The e-Journal on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Political leaders just love hydrogen

February 12, 2021February 23, 2021 by Hydrogeit

On AFID, EEG, IPCEI, RED II and the Green Deal

German economy minister Peter Altmaier defines the launch of IPCEI Hydrogen as a “huge success.” — Altmaier, © BMWi/Andreas Mertens

Leaders are in the hot seat. The German government is expected to fix it all – the Covid-19 crisis, the climate crisis, the energy crisis, and the auto industry crisis. Summit after summit after summit. We’re hearing an awful lot from the chancellor, ministers, business leaders and lobbyists these days. And comparably little from parliament, where the laws are actually passed. But which political topics or summits are truly relevant to hydrogen and fuel cell technology?

EEG to “jump-start a green hydrogen economy”

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

Amendments cut clean energy surcharges on hydrogen

Experts agree, German parliament has scored an important hydrogen economy victory. EEG,amendments exempt hydrogen from a good portion of clean energy surcharges. What we need now is a renewable capacity to match.

HY4 gets Permit to Fly

February 12, 2021February 15, 2021 by Hydrogeit

Electric transportation

DLR, Josef Kallo, HY4, Andreas Scheuer, Schoefer, H2Fly, Winfried Hermann, FSG — *Minister Hermann, Kallo and Schoefer (from left)*, © H2Fly

In August 2020, MTU entered into partnership with the German Aerospace Center – DLR, which has been conducting research into hydrogen technology for many years. The partners intend to develop and validate a fuel cell powertrain’s functionality for a Dornier 228 airplane with an electric MTU propeller engine providing over 500 kilowatts of power.

Hydrogen-powered aviation

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

In June 2020, the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking published their report “Hydrogen-powered aviation – A fact-based study on hydrogen technology, economics, and climate impact by 2050.” H2-international took advantage of the opportunity to ask FCH JU executive director Bart Biebuyck the following two questions:

Truly added value

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

Interview with Katherina Reiche, National Hydrogen Council president

After 17 years representing the Christian Democrats in the German Bundestag, Katherina Reiche took on a high-level job at the environment ministry in 2009. Four years later, she held the same position, albeit with the transportation ministry. Then it was time to move on. Between 2015 and 2019, she was lobbyist for and chief executive of the Association of Municipal Corporations – VKU. In January 2020, she became head of Westenergie and in summer 2020, she was elected chairwoman of the National Hydrogen Council. H2-international spoke with the Brandenburg native about her career and future goals.

Hurray for hydrogen!

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

Hybrid event marks f-cell’s 20th anniversary

Trade shows and conferences

Fig. 1: Attending his last f-cell award ceremony as state environment minister, Franz Untersteller said: “Everyone wants a piece of the hydrogen pie.” — “Everyone wants a piece of the hydrogen pie.”

In 2001, Peter Sauber Messen und Kongresse event management kicked off the f-cell show in Stuttgart, Germany. Since that first, intimate get-together, featuring a small exposition, f-cell has become a hydrogen and fuel cell magnet. In September 2020, f-cell celebrated its 20th anniversary with a hybrid event featuring online and offline sessions. Many attendees thought the in-person meetings at Stuttgart’s Haus der Wirtschaft a blessing, happy and relieved to exchange ideas and phone numbers face to face once more.

Digital H2 events

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

What’s (not) hot at HOC, H2.0 and WindEnergy

Trade shows and conferences

How do you report on a conference you attended from your office chair or couch at home? Were you able to attend closely to each and every online presentation and workshop? I have to admit, I find webinars and online trade shows difficult to handle. I feel I have yet to develop a sense for how well (or not) attendees receive these offers, for the prevailing mood among exhibitors and speakers, and for where the real news is.

kraftwerk is back

February 12, 2021February 15, 2021 by Hydrogeit

Handheld charger still in the works

Sascha Kühn showing one of the cells he is developing — © kraftwerk

A plague of trademark disputes and court cases took eZelleron and its kraftwerk product virtually off the grid for five long years. Then, last October, kraftwerk TUBES chief executive Sascha Kühn informed H2-international that the business is coming out of “stealth mode” to demonstrate the fruits of quiet progress.

DWV becomes industry association

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

DVGW partnership with DVGW confirmed

Dr. Ulrich Schmidtchen und Eberhard Behrend — *Despite years of tireless efforts on behalf of the association, Eberhard Behren* *and Ulrich Schmidtchen will no longer be members of the board.*

For years now, the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, DWV, has been trying to find a new path forward. The association’s annual meeting in Hamburg, Germany, last September did nothing to remedy matters as members once more put off several decisions regarding its future. Finally, a well-organized online event held on Dec. 4 greased the wheels of reform, speeding the DWV on its way to becoming a powerful industry association.

The cost of clean hydrogen-generated electricity…

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021 by Hydrogeit

… and the challenge of going mainstream

Fig. 1: Learning curve-based LCOE estimates for renewable and conventional power plants in Germany by 2035, taken from Fraunhofer ISE’s March 2018 study “Levelized Electricity Cost – Renewable Energy Technologies.” — © Fraunhofer ISE

This article will review the cost of clean, hydrogen-generated electricity based on the levelized cost of energy, grid parity, baseload, and intermediate and peak load. The question to answer is, what power prices can consumers and industrial customers expect at the point of use?