Regardless of the many good news and developments around hydrogen, there must of course also be a critical consideration of the aspects that may, for example, hinder or delay rapid build-up of production capacity. In addition to adverse influences due in part to misunderstood or counterproductive regulatory measures (EU/Germany) are aspects such as the shortage of skilled workers, supply chain problems and financing.
The shares of Weichai Power could not escape the negative trend in the fuel cell sector. They suffered from the lockdown in China, but now we can see a strong upward trend again.
The company is about to enter a phase of exponential, long-term growth, is my interpretation of the earnings call on March 14, 2022 regarding the 2021 annual figures and the fourth quarter. Year 2023 should really start off with Ballard reaping the fruits of years of intensive research and development, various pilot projects and building up production capacities. The Canadian company is working on scaling production capacity in the target markets bus, truck, rail and ship. But that doesn’t happen overnight.
Cummins Engine is highly committed to the H2 industry – also in the commercial vehicle sector, starting with trucks and going all the way to ships. The company is also expanding its own electrolysis technologies. A project with Sinopec consists of an electrolysis capacity of 1 GW – 1,000 H2 fueling stations for the Greater Peking Area. Cummins Engine is vehemently driving its transformation from a diesel engine producer to a fuel cell company and in doing so majorly implementing and scaling the special knowhow of the purchased/integrated Canadian company Hydrogenics.
Plug Power is benefiting from the fact that a variety of analysts view the company to be a front-runner in an American hydrogen economy in 2023/24 and one that should be very well positioned to produce green hydrogen through the development of its own electrolyzer capacity in the longer term. In nine years’ time, a revenue of USD 9 billion may even be possible. Until then, a hydrogen price of USD 1 per kilogram should be achievable, according to Evercore analyst James West.
Interview with stock market pundit Dirk Müller
For months now, hydrogen has been dominating the conversation. But far from it being a topic of discussion confined to the energy sector, it’s also a subject on the lips of many stockholders. Internet platforms have been brimming over with posts: a cacophony of news, views, speculation and rumor. And an increasing number of providers are luring potential clients with – sometimes dubious – market studies supposedly offering fresh insider intelligence with the promise of maximum stock returns. One of the best-known stock market experts in Germany is Dirk Müller – otherwise known as Mr. Dax. Many years back he predicted that hydrogen would have a major role to play not just in the energy industry but also on the stock markets. H2-international talked to Müller about his experiences, expectations and share trading strategy.
Recent high volumes of trading saw Ballard Power stock shoot past USD 21 at one point. Subsequent profit-taking then caused the price to fall again. I would say this kind of correction is not unusual during an upward trend and gives investors another opportunity to (re)purchase shares.
Ballard [Nasdaq: BLDP] and Weichai, Ballard partner and major shareholder, announced they are building an LCS factory in China. Past tense, it has probably already been built. Production should begin this year.
The manufacture of the new powerful LCS stack, through a Weichai-Ballard joint venture in China, will start in the second half, or around the middle, of 2020. In my opinion, it will lay the foundation for high, long-term growth in revenue and profit. Considering what month it is, we will not have to wait long to find out. The positive news coming from this will form the basis for price trends throughout the year. I estimate a big jump, as Ballard Power is the global leader in manufacturing fuel cells.
A new megatrend needs time to develop. The last 15 years established the foundation for the coming breakthrough of fuel cells and a steadily growing interest in their use. Here’s why: Historically, technological revolutions often needed 15 years before a breakthrough was achieved. But once you’re past that point, everything goes very quickly, since no market actor wants to remain on the sidelines. This is exactly what’s happening to the fuel cell across all markets and applications.