New Energies, new possibilities

MAN Energy Solutions will be responsible as EPC for the hydrogen section of plant and the delivery of hydrogen related equipment, its installation as well as commissioning. The remaining part will be done in cooperation with Helen and Helen's engineering partner.

Sari Mannonen, Senior Vice President New Business and Hydrogen at Helen Oy, said: “The 3H2 project is the first of its kind in the world by combining four different sectors, electricity, heating, transportation and hydrogen as well as flexibility between them. Our whole hydrogen team at Helen is very excited and proud of the cooperation with MAN Energy Solutions that is well known of its world class expertise in the industry.”

H-TEC SYSTEMS, a leading supplier of PEM electrolysis technologies and subsidiary of MAN Energy Solutions (from 30 September 2024 on, H-TEC SYSTEMS will operate under the name Quest One), will supply 3 × ME450 PEM electrolysers as the centrepiece of the plant; these will produce up to 1350 kg/d of green hydrogen from green electricity generated by Helen’s renewable energy source portfolio. Helen Oy is planning to deliver the hydrogen to a nearby hydrogen refuelling station via pipeline and distribute it to industrial customers or other refuelling stations using containers. The waste heat generated in the production process will be utilised in Helen’s district heating network.

Alexander Stöckler, Head of Sales, Tendering & Project Management, Power Segment at MAN Energy Solutions, said: “Green hydrogen is undoubtedly the key element for a climate-neutral future and the global economy will require it in large quantities. It is therefore most important that energy suppliers like Helen Oy lead the way by building plants and gaining valuable operational experience with hydrogen technology. We urgently need industrial production plants to achieve economies of scale, reduce costs and meet the huge future demand for hydrogen both efficiently and economically.”

At the core of the plant are the three PEM electrolysers from H-TEC SYSTEMS. Through the PEM process, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of an electric current that is passed through a special membrane. Due to its high dynamics, PEM electrolysis is ideally suited for coupling with fluctuating renewable-electricity sources – such as wind and solar – and has clear advantages over alkaline electrolysis. PEM electrolysis also requires less electricity per kilogram of hydrogen produced, does not use any aggressive chemicals, and produces high-purity hydrogen that is suitable for direct use.

Robin von Plettenberg, CEO of H-TEC SYSTEMS, said: “By combining H-TEC SYSTEMS’ expertise in the field of PEM electrolysis with MAN Energy Solutions' broad experience in plant engineering, we can offer our customers a first-class package for the production of green hydrogen. We are very pleased that Helen Oy has placed its trust in our joint capabilities and is taking this important step into the future of hydrogen with us. With this plant in the vicinity of the Vuosaari Harbour, our electrolysers will produce green hydrogen in all Scandinavian countries and Finland. In this way, we are well on the way to laying an important foundation for a climate-neutral energy supply.”

MAN Energy Solutions and H-TEC SYSTEMS in cooperation with Helen Oy to execute Helsinki Hydrogen Plant | Global Hydrogen Review

This MoU was signed with the aim of leveraging the long-standing experience and know-how of both companies in the chlor-alkali electrolysis field to establish a close cooperation framework for development, production, and sales support in the water electrolysis field. Demand for green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis as a clean energy alternative to fossil fuels is growing. According to the Hydrogen Council, the global installed capacity of water electrolysers is forecasted to expand rapidly to a cumulative total of approximately 300 GW by 2030.

Under such circumstances, an increasing number of companies are newly entering the water electrolysis field. In particular, there is growing demand for compact production systems with reduced costs, installation space, and delivery time serving several industrial sectors, including mobility. To meet this growing demand for smaller hydrogen production systems, Asahi Kasei has now entered into a collaboration with De Nora, covering technical support, sales, operation, and after-sales service for small-scale containerised electrolysers in the range of 1 to 7.5 MW. By doing so, Asahi Kasei expands its portfolio into the range of small-scale containerised pressurised electrolysers, covering the emerging diversified needs of customers across the entire hydrogen market.

Asahi Kasei’s alkaline-water electrolysis business is based on nearly five decades of experience of construction, supply, and long-term operation of chlor-alkali electrolyzers worldwide. This enables the company to provide support to customers who lack adequate experience in electrolysis technology. Asahi Kasei entered the partnership with De Nora in anticipation of synergies with De Nora’s knowledge of electrodes for electrolysis and small sized pressurised electrolysers for hydrogen production. This collaboration is another important cornerstone of Asahi Kasei’s holistic business model to become a one-stop solution provider in the field of electrolysis. This model comprises technological development capabilities for membranes, electrodes, electrolytic cells, and other components involved in the electrolysis process. Going beyond mere technical expertise, it also includes supply chain construction, as well as operation technology and know-how to achieve large-scale production, monitoring technology to ensure long-term plant operability and reliability, as well as maintenance and support systems.

Kenji Takeda, Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei responsible for Business Development of its Green Solution Project, commented: “The efforts of both companies to deploy the new water electrolysis systems will lower the hurdle for customers to adopt water electrolysis and contribute broadly to the development of the hydrogen market. We believe that the combination of De Nora’s technological expertise and experience as a world leader in the field of electrolysis for many years, together with Asahi Kasei’s customer experience-oriented business model cultivated through chlor-alkali electrolysis, will play an important role in the development and deployment of this system in the addressable markets.”

De Nora’s CEO, Paolo Dellachà, commented: “We are proud to announce the commencement of a collaboration with Asahi Kasei to develop small-scale electrolysers for green hydrogen generation, marking a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions. This partnership leverages the strengths of two leading companies in a strategic field, addressing the global market’s growing demand for small-scale hydrogen production systems through our combined expertise. The strategic partnership with Asahi Kasei will enable De Nora to further develop its small-scale containerised electrolyser technology for hydrogen production, designed to supply hydrogen to various applications, including mobility, metallurgy, and other hard-to-abate sectors. It effectively supports decentralised hydrogen production in areas identified as ‘Hydrogen Valleys,’ progressively eliminating the dependency on fossil fuels. In addition, this collaboration will accelerate the ramp-up of production at our Italian Gigafactory, our newest electrolyser manufacturing hub currently under construction.”

Asahi Kasei enters collaboration with De Nora for development of small-scale containerised electrolysers | Global Hydrogen Review

This initiative, which includes the participation of the Technology Institute of Energy (ITE), has been awarded funding of €15 million from the Innovative Value Chain and Renewable Hydrogen Knowledge call of the Spanish Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, with funding allocated by NextGenerationEU of the European Union.

Felipe Arbelaez, bp’s Senior Vice President, Hydrogen and CCS, said: “bp’s first investment decision for an industrial scale project is an important step forward for our hydrogen business. We are focused on value, progressing only the best projects in our portfolio that can create additional value through integration and fully meet our investment hurdles. This also demonstrates the strength of partners combining their strengths to advance a nascent energy source that has the potential to play meaningful role in decarbonising industry. Castellón refinery can lead the way with its transformation.”

Millán Garcia-Tola, Global Director of Hydrogen, Iberdrola, said: “This partnership with bp and our project is another step in Iberdrola's firm and real commitment to promote green hydrogen as a key vector for industrial decarbonization. The plant will convert 200 GWh/yr of Iberdrola’s renewable energy into green hydrogen that will contribute to bp’s decarbonisation strategy, in another example of close collaboration between both companies, reliable partners that share values as long term decarbonisation commitment. Iberdrola will apply all the experience of its existing green hydrogen plants to optimise and accelerate the development of this project."

“This project marks a milestone in our strategy and reflects the importance of collaboration, both with other companies that share our vision, such as Iberdrola, and in the public-private sphere. In this way, we not only advance the transformation of our infrastructure in Castellón, but also aim to strengthen the economic fabric and industrial capacity of the entire Valencia region,” said Olvido Moraleda, President of bp Energía España.

Mario Ruiz-Tagle, CEO of Iberdrola Spain, said: “This is another example of our strategic alliance with bp, uniting us to lead the future of renewable hydrogen in the Valencian region. Projects like Castellón show that, with the collaboration of all agents in the sector and the appropriate incentives, it is possible to develop a new industrial model based on the green hydrogen value chain. The green hydrogen economy is emissions free, electrified, attracts investment and creates quality jobs in the region. This is the true energy transition. We continue to work with committed partners to position Spain as a technological benchmark, boosting the creation of a green hydrogen industry in Europe.”

The 25 MW electrolyser will be powered by renewable electricity through a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with Iberdrola that will supply 200 GWh/yr coming from Iberdrola’s photovoltaic and wind projects. The electrolyser will include 5 modules of 5 MW containerised proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology, which will be supplied by Plug Power, a leading manufacturer of green hydrogen solutions. The green hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of water powered by renewable electricity will comply with European requirements to produce green hydrogen (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin, RFNBO) and will support the transition of bp’s Castellón refinery into an integrated energy hub. It’s expected around 2800 tpy of green hydrogen could substitute part of the grey hydrogen currently used by the refinery – currently produced from natural gas – and as such is expected to result in avoiding the emission of 23 000 tpy of CO2, equivalent to the emissions of 5000 cars over the same period. This plant could create up to 500 new direct jobs during its construction.

In parallel to this initial 25 MW project, bp continues to assess opportunities to increase capacity in the coming years. In subsequent phases of the project, the green hydrogen produced could also be used in key hard-to-abate industries in the Valencia region, such as the ceramics sector replacing natural gas used in its processes, in chemical industries and in heavy transport.

The launch of this project has been announced just weeks after bp signed a letter of intent with the Valencian Government to reinforce the region's position as a leader in the energy transition. The letter has materialised in the creation of a joint working committee that will serve as a platform for dialogue and collaboration between both parties and will oversee the transformation of bp's refinery in Castellón into an integrated energy hub.

In recent months, Iberdrola has closed several long-term alliances to promote the decarbonisation of the economy. Further to the joint venture with bp to accelerate the electric mobility in Spain and Portugal, Iberdrola has entered into a number of long-term partnerships with Norges Bank Investment Management, Masdar, Mapfre and Energy Infrastructure Partners to further advance the development of renewable energy, and with GIC to expand transmission networks in Brazil.

bp and Iberdrola announce FID for largest green hydrogen plant in Spain | Global Hydrogen Review

【ソウル聯合ニュース】韓国完成車最大手の現代自動車は12日、米ゼネラル・モーターズ（GM）と乗用車、商用車の共同開発と生産、水素を含めた再生可能エネルギーやサプライチェーン（供給網）分野での協力に関する覚書（MOU）を先ごろニューヨークで締結したと発表した。 　MOUの締結式には現代自動車グループの鄭義宣（チョン・ウィソン）会長とGMのメアリー・バーラ会長兼最高経営責任者（CEO）が出席した。 　今年上半期（1～6月）の世界販売台数が世界3位の現代が、海外の大手完成車メーカーと包括的協力を結ぶのは今回が初めて。GMの今年上半期の世界販売台数は6位だった。 　両社は協業を通じて今後、主要戦略分野で協力し、生産コストの削減、効率性の向上、多様な製品を迅速に提供するための方策などを模索していく。乗用車、商用車、内燃機関の開発と生産、再生可能エネルギーや電気、水素分野の共同技術開発のほか、電気自動車（EV）用バッテリーの材料、鉄鋼やその他の原材料の共同調達についても検討する。 　鄭氏は「今回のパートナーシップを通じて現代自動車とGMは世界の主な市場と車両セグメント別の競争力を強化するための機会を探索できるだろう」とし「両社が保有する専門性と革新的技術を基に効率性を向上させ、顧客価値を高める」と述べた。 　バーラ氏は「今回のパートナーシップは体系化された資本配分を通じて製品開発をより効率的にする潜在力を持っている」とし「相互補完的な強みと能力のある組織を土台に規模と創意性を発揮し競争力のある製品を顧客により効率的に早く提供する」と強調した。 　両社は今回のMOUをもとに本契約締結に向け多角的な検討を通じて協業内容を発展させていく計画だ。