Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva 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 a national production of nitrogen fertilizers, reducing external dependence and guaranteeing food security. The bill sets a limit intensity of 7kgCO2eq/KgH2 for low-carbon hydrogen projects. Brazil's hydrogen projects in the most advanced stages total BRL 212 billion in investments, mostly in the states of Ceará and Piauí.
Kawasaki Motors held a public run of a hydrogen-engine motorcycle in Suzuka City, Japan, on July 20. According to the company, it is the first mass-production manufacturer in the world to do so. “The hydrogen engine is based on the 998cc inline 4-cylinder supercharged engine of our motorcycle, the Ninja H2, and has been modified to include direct injection of hydrogen fuel into the cylinder. The body of the vehicle was designed to accommodate the installation of a hydrogen fuel tank and fuel supply system,” said the Japanese company.
Langley Holdings has acquired GKN Hydrogen from the Dowlais Group. Based in Pfalzen, northern Italy, with subsidiaries in Germany and the USA, GKN Hydrogen created advanced metal hydride compounds. “The technology captures and stores hydrogen in a solid state form at x 16 the density of compressed hydrogen gas without degradation for up to 30 years,” said GKN Hydrogen, adding that hydrogen is converted back to a gas when required, by heating the hydride to 60C (140F). “The company has proven the system over 7,000 charge/discharge cycles with 99% efficiency”.
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-free and debt-free consideration of $2.35 billion. “The transaction is expected to close in H2 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, 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,” BP told pv magazine.
RWE and Westfalen Group have begun work on the construction of hydrogen tank infrastructure in Lingen, Germany. The infrastructure will comprise a public hydrogen refueling station for commercial vehicles and a filling station for tanker vehicles. “The fuel station and filling line will source their green hydrogen from RWE's 14-megawatt pilot electrolyzer in Lingen, which will commence operations in the near future,” said the German energy company.
