Polish hydrogen locomotive becomes first in world to get approval

tvpworld.com | ps/kk | 09.06.2023

The Polish company PESA has received approval to operate its first hydrogen locomotive. As the company boasts, this is the first such approval in the world.

...It is powered by four engines with a power of 180 kW each. Energy for them is provided by two hydrogen cells, with a power of 85 kW, manufactured by Ballard.This is a system that generates electrical voltage through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen from the atmosphere.

The hydrogen itself is drawn from tanks with a total capacity of 175kg. One refueling is sufficient for 24 hours of continuous operation.

...The availability of another type of propulsion system on trains is satisfying, as it opens up new possibilities - for example to carry out locally emission-free journeys where there is no overhead line above the tracks...more
https://tvpworld.com/70441133/polish-hydrogen-locomotive-becomes-first-in-world-to-get-approval

https://twitter.com/Sylwin_Tomaszew/status/1601328852164149248
TRANSLATED: Yesterday I had the pleasure to watch the demonstration of the first Polish hydrogen locomotive SM42-6Dn @pesabydgoszcz, which was created in cooperation with @PKN_ORLEN. In the video you can see how hydrogen refueling looked like. As it turned out, this is an easy and safe process.

Why Hydrogen Trains? Experts explain

The Canoe Brook floating solar array is turning underutilized space into a source of clean energy. (Photo: Business Wire)

Solar Power World | Kelly Pickerel | June 7, 2023

The largest floating solar array in North America is now complete in New Jersey. Owned and operated by NJR Clean Energy Ventures, the 8.9-MW solar project covers 17 acres of the Canoe Brook reservoir in Short Hills, New Jersey. The project will provide approximately 95% of the power needs for New Jersey American Water’s Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant.

“Floating solar technology creates new opportunities for underutilized bodies of water, allowing space that would otherwise sit vacant to enable large-scale renewable energy generation, which helps to bring the benefits of clean energy to even more customers,” said Robert Pohlman, Vice President of NJR Clean Energy Ventures. “As a leader in New Jersey’s solar marketplace, we look forward to working with New Jersey American Water to support its power needs and advance the state’s clean energy and climate goals.”...more
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2023/06/largest-floating-solar-array-in-north-america-now-online-in-new-jersey/

Amid opposition, Japan takes 1st step to release nuclear waste into ocean

China slams Tokyo’s 'irresponsible' actions on Fukushima's contaminated water, urging safe disposal

Anadolu Agency | June 07, 2023

ISTANBUL: Despite mounting pressure, Japan has begun injecting seawater into a drainage tunnel of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant as a first step to release treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean.

The tunnel was filled with water on Tuesday, triggering a sharp response from the Chinese mission in Tokyo.

Japan plans to release treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean, triggering opposition and concerns from local fishing communities and neighboring countries.

"The harm caused by the discharge of nuclear water into the sea is immeasurable," China's diplomatic mission in Japan said in a statement.

"Workers at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are sending seawater into an underwater tunnel that has been built to release treated and diluted water from the facility into the ocean," Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported...more
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2420643/amid-opposition-japan-takes-1st-step-to-release-nuclear-waste-into-ocean

RELATED:

NY TIMES: A Poisonous Cold War Legacy That Defies a Solution

A $528 billion plan to clean up 54 million gallons of radioactive bomb-making waste may never be achieved. Government negotiators are looking for a compromise...more
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/31/us/nuclear-waste-cleanup.html

Advocates of boiling water with nuclear fission to spin turbines should be required to participate in the clean-ups.

China’s Economic Powerhouse Plans More Offshore Wind Power Than World Builds in a Year

Guangdong seeks bids for 23 gigawatts of offshore turbines
Authorities need to meet rising demand amid erratic hydropower

Bloomberg News | June 1, 2023

China’s Guangdong province will accept bids this month to construct 23 gigawatts of offshore wind power as one of the nation’s economic engines seeks to stave off energy shortages.

Guangdong’s planning agency has tendered for 7 gigawatts of projects in provincial waters and 16 gigawatts in national waters, industry publication Wind Power News Network reported Thursday. The combined amount is more than the world has ever built in a year. Allocations will be granted in August.

China Province Seeking Massive Offshore Wind Boom
Guangdong this month begins seeking bids for 23 gigawatts



The southern province is China’s most important economically, with a GDP bigger than Australia. Local authorities are seeking to buttress its vast power needs with additional supply as extreme heat drives more air conditioning demand while making the hydropower imports it relies on more erratic.

Winning bidders on the 7 gigawatts of provincial projects will be allowed to begin preliminary work once the projects are awarded. That means the earliest they’ll likely be ready to connect to the grid would be 2026, said BloombergNEF analyst Xiangyu Chen...more
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-01/china-s-economic-powerhouse-plans-more-offshore-wind-than-world-builds-in-a-year
Archive link: archive.is/sqAgD

Compare Output - Nuclear vs. Wind

As of 2013, the Palo Verde Generating Station was the largest power plant in the United States by net generation.[6] Its average electric power production is about 3.3 gigawatts (GW) (SOURCE)

RELATED:

Newly Discovered Chemical Process Renders All Existing Wind Turbine Blades Recyclable

February 8, 2023, by Adrijana Buljan

A new chemical process discovered as part of a Vestas-led project removes the need for changing the design or composition of the material used for wind turbine blades to make them recyclable as it allows for epoxy-based blades to be broken down into raw material that can be reused to make new wind turbine blades or used for other purposes...more
https://www.offshorewind.biz/2023/02/08/newly-discovered-chemical-process-renders-all-existing-wind-turbine-blades-recyclable/

Biden-Harris Administration Releases First-Ever National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap to Build a Clean Energy Future, Accelerate American Manufacturing Boom

Energy.Gov | JUNE 5, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden-Harris Administration today released the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, a comprehensive framework for accelerating the production, processing, delivery, storage, and use of clean hydrogen—a versatile and flexible energy carrier that can be produced with low or zero carbon emissions. Achieving commercial-scale hydrogen deployment is a key component of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, and critical to building a strong clean energy economy while enabling our long-term decarbonization objectives. Estimates indicate that America’s growing hydrogen economy has the potential to add 100,000 net new direct and indirect jobs by 2030. Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership other federal agencies, the Strategy and Roadmap underscores the President’s whole-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis and achieving a carbon-free grid by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

“Accelerating the deployment of hydrogen is key to achieving President Biden’s vision for an affordable, secure clean energy future,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “That’s why DOE worked alongside our federal partners to develop the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap that will lay the foundation for a strong and productive partnership between the public and private sectors and will guide government and industry to realize the full potential of this incredibly versatile energy resource.”

“President Biden understands that growing America’s clean hydrogen capability can spur good-paying union jobs, support local economic development, and help decarbonize industries long seen as ‘hard to decarbonize,’” said Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “This roadmap will align the private and public sectors on a shared path to drive faster toward a cleaner, more secure energy future.”

Clean hydrogen offers substantial economic benefits and will help create tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs across the country, particularly in underserved communities. According to DOE’s Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Clean Hydrogen report, America’s growing hydrogen economy has the potential to add 100,000 net new direct and indirect jobs by 2030. By enabling the development of diverse, domestic clean energy pathways across multiple sectors of the economy, clean hydrogen will strengthen American energy independence and accelerate the American manufacturing boom that has already created over 800,000 jobs since President Biden took office...more
https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-releases-first-ever-national-clean-hydrogen-strategy-and

Direct link (PDF) https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/us-national-clean-hydrogen-strategy-roadmap.pdf

“This is nuts:” European power prices go negative as springtime renewables soar

RenewEconomy.com.au | Joshua S Hill | 31 May 2023

Balmy springtime weather across Europe and growing renewable energy capacity has led to multiple days of negative wholesale power prices across the continent, highlighting the need for increased energy storage capacity.

A number of factors have led to consistent negative wholesale power prices across Europe over the last few weeks.

Energy analyst Gerard Reid has been highlighting these trends stemming not only from increased renewables and favourable weather conditions, but also the impediment to stable generation levels caused by nuclear power.

For example, according to Reid, Denmark “consistently meets 85% of its weekly energy needs from renewables. However, on particularly windy days … Denmark’s strong interconnections with neighbouring countries enable it to export up to 50% of excess power...more
https://reneweconomy.com.au/this-is-nuts-european-power-prices-go-negative-as-springtime-renewables-soar/

"Worthless" ?

What could possibly be done with "free" energy?

YOU Decide...

It will take more than one Tech to wean the globe off of fossil fuels. It's as simple as that.

If "The Biggest Nuclear Plant EVER" was to be built starting tomorrow, what is to be done for the ~10 years or so before it spits out its first electron?

Easy! - complain about other "Worthless" tech while driving to work on Saudi Oil!

Hyundai Motor CEO Chang Jae-hoon, fifth from right, poses with Lin Keqing, chairman of Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference and Secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Committee, sixth from right, along with other government and company officials during the 'HTWO Guangzhou' completion ceremony in Huangpu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, Thursday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

Hyundai Motor opens 1st overseas hydrogen fuel cell plant in China

Kim Hyun-bin | Koreatimes.co.kr | 2023-06-01

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) completed the construction of its first overseas hydrogen fuel cell production base in Guangzhou, China, with the aim of capturing the Chinese hydrogen market, according to the company, Thursday.

HTWO Guangzhou covers an area of 200,000 square meters and includes a stack factory, activation factory, research center, and office building and innovation center, with a total area of 82,000 square meters. The facility has an annual production capacity of 6,500 hydrogen fuel cell systems. HTWO is Hyundai Motor Group's hydrogen fuel cell system brand, launched in 2020.

HMG plans to utilize hydrogen fuel cell systems as power sources in various mobility and industrial sectors to achieve carbon neutrality. HTWO Guangzhou is the group's first hydrogen fuel cell system factory established overseas. The company intends to manufacture and sell hydrogen fuel cell systems at HTWO Guangzhou, gradually increasing the supply volume based on the Chinese market and government policies. HMG expects HTWO Guangzhou to play a crucial role in expanding cooperation and business in China's hydrogen industry...

...China has set ambitious goals for its hydrogen industry, aiming to deploy 1 million hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2035. The country has introduced various policies to reduce carbon emissions and transition to environmentally friendly energy. In September 2020, China presented the "dual carbon" goal, targeting carbon emissions peaking by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 at the 75th United Nations General Assembly...more
https://koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/06/419_352169.html



RELATED:



Sinopec, Cummins’ Hydrogen Generation Equipment Plant Comes Online in China’s Foshan

Yicaiglobal.com | LIN CHUNTING | MAY 08 2023

US engine maker Cummins and Chinese petrochemical giant China Petrochemical, also known as Sinopec, have put their jointly owned hydrogen generation equipment factory in Foshan, southern Guangdong province, into production, filling a gap in the country’s hydrogen energy industrial chain and paving the way for China to achieve its carbon peaking and neutrality goals on time.

Cummins Enze Guangdong Hydrogen Technology, which is an equally owned joint venture between Indiana-based Cummins and Sinopec’s Enze Fund, is China’s largest base for proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. Covering an area of 70,000 square meters, it is expected to have an annual capacity of 500 megawatts once the first phase is completed and this will double to one gigawatt when the second phase is finished.

The first batch of Cummins Enze’s HyLYZER products will be delivered this year, said Zhao Liujun, general manager of the JV. As the production process is finetuned, the delivery period will be reduced to six months and all equipment parts will be sourced locally, he added.

The JV is accelerating the application of advanced and mature PEM electrolyzed water hydrogen production technology in China, the deputy secretary of Communist Party at Sinopec Capital Deng Qunwei said at the commissioning ceremony. It will contribute to the realization of China’s goals to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060...more
https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/20230508-15-sinopec-cummins-hydrogen-generation-equipment-plant-comes-online-in-chinas-foshan



1 May 2023: The Hydrogen Energy Revolution continues...

A hydrogen-powered bus at a hydrogen fueling station in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Photographer: Maya Siddiqui/Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia Wants to Have Buses Running on Hydrogen Next Year

New plant set to produce transportation fuel by mid-2024: NGHC
A larger, $8.5 billion facility will be focused on exports

Bloomberg | Anthony Di Paola | May 30, 2023

The Neom hydrogen project, part of a $500 billion industrial and tourist development on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, will begin producing fuel for transportation next year, according to the head of the venture.

By mid-2024, Neom will be making hydrogen for vehicles such as buses and trucks, Dave Edmondson, chief executive officer of Neom Green Hydrogen Co., said in Dubai. A larger plant, focusing on exports, is also being developed.

NGHC — a venture between local firm ACWA Power, state-backed Neom and US-based Air Products & Chemicals Inc. — is part of Riyadh’s ambitious plans to expand in clean-tech industries as it prepares for a future beyond fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is still far more expensive than oil and natural gas, but developers are confident they can reduce costs enough to make it competitive.

The bigger plant, a $8.5 billion project designed to produce 600 tons of hydrogen a day using wind and solar power, will start exporting fuel in the form of ammonia in 2026...more
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-30/saudi-arabia-s-neom-hydrogen-project-sees-output-starting-next-year
https://archive.is/10nM9

RIP: PETRODOLLAR (& good riddance)

A sanitation vehicle, pictured in October 2022, is one of about 1,500 hydrogen-powered public buses and logistics vehicles in use in Foshan in Guangdong province. Photo: He Huifeng

China’s largest fuel-cell producer Sinofuelcell expects sales to double as government promotes hydrogen-powered vehicles

At least 2,500 vehicles using the company’s fuel cells will hit the road in 2023, company president says

China has said it aims to have 1 million hydrogen-powered cars on its roads by 2030, served by 1,000 refuelling stations

Daniel Ren in Shanghai | South China Morning Post | 25 May 2023

Shanghai Sinofuelcell, mainland China’s largest producer of hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles, forecasts that its sales will more than double this year as Beijing promotes the technology as part of its pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2060.

Dai Wei, president of the company, told the Post on Thursday that at least 2,500 new hydrogen-powered vehicles will take to mainland China’s roads in 2023 using fuel cells produced by Sinofuelcell.


A 150-kilowatt fuel cell stack, pictured at Sinofuelcell, China’s largest fuel-cell maker on MAY 25, 2023. Photo: Daniel Ren

The number will represent a big jump from last year’s 1,200 units, or about one-fourth of the total sales in China, where 5,000 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles were put into service.

“Support by national authorities created favourable market conditions for us,” Dai said. “Our ultimate goal is to make passenger fuel-cell cars affordable to every household.”...more
https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3221844/chinas-largest-fuel-cell-producer-sinofuelcell-expects-sales-double-government-promotes-hydrogen

2016: Zero Hydrogen Stations in China

2023: Over 300 Hydrogen Stations in China, now the Global Leader (in 6 years)

2023: 57 Hydrogen Stations in California, managing to add a whopping ~27 stations in 6 years

>300 vs 57

Wind turbines cover hundreds of acres of farmland in Willacy County in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. Credit: Ben Lowy for The Texas Tribune

Texas power struggle: How the nation’s top wind power state turned against renewable energy

Texas Tribune | Emily Foxhall, Kai Elwood-Dieu and Zach Despart | May 25, 2023

After decades of support for renewable energy made Texas able to produce more wind power than any other state, its political leaders have turned against wind and solar. This year, they’re pushing through legislation to prop up fossil fuel-burning power plants instead.

What they decide could have lasting consequences by raising the cost of electricity and spurring the construction of gas-powered plants that will produce carbon emissions for decades.

“Right now, the wind blows strongly against renewables, and that’s where we are,” said Bill Miller, a longtime lobbyist in Austin...

...The about-face by Texas elected officials came after renewable energy got so big that it threatened coal- and gas-fueled power in the country’s biggest oil and gas state. Cheap electricity from wind turbines and solar panels provided about 26% of electricity in Texas last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, up from 0.7% in 2002...more
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/25/texas-energy-renewables-natural-gas-grid-politics/

Looks like this would be increasingly popular even here...Because we are told endlessly (by a few that claim to fight climate change) that wind turbines and solar panels are "worthless" !! How can you tell the difference between a D and an R when it comes to renewable energy?