IEA rejects the classification of hydrogen by colours
April 14, 2023
The International Energy Agency considers the colour classification of hydrogen to be imprecise and confusing. For this reason, it has prepared a report entitled Towards hydrogen definitions based on their emissions intensity in which it proposes a certification based on an analytical scheme that considers the carbon intensity of the various hydrogen production processes.
Leggi tutto: IEA rejects the classification of hydrogen by colours
Universal Hydrogen first test flight.
March 2, 2023
Universal Hydrogen conducted its first 15-minute test flight with a Dash-8 modified to operate on hydrogen fuel cells.
The Dash-8 is an aircraft capable of carrying 50 passengers over a short-haul distance. In the test configuration it was equipped with two 15 kg hydrogen tanks, an 800 kW fuel cell stack and an electric motor under one wing. As already happened for the recent ZeroAvia test flight, also in this case the propulsion was hybrid, with a Pratt and Whitney turboprop engine under the other wing.
Renewable hydrogen for EU
February 13, 2023
Today the Commission adopted two Delegated Acts which, within a period of 2 to 4 months, will be examined by the European Parliament and the Council and which establish what is defined as renewable hydrogen for the EU:
- the first defines when an energy vector can be considered RFNBO, i.e. renewable fuel of non-biological origin, ensuring that it is produced only from "additional" renewable electricity generated at the same time and in the same area as its own production;
- the second establishes the methodology for calculating the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions obtainable thanks to the use of RFNBOs and recycled carbon-based fuels, taking into account the entire life cycle. It also stipulates that the use of recycled carbon fuels must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70% compared to substituted fuels.
Nine countries lined up in favour of hydrogen from nuclear sources
February 6, 2023
This week, ministers from 8 European countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria) joined France in sending a letter to the European Commission urging it to equate hydrogen produced from green hydrogen nuclear energy, i.e. made from renewable electricity.
A step forward in the direct electrolysis of sea water
February 1, 2023
Unfortunately, the electrolysers on the market require fresh water which is rather scarce considering the traditional needs which are primary. On the contrary, sea water is available in practically inexhaustible quantities and therefore could be the solution. The first alternative consists in desalination of sea water in order to be able to use the electrolysers already available. The alternative is the construction of new electrolysers that are able to use sea water directly.
Leggi tutto: A step forward in the direct electrolysis of sea water
Successful maiden flight of the Dornier 228 ZeroAvia
January 19, 2023
The maiden flight of the 19-seat Dornier 228, equipped with a full-size prototype hydrogen-electric propulsion unit on the left wing of the aircraft, took place successfully. The 10-minute flight is part of the HyFlyer II project which aims to develop a 600 kW powerplant for 9-19 seat zero-emission aircraft.
A new semiconductor for the photolysis of water
January 5, 2023
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new type of solar panel for photolytic splitting of water achieving an efficiency of 9%. The study was published on Nature: Solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of more than 9% in photo-catalytic water splitting (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05399-1).
This result was achieved using a catalyst formed by nanostructures of indium and gallium nitride, grown on a silicon surface. This made it possible to obtain a semiconductor capable of withstanding a concentration factor of 160 suns. This concentration of sunlight, obtained by means of a special large lens, allows to reduce the size of the expensive semiconductor.
Leggi tutto: A new semiconductor for the photolysis of water