The signs are quite clear: Large manufacturers of classic combustion engines are gradually abandoning their traditional fields of activity and investing in hydrogen technology.
New players in the fuel cell sector
China switches to fuel cells
This remark (“major new customers”) stuck particularly with me, because Ballard – although already on board with many top partners and large companies in research technology – expects further major new customers, according to CEO Randy MacEwen in the telephone conference on the occasion of the figures for the fourth quarter of 2018.
Hydrogenics – perfect foundations for 2020 ff
The momentum for the fuel cell is constantly improving with increasing dynamics. Recent co-operations such as those between Bosch and PowerCell, but also positive statements on fuel cells from automobile manufacturers such as Audi are attracting attention. Will China be the driver again, as it was when the batteries were introduced and before that in the field of renewable energies? There, new funding guidelines are about to be introduced, which are intended to favour and strongly promote the fuel cell and the hydrogen infrastructure, while the subsidies for purely battery-operated vehicles will, depending on the radius, be abolished in full or to a large extent.
Bloom Energy – on the right track
In the first quarter, Bloom was able to generate a good US$ 200 million in sales. The bottom line was a minus of US$ 8.8 million or minus US$ 0.22 per share. Nevertheless, a noticeable improvement compared with the same quarter of the previous year, in which a minus of US$ 22.5 million was reported. This represents growth of around 18.5 percent. The cash position is very healthy, amounting to US$ 327.9 million plus US$ 42 million from Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
FuelCell Energy – Reversal Split as Turbo of the Downward Trend
FuelCell had to feel what it means to fall for smart investors (loan sharks?). The preference shares that could be converted into ordinary shares were probably used to push down the price via short selling and to receive more and more shares due to a conversion ratio. Did the analysts who evaluate and recommend FuelCell Energy simply overlook this? Now the capital has been merged. The number of artificially inflated shares via conversion of preference shares has now been significantly reduced. Unfortunately, all this seems to leave the management cold, otherwise they would at least make a press release.
Tesla – the stock exchange punishes the company
Firstly, all Tesla shops should be closed, because it would be easier to sell the vehicles via the Internet, then some showrooms should remain, because firstly, Tesla would like to continue to be present in important locations (big cities) and secondly, Tesla would not be able to get out of long-term rental agreements without paying a penalty.
Wind rescuers at the Minister of Economic Affairs
Not only the movement “Fridays for Future” has many supporters at the moment, also the “Windretter” have a lot of supporters behind them. On 10 April 2019, the initiator Sybille Riepe handed over an open letter with 4,105 signatures to the Minister of Economics of Schleswig-Holstein, Dr. Bernd Klaus Buchholz.
Bosch is to build fuel cells
At the end of April 2019, Bosch made a loud and clear commitment to fuel cells by announcing its intention to produce FC stacks for mobile applications together with PowerCell Sweden AB in the future. According to a press release, Robert Bosch GmbH wants to “prepare the breakthrough of technology for trucks and passenger cars”.
MAN joins H-Tec Systems
MAN is a vehicle and mechanical engineering group and is commonly associated with combustion engines and commercial vehicles. This is now likely to change, as the subsidiary of Volkswagen AG has held 40 percent of the shares in H-Tec Systems GmbH, an electrolyser manufacturer, since the end of March 2019.
SPI without Deutsche Messe
Solar Power International (SPI) will take place this year from September 23 to 26 as part of North America Smart Energy Week in Salt Lake City, but without Hydrogen + Fuel Cells North America. As the organiser Solar Power Events confirmed to HZwei, the cooperation of the past two years with Deutsche Messe and Tobias Renz will not be continued. There will nevertheless be an H2 and FC area under the title Hydrogen + Fuel Cells International.