The current interest in hydrogen is almost frightening. Too often we already had H2 hypes, according to which the image of hydrogen was worse than ever before. A number of industry representatives with whom I have talked these days are therefore sceptical and fear that the hope for sustainable change that is just emerging will immediately be destroyed again.
Ballard Power – takeover unlikely
The surprising takeover of the Canadian competitor Hydrogenics will also have a positive impact on Ballard Power’s stock market valuation: Both companies have been frontrunners in FC development for many years. Their activities overlap in rail vehicles and trucks. They are both absolutely tops: Hydrogenics with Alstom and Ballard with CRRC and Siemens. Ballard also has many other activities in the major markets of the future, such as the use of fuel cells in drones.
Hydrogenics – Cummins Engine acquires the company
The topic of hydrogen and fuel cells is also becoming increasingly hotly debated on the stock exchange. The takeover of Hydrogenics, the Canadian frontrunner in fuel cell systems for trucks and rail vehicles as well as for electrolysers, by the US company Cummins Engine, should make people sit up and even trigger a wave of further takeovers or participations of listed companies in the industry.
Bloom Energy – Price turbulence due to outlook 2020
The reports are coming thick and fast: Chinese companies and some provinces are planning to initially invest US$17 billion in hydrogen technology. A master plan already provides for 1 million FC vehicles on the country’s roads in 2030.
Plug Power now also active for drones
Plug Power has now acquired the Canadian company EnergyOr, which claims to have a leading technology in hydrogen powered drones and robotic systems.
FuelCell Energy – roller coaster ride on the stock exchange
If you hold this H2-international issue in your hands, we will know how FuelCell Energy will continue – whether it will continue: Chapter 11 (US insolvency) or reorganisation. What has happened? Enormous amounts of shares were traded daily by FuelCell Energy – on some days up to 150 million (computer arbitrage programs?). These were felt more than there actually are (reason: Conversion of preference shares). The interim price gain resembled an explosion, as there were even short-term prices of 1.00 US-$, while the price days before was still 0.13 US-$ (all, of course, under the aspect of the 12:1 reverse split).
Tesla – strong price reaction after sharp slump
170 US dollars, a good 30 US dollars lower than I had expected (200 US dollars), marked the lowest price of Tesla’s share in the recent past, before the strong rebound to over 260 US dollars – until the disappointing figures for the second quarter of 2019 started the reverse.
Minister of Economics announces H2 strategy
In the middle of the summer break, Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier announced what the hydrogen and fuel cell industry has been waiting for for many years: a hydrogen strategy for Germany.
Electro-mobility is more than just battery electric
Happy togetherness in the hydrogen zone, © Nicolas Rodet
In 1969, exactly 50 years ago, some young visionaries enthusiastic about technology organised the first Electric Vehicle Symposium. Accordingly, the EVS32 was dignifiedly celebrated from 9 to 12 May 2019 in Lyon in the presence of the now elderly but still dynamic founding members.
Fire at an H2 station in Norway
Seconds after ignition, it can be seen how pure hydrogen burns with only a weakly visible flame, © VG
On 10 June 2019, a hydrogen filling station in Norway caught fire. While several media talked about an explosion, the electrolyzer manufacturer involved, Nel, stated that leaked hydrogen gas caught fire in the open air, causing a shock wave. According to police reports, two people were slightly injured in this incident in Sandvika, west of Oslo, when the airbags of their cars deployed. After initial tests, it was said a few days later that hydrogen had escaped through a leak in the high-pressure storage system and had ignited. However, no tank had burst.