As Brazil kicks off its low-carbon hydrogen program, industry consolidation continues with two mergers and acquisitions in Italy and Texas.
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed into law Bill 2308/2023, which creates the legal framework for low-carbon hydrogen, including a series of initiatives and incentives totaling BRL 18.3 billion ($3.2 billion) over the next five years. “When I see people talking about green hydrogen, solar energy, wind energy, biomass, green hydrogen, I think: which country in the world can compete with Brazil?” said Lula. According to the Brazilian government, the hydrogen initiative will also help the country develop national nitrogen fertilizer production, reducing external dependence and ensuring food security. The bill sets a limit intensity of 7kgCO2eq/KgH2 for low-carbon hydrogen projects. Brazil’s hydrogen projects in the most advanced phases total BRL 212 billion in investments. largely in the states of Ceará and Piauí.
Kawasaki motorcycles held a public run of a hydrogen-powered motorcycle in Suzuka City, Japan on July 20. According to the company, it is the first mass production manufacturer in the world to do this. “The hydrogen engine is based on the 998cc supercharged inline four-cylinder engine of our motorcycle, the Ninja H2, and has been modified to allow direct injection of hydrogen fuel into the cylinder. The body of the vehicle had been designed to allow the installation of a hydrogen fuel tank and a fuel supply system”, said the Japanese company.
Langley Holdings has acquired GKN Hydrogen of the Dowlais group. GKN Hydrogen, based in Pfalzen, northern Italy, with subsidiaries in Germany and the US, created advanced metal hydride compounds. “The technology captures and stores hydrogen in a solid form at a density x 16 of the density of compressed hydrogen gas, without degradation for up to 30 years.” said GKN Hydrogen, adding that hydrogen is converted back into a gas if necessary, by heating the hydride to 60C (140F). “The company has proven the system over 7,000 charge/discharge cycles with an efficiency of 99%.”
OCI Global has reached an agreement to sell 100% of its equity interests in its Clean Ammonia project under construction in Beaumont, Texas, to Woodside for a cash and debt-free consideration of $2.35 billion. “The transaction to be expected will close in the second half of 2024, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions and receipt of OCI shareholder approval,” said the Dutch producer and distributor of hydrogen products.
HyVal, a joint venture between Iberdrola And BP, has reached a final investment decision (FID) for an initial 25 MW green hydrogen production facility, part of a 2 GW project at the Castellon refinery in Spain. “More information will follow in September,” says BP pv magazine.
RWE And Westphalia Group have started building hydrogen tank infrastructure in Lingen, Germany. The infrastructure will consist of a public hydrogen filling station for commercial vehicles and a filling station for tanker trucks. “The filling station and filling line will source their green hydrogen from RWE’s 14 megawatt pilot electrolysis plant in Lingen, which will be put into operation in the near future,” said the German energy company.
This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to collaborate with us and reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
