. Voegtlin-Meyer plans to make green hydrogen available to private users, especially in the transportation sector. In December, the municipality of Brugg will decide on the granting of building rights. Axpo wrote that, in the case of a positive vote from Brugg, the commissioning of the plant is planned for the end of 2023.

U.K.-based developer and operator of green hydrogen infrastructure H2 Green has signed a deal with Shoreham Port to develop a renewable energy “hub” in South East England. The hydrogen will be used in the first phase by its fleet of trucks and HGVs. The “hub” will be integrated with onshore wind and solar power generation. “The plans from the Edinburgh based infrastructure developer also include an ammonia importation facility, which would be used to carry hydrogen, connecting the Port to large scale green energy projects worldwide, which would deliver lower cost green fuel to benefit local users,” the company wrote on Monday. H2 Green is a Getech business.