NREL has issued a request for proposals for qualified partners to participate in cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) projects with the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) national laboratories in support of DOE’s H2@Scale initiative. Through this CRADA call, DOE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) seeks to accelerate... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG is pushing forward with series production of fuel cells with Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH & Co. KG. Over the past ten years, experts from Daimler have built up extensive know-how in this field and have developed production methods and processes. In close cooperation with their colleagues... Read more →

Solid-oxide fuel-cell manufacturer Bloom Energy and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), a part of Samsung Group, have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to design and to develop fuel cell-powered ships. The two companies will work together to realize their vision of clean power for ships and a more sustainable marine... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board has adopted a first-in-the-world rule—the Advanced Clean Trucks(earlier post)—requiring truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans (Class 2b to Class 8) to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024. By 2045, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission. The proposed regulation has... Read more →

The Orange County Transportation Authority board has approved a draft plan outlining how the agency will convert the OC Bus fleet to 100% zero-emission technology by 2040. OCTA’s zero-emission bus rollout plan will now be submitted to the California Air Resources Board. OCTA has already gradually transitioned its fleet over... Read more →

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced the “Clean Cars Nevada” initiative, which will evaluate the adoption of new regulations to provide Nevadans with more choices for low and zero emission electric passenger cars and trucks at dealerships throughout the state beginning in 2024. Also referred to as “Clean Car Standards” which... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) intends to invest up to $100 million over five years in two new DOE National Laboratory-led consortia to advance hydrogen and fuel cell technologies research and development (R&D). This funding is subject to appropriations. One consortium will conduct R&D to achieve large-scale, affordable electrolyzers,... Read more →

Engineers at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) have developed high-power direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFC) that operate at double the voltage of conventional PEM hydrogen fuel cells. Their research was published in an open-access paper in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science. The... Read more →

Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) announced that its hydrogen-based autonomous energy supply system H2One, which Toshiba ESS delivered and installed on the rooftop of Toranomon Hills Business Tower (Minato-ku, Tokyo), has started full-scale operation with the opening of commercial facilities. H2One is an integrated system that provides... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems has received follow-on purchase orders for 15 of its 85 kW heavy-duty FCveloCity-HD fuel cell modules from Wrightbus, a leading bus OEM and Ballard partner headquartered in Northern Ireland, to power Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs) planned for deployment in the UK. Wrightbus was recently re-capitalized by... Read more →

Through Symbio, the joint venture it formed with the automotive equipment manufacturer Faurecia, Groupe Michelin has become a preferential partner of the MissionH24 project which seeks to accelerate the development of zero-emissions mobility through the use of fuel cell technology in endurance racing. This step-up in Michelin’s involvement sees it... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board announced that the first installment of $35 million in VW Environmental Mitigation Trust funding for Zero-Emission Freight and Marine Projects throughout California is now available via a competitive solicitation. A second solicitation offering an additional $35 million is expected to be released in mid-2022. The... Read more →

Tokuyama Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) have commenced verification tests, using by-product hydrogen, of a stationary fuel cell generator (FC generator) that makes use of the fuel cell system (FC system) installed in the Mirai Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). The FC generator has been set up within the... Read more →

Australian startup H2X has launched with the mission of producing a range of hydrogen-powered hybrid vehicles targeting different applications and markets. The company was founded by a well-experienced team from the automotive and new energy field, which has been working together over more than 5 years. The core of the... Read more →

Scientists from Kyushu University and Kumamoto University in Japan have developed a new catalyst capable of assisting three key reactions for using hydrogen in energy and industry. Inspired by three types of enzymes in nature, this research can help elucidate unknown relationships among catalysts, paving the way for efficient use... Read more →

PowerCell Sweden AB has signed a memorandum of understanding with ABB Power Grids regarding a collaboration around fuel cell based zero emissions stationary power solutions. The aim of the cooperation is to leverage the companies’ existing technologies to jointly develop a complete solution for the market. A final agreement is... Read more →

Researchers led by a team at Washington State University (WSU) have developed a unique and inexpensive nanoparticle catalyst that allows a solid-oxide fuel cell to convert logistic liquid fuels such as gasoline to electricity without stalling out during the electrochemical process. The research, featured in the journal Applied Catalysis B:... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG has established the new company Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH & Co. KG, the organizational and legal framework for bringing together all of the group’s fuel cell activities. (Earlier post.) Dr. Andreas Gorbach and Prof. Dr. Christian Mohrdieck have been appointed as managing directors of the new... Read more →

Toyota Motor and five Chinese OEMs—China FAW Corporation Limited (FAW); Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM); Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Group); Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC Group); and Beijing SinoHytec Co., Ltd.—signed a joint venture agreement for the establishment of United Fuel Cell System R&D (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (FCRD).... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced approximately $130 million in grant selections through the Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program, which funds the deployment of transit buses and infrastructure for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities. In this... Read more →

Alstom and Snam, one of the world’s leading energy infrastructure companies, have signed a five-year agreement to develop hydrogen trains in Italy. The partners, after the conclusion of the first phase dedicated to feasibility studies planned in Autumn, aim to develop, already at the beginning of 2021, railway mobility projects... Read more →

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd. announced the development of a hydrogen fuel cell system for maritime applications based on fuel cell technology for automobiles, as part of efforts to offer environment-friendly powertrain solutions. With the International Maritime Organization announcing a strategy to reduce... Read more →

Octillion Power Systems, a provider of advanced lithium-ion storage systems for electric mobility, is working with Lightning Systems, a developer of zero-emission drivetrains for commercial vehicles. The collaboration will produce Class 6 electric trucks (up to 12.5 tons) capable of supporting “middle-mile” delivery logistics between warehouses and distribution centers. Octillion... Read more →

The California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will host a remote-access workshop to solicit feedback on the forthcoming, first of its kind, joint solicitation for the Zero-Emission Drayage Truck and Infrastructure Pilot Project. This is a combined effort, with funding provided by CEC’s Clean Transportation... Read more →

Wiener Linien, one of the biggest public transport operators in Europe, has added a hydrogen Solaris bus (earlier post) to its fleet for testing until 12 June. Since the première of the hydrogen bus in June last year, Solaris has been awarded orders from the Netherlands, Germany and Italy for... Read more →

Nikola Corporation, which is making its public-trading debut on the NASDAQ today (NKLA), signed a purchase order with Nel ASA for 85-megawatt alkaline electrolyzers to support five of the world’s first 8-tonne-per-day hydrogen fueling stations. Together, these electrolyzers may produce more than 40,000 kgs of hydrogen each day. The purchase... Read more →

The technology group Wärtsilä has joined a consortium of key partners to form Zero Emission Services B.V. (ZES), an enterprise aimed at making inland waterway shipping more sustainable. The other founders of ZES are ING Bank, energy and technical service provider Engie, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The concept... Read more →

The number of available and announced models of zero-emission trucks, buses and off-road equipment in the United States and Canada is on track to rise nearly 78% by the end of 2020 compared to year-end 2019, according to the Zero-Emission Technology Inventory (ZETI), a product of CALSTART’s Global Commercial Vehicle... Read more →

ITM Power is establishing ITM Motive as a separate, wholly owned subsidiary for building, owning and operating a portfolio of hydrogen refueling stations in the UK. On establishment, ITM Motive will own and operate a network of eight publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations, which will expand to 11 by the... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has announced up to $30 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects under a funding opportunity announcement (DE-FOA-0002300) for Small-Scale Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems and Hybrid Energy Systems. This FOA seeks to develop advanced technologies... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced nearly $20 million in small business awards for Phase I Release 2 projects under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. More than 100 projects across 26 states will... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG and Rolls-Royce plc plan to cooperate on stationary fuel-cell generators as CO2-neutral emergency power generators for safety-critical facilities such as data centers. They are to offer emission-free alternatives to diesel engines, which are currently used as emergency power generators or to cover peak loads. Daimler Truck AG... Read more →

In 2017, Germany launched a consortium of leading industrial companies to investigate high-volume production of automotive fuel cell stacks. (Earlier post.) Now, the first development phase—Evolution 1—of the stack development is complete; the level achieved will be evaluated by the partners. The complexity and number of parts of a fuel... Read more →

After 530 days and more than 180,000 driven kilometers, the successful trial operation of the world’s first two hydrogen trains was officially completed at the end of February. Two pre-series trains of Alstom’s Coradia iLint model have been in passenger service since September 2018. (Earlier post.) From 2022, 14 Coradia... Read more →

ITM Power announced the formation of the H2OzBus Project and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of strategic partners. The consortium comprises Transit Systems, part of the SeaLink Travel Group; Ballard Power Systems; BOC Limited; Palisade Investment Partners; and ITM Power. The partners have signed a... Read more →

Representatives Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA-39) and Francis Rooney (R-FL-19) introduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Non-Tactical Vehicle Reduced Petroleum Consumption Act. This bill directs the DOD to replace such vehicles—from passenger cars to construction vehicles such as bulldozers and forklifts—as they age with zero-emission vehicles. The gradual procurement process... Read more →

Scientists at Kyoto University’s Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) have developed a new coordination polymer glass membrane for hydrogen fuel cells that works just as well as its liquid counterparts with added strength and flexibility. A paper on the work is published in the journal Chemical Science. PEM hydrogen... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Company is partnering with Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), Air Liquide Korea and Hydrogen Energy Network (HyNet) to establish a hydrogen refueling station for fuel cell electric buses at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 2 by March 2021. Hyundai will support the construction cost of the hydrogen refueling station while... Read more →

Researchers from IPEN in Brazil, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) in Germany, and INRA in Canada have developed a novel composite membrane for direct ethanol fuel cells. A paper on their work is published in the Journal of Membrane Science. Ethanol has five times higher volumetric energy density (6.7 kWh/L) than hydrogen... Read more →

Arcola Energy Ltd and Optare Group Ltd launched a hydrogen fuel cell double-deck bus product for UK and international markets. With both bus and power system built in the UK, the team believes the new bus will make an important contribution to city air quality and a low carbon economic... Read more →

Ballard Power Systems announced a purchase order from Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. for 20 of Ballard’s new 70 kilowatt heavy-duty FCmove-HD fuel cell modules. These modules will power 20 Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen buses planned for deployment in South Holland under the Joint Initiative For Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe... Read more →

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have developed a high-performance, thin-film-based solid oxide fuel cell that can operate at mid-to-low temperatures below 600 °C using butane fuels. Since butane can be liquified and thus can be stored and carried easily, the new technology could expand the... Read more →

India’s National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) is inviting global expressions of interest for the supply of fuel cell buses and cars in India. Specifically, NTPC subsidiary NVVN intends to launch pilot projects with 5 fuel cell buses and 5 fuel cell cars each in Leh and New Delhi in... Read more →

Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group have signed a preliminary non-binding agreement to establish a new joint venture. The intention is to develop, produce and commercialize fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicle applications and other use cases. Daimler will consolidate all its current fuel cell activities in the joint... Read more →

Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the University Maritime Advisory Services (UMAS) have published their latest assessment of the current and future fuels available to shipping to help define the optimum solutions as the maritime industry seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Building on research already undertaken by LR and UMAS into... Read more →

The operator Connexxion, providing transport services for South Holland province in The Netherlands, signed a contract for the delivery of 20 Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen buses. South Holland (Dutch: Zuid-Holland) is the most populous province of The Netherlands, located in its western part, along the North Sea coast. The 20... Read more →

A 27-tonne hydrogen fuel cell rigid truck built by VDL started its first demonstration with BREYTNER as part of the EU-funded H2-Share project in Schelluinen, the Netherlands. (Earlier post.) Wystrach GmbH built a low-energy mobile hydrogen refueler to accompany the truck on its demonstration sites. This hydrogen truck is unique... Read more →

ABB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hydrogène de France to manufacture jointly megawatt-scale fuel cell systems capable of powering ocean-going vessels (OGVs). The MOU between ABB and hydrogen technologies specialist Hydrogène de France (HDF) envisages close collaboration on the assembly and production of the fuel cell power... Read more →

A consortium led by the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS and including Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH, MAIREC Edelmetallgesellschaft mbH, Electrocycling GmbH and KLEIN Anlagenbau AG, is developing a closed-loop recycling concept specifically for PEM fuel cells. The “BReCycle” project is funded within the 7th... Read more →

Loop Energy, a mobile-power company providing hydrogen-fuel-cell-based solutions for the medium-to-heavy duty vehicle market, has received a purchase order from a leading bus manufacturer in China to support the Nanjing municipal government’s objective of replacing its existing 7,000-unit battery-electric bus fleet with an improved battery-hydrogen hybrid alternative that offers all-season,... Read more →