Germany is investigating the potential of converting wind power to hydrogen as an energy source in the wake of the country’s decision to move away from nuclear power.
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Updated 02 Apr, 2012
Germany is investigating the potential of converting wind power to hydrogen as an energy source in the wake of the country’s decision to move away from nuclear power.
The WaterstofNet Hydrogen Fueling Station was officially opened on Thursday February 9th at Colruyt’s headquarters. and central warehouse in Brussels.
Hydrogenics Corporation has announced a contract with Ballast Nedam IPM, awarded at the end of 2011, to supply a HySTAT®30 electrolyser for a Netherlands-based hydrogen fuelling station. The station owner will be WaterstofNet, a non-profit organisation financed by the Flemish and Dutch governments. The electrolyser, which is capable of producing up to 65 kilograms per day of pure hydrogen, is anticipated to be delivered in mid-2012 and be operational by the end of the year. Hydrogenics’ HySTAT electrolyser products have been used in over 35 hydrogen fuelling installations worldwide. This is the fourth hydrogen fuelling station contract awarded to Hydrogenics in 2011. Hydrogenics has also acknowledged the valuable role WaterstofNet plays in the Dutch/Flemish region, where it has for a number of years provided strong leadership in promoting hydrogen technology development and deploying hydrogen solutions. Ballast Nedam IPM specialises in the design and construction of filling stations and plays a leading role in developing refuelling stations for alternative fuels. Source: FuelCellToday
Initially the UKH2Mobility project will investigate the potential for hydrogen as a fuel for ultra-low carbon vehicles in the UK and plans to publish its evaluation by the end of 2012 in a publicly available report. To develop a strategy and business case to facilitate the necessary hydrogen infrastructure for the anticipated 2014/2015 FCEVs.
The FP7 Winter Academy offers a three-day February 7th-10th winter course covering all stages of an EU project development. Participants will learn the difference between FP7 and other EU programmes and get an in-depth look at the entire life-cycle of an EU project, including financial reporting and post project audits. They will learn how to identify a call and submit a proposal in FP7. The course combines 1,5 days of proposal development and evaluation, and 2 days of project management.
The HLab will be one of the few labs in Italy that receives energy from renewable sources (photovoltaic) and uses a fuel cell cogeneration system. All new technologies will be carefully studied to identify the most efficient and more attractive for industrial production. The laboratory is expected to become fully operational in 2012 and will focus on research on renewable and alternative energy sources.
Climate change objectives can be achieved only when more efficient engines and emission-free fuels are implemented into the transport sector simultaneously with increased energy efficiency of buildings. To a large extent, potential for efficiency savings are assisted by products that include hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and can complement the currently known mobility and energy supply solutions. Supported by the public sector, industry and academia are working diligently to prepare the market of these technologies. The German National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology – NIP – are providing for the period 2006 to 2016 a total of 1.4 billion euros. These funds come from the budgets of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (€ 700 million) and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (200 million euros), plus € 700 million capital contribution of the industry. At the center of politics, industry and science, NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, can achieve the successful implementation of the program and its content. NIP implementation status in figures Since the founding of NOW in 2008, 393 million euros of funding tied was to specific projects. Using funds from the BMWi: 69 projects 159 individual projects, € 28 million funding Funds [...]
The deadline for submitting applications for the European Commission’s European Green Capital Award (EGCA) recently closed. The Award recognises and rewards local efforts to improve the environment, the economy and the quality of life in cities. The EGCA is given each year to a city, not necessarily a capital, which is leading the way in environmentally friendly urban living and which can act as a role-model for other cities. Some 19 cities from 14 European countries have applied for the 2014 award. The applicants are: Antwerp, Brasov, Bristol, Brussels, Bursa, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Ghent, Ljubljana, Newcastle, Paris, Rotterdam, Stoke-on-Trent, Tampere, Thessaloniki, Torino, Trabzon, Vienna and Zaragoza. The applications will now be evaluated by an expert panel and this will include qualitative evaluations and a peer review of each application based on 12 indicator areas. Following these evaluations, 3-4 cities will be shortlisted for the 2014 title. The shortlisted cities will be invited to present their action plans and communication strategies to a Jury, which will deliberate and then make a final decision. The announcement of the European Green Capital for 2014 is planned to take place in June 2012 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Europe’s first Green Capital in 2010 was Stockholm, Hamburg is this year’s [...]
Brandenburg opened the world’s first wind-hydrogen hybrid power plant, on the 25 October. The plant combines wind energy, Biogas, and hydrogen. Three wind turbines power generated is proportional to the production of CO2-free hydrogen is used. This green hydrogen is stored at times of high supply of wind energy; the hydrogen-Biogas CHP plant generates electricity and heat production.
Microcab, the FCEV spinoff of Coventry University, is launching its next-generation H2EV hydrogen vehicle this week with a fleet to be deployed to the UK’s West Midlands CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrator) trials. The car, the brainchild of the University’s Professor of Sustainable Transport Design John Jostins, combines a 3 kW PEMFC with a Lotus-engineered chassis and has a claimed range of 100 miles. The role of Microcab and Coventry University in the CABLED trial will be to help examine and evaluate (through the University’s Low Carbon Vehicles Grand Challenge applied research programme) the social and economic impacts of running hydrogen fuel cell vehicles within a city environment, and ultimately gain a better understanding of the market potential of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. The fleet launch follows the installation of a hydrogen refuelling station at the University earlier this year and last week’s public hydrogen station opening in Swindon. Source: Fuel Cell Today