Fuel Cell Aircraft Are Driving The EU Green Hydrogen Market

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The European Union has been engaged on a plan to exchange liquid fossil fuels with an EU-wide lower-carbon gasoline community, which incorporates stepping up the availability of inexperienced hydrogen gasoline for aviation, transport, and heavy industries. The plan launched in Might and they aren’t letting the grass develop beneath their toes. Within the newest improvement, Scandinavian Airways has signed onto a brand new inexperienced hydrogen settlement between Denmark and the Netherlands.

Inexperienced Hydrogen For The Delivery Business

Hydrogen will be deployed as a flamable gasoline in an engine, however gasoline cells are the principle focus of exercise right now. Gas cells generate electrical energy by means of a response between hydrogen and ambient air, with the assistance of a catalyst. The one byproduct is water vapor.

Aviation and floor transportation fleets are low-hanging fruit for gasoline cell stakeholders, as a result of they’ll entry a reliable supply of hydrogen fuel at devoted depots. The case for hydrogen gasoline cells within the transport trade can be supported by lengthy vary, excessive energy supply, and fast refueling time.

That also leaves the issue of the gasoline itself. To this point, the first supply of hydrogen on the worldwide market is pure gasoline, with coal additionally enjoying a job within the provide chain. If that doesn’t sound notably sustainable, it’s not.

On the intense aspect, the worldwide seek for a non-fossil hydrogen gasoline provide chain has been heating up, with inexperienced hydrogen within the lead. Typically known as renewable or clean hydrogeninexperienced hydrogen primarily refers to electrolysis techniques that deploy renewable vitality to jolt hydrogen gasoline from water. Biogas, biomass, and different non-fossil sources are additionally in play, however a lot of the investor exercise is presently targeted on water electrolysis.

One other New Inexperienced Hydrogen Consortium In Europe

Although some fossil vitality stakeholders want to use the phrase “clean” to explain hydrogen derived from pure gasoline with carbon seize, the brand new settlement between Denmark and the Netherlands offers fossil fuels the previous heave-ho.

“Europe relies too much on fossil fuels today. We have to fix that and to do so, we need green hydrogen,” explains Denmark’s Minister for Local weather, Vitality and Utilities Lars Aagaard.

The plan is to leverage Denmark’s sprawling offshore wind trade to generate inexperienced hydrogen for home use and the export market as nicely, creating a seamless, integrated hydrogen market between EU nations that may produce extra hydrogen, and those who want it.

With the inflow of inexperienced hydrogen from Denmark, the Netherlands can be aiming to assemble pipelines and different land-based transportation techniques for exporting inexperienced hydrogen into Germany and past. In a public assertion marking the signing of the settlement on November 11, Aagard defined that Denmark has the sources to overproduce inexperienced hydrogen at house, leaving lots left over for export to the Netherlands.

“This Danish-Dutch cooperation is a step in the right direction towards establishing (an) integrated European hydrogen market that connects the suppliers with the consumers to reduce the need for fossil fuels across Europe,” Aagaard emphasised.

The Minister of Local weather Coverage and Inexperienced Progress of the Netherlands, Sophie Hermans, additionally chipped in her two cents.

“The Netherlands and Denmark share the same ambition: to build a strong, sustainable hydrogen market essential for a climate-neutral future,” Hermans stated. “This requires investments in production, demand and infrastructure – and strong partnerships are indispensable for this.”

Hermans additionally famous that the Netherlands has already acknowledged the necessity to complement its home inexperienced hydrogen capability with imports.

“By using the renewable energy that Denmark generates in the Netherlands, we are joining forces and working together towards a climate-neutral and future-proof economy,” she emphasised.

Extra (Inexperienced) Hydrogen For Gas Cell Electrical Plane

Scandinavian Airways, for one, has already noticed a possibility for the aviation trade. In a press release dated November 12, SAS introduced its assist for the brand new collaboration, underscoring that it’s going to bridge “Danish production with Dutch demand.”

“By enhancing green hydrogen infrastructure, the collaboration seeks to boost demand, advocate for government support, and secure funding to make green hydrogen a competitive energy source across the region,” SAS identified. The SAS banner additionally covers Norway and Sweden along with Denmark.

Gas cell plane could also be a great distance off for SAS. Nonetheless, considered one of its many airline trade companions is Delta Airways, and Delta is already on the prowl. In Might, Delta outlined plans for a feasibility examine of hydrogen fueling on the busy Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport, in partnership with plane producer Airbus and the US gasoline cell and inexperienced hydrogen startup Plug Energy.

“The study will help define the infrastructure, operational viability, and safety and security requirements needed to implement hydrogen as a potential fuel source for future aircraft operations at ATL,” Delta explains, mentioning that the examine additionally goals to “contribute to the understanding of supply and infrastructure requirements for hydrogen hubs at airports worldwide.”

Other than eliminating carbon emissions within the air, the examine additionally covers heavy tools and different floor techniques that may very well be transformed from fossil vitality to hydrogen and gasoline cells.

What’s In Retailer For The Zero Emission Airport Of The Future

The ATL partnership is only for starters. Airbus has additionally signed  aviation hydrogen hub agreements with airports and companions in 12 different nations. Other than the US, the checklist contains Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, and the UK.

It stays to be seen how a lot house will get carved out for inexperienced hydrogen in a few of these nations, however plans for a non-fossil hydrogen supply chain are already nicely beneath means in France and different European nations on Airbus’s checklist.

Airbus additionally expects inexperienced hydrogen to play a number one position within the ATL challenge. “The U.S. has easy and massive access to additional renewable energies to produce green hydrogen,” explains Karine Guénan, who’s the VP of the Airbus ZEROe Ecosystem hydrogen aircraft initiative.

Keep watch over the US hydrogen gasoline cell startup ZeroAvia for extra exercise in that space. Along with positive tuning its electrical powertrain expertise, ZeroAvia has been nailing down its personal non-fossil supply chain for hydrogen gasoline, and it’s a accomplice in Airbus’s airport hydrogen hub program (see extra ZeroAvia fuel cell background here).

Serving to issues alongside is the Biden-Harris administration, which has laid the groundwork for establishing a nationwide community of regional clean hydrogen hubstogether with a considerable quantity of funding for inexperienced hydrogen tasks in addition to standard sources.

A lot for the excellent news. On the down aspect, the President and Vice President are leaving workplace in only a few weeks, to peacefully hand over the reins of federal energy to an administration that’s not notably supportive of non-fossil vitality sources. Maintain on to your hats…

Picture (cropped): Main international aviation stakeholders are pursuing inexperienced hydrogen and fuel cells to decarbonize air journey and transport, within the EU and elsewhere (courtesy of ZeroAvia).