The e-Journal on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
Understanding how the presence of cations causes polymer electrolyte membranes to degrade is important to advancing PEM research. Fraunhofer ISE has been focused on analyzing various types of cations for their impact on perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes. This analysis is significant in understanding the catalytic effect individual cations have on forming radicals that attack PFSA polymers. How chemical stable these polymers are was investigated using Fenton’s reaction.
A key objective in Germany’s hydrogen strategy is to create international partnerships with green hydrogen exporters. To this end, Gerd Müller, the German minister for international development, recently signed a cooperation agreement with one of the Maghreb countries, announcing: “Together with Morocco, we are developing the first industrial system to generate green hydrogen in Africa.
Once again, the two major German political parties lock horns over the national hydrogen strategy, increasing pressure on the governing coalition to decide before the summer recess. In early May, twelve MPs from the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) circulated a statement demanding a rapid escalation in renewable hydrogen facilities and calling for new partnerships with African countries.
Hot on the CDU’s heels, the Social Democrats (SPD) issued their version, pressing for a more ambitious hydrogen strategy and faster capacity additions.
In April, Daimler announced plans to enter a joint venture with Volvo to develop fuel cell trucks. In mid-June, preliminary agreements solidified as Daimler Truck set up a new subsidiary, Daimler Truck Fuel Cell, to pool fuel cell expertise.
At the onset of 2016, N2telligence was renamed Fuji N2telligence. But it was not until early this year that Fuji Electric Europe, headquartered in Offenbach, Germany, acquired all of the company’s assets. Before the deal went through, the number of staff members on N2telligence’s payroll had shrunk to four. Lars Frahm and Andreas Exler, its founders and former chief executives, left at the turn of this year.
Reducing environmental pollution is becoming ever more important. This is especially true now, seeing how pollution has worsened the impact of the recent Covid-19 virus outbreak. As a result, the search for alternative fuels is no longer just a building block for long-term climate action but vital to public health today.
You can feel it – the wave of optimism sweeping through the hydrogen and fuel cell industry. All the more disappointing that the German government is taking its own sweet time setting up market regulations. It is a murky green light. Sure, there have been plenty of speeches. Yet, there is a decided lack of enthusiastic momentum. Even then, as the national hydrogen strategy was announced in early June.
Projected first-quarter returns were between USD 140 million and USD 160 million. In the end, Bloom Energy took in USD 156.7 million. However, if I interpret the numbers right, another USD 40 million was shifted to the second quarter. From projects that have not been billed yet, I do believe. The company’s bottom line posts a USD 9.8 million loss, according to GAAP, far less than the predicted USD 15 million to USD 25 million.
FuelCell Energy recently announced that, since launching business, it had produced over 10 million megawatts of clean electricity, saving over 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide. Its basis for success is the SureSource platform. The company is now gradually fulfilling orders worth more than USD 1.3 billion. New bookings season the pot, as they are expected to lead to high margins.
Long anticipated, Nikola Motors [Nasdaq: NKLA] finally goes public. In order to get a foot in the door early, the truck maker used a reverse merger. Investors acquired a public shell company, a special type of investment vehicle.