New Energies, new possibilities

Greene Tweed, a specialist in advanced materials and high-performance solutions, has announced the launch of Arlon® 3160XT, a new glass-reinforced, cross-linked PEEK material designed for fuel cell, electrolyzer, and valve components.

With exceptional creep resistance and electrical insulation properties, Arlon® 3160XT represents a significant advancement in materials science, addressing critical needs in hydrogen applications.

Hydrogen’s momentum as a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels comes with significant material challenges in scaling production, storage, and utilization. Arlon® 3160XT addresses these challenges by enhancing performance and reliability in key hydrogen systems. Expanding on the capabilities of Greene Tweed’s Arlon® 3000XT platform, this new grade delivers improved performance in the most demanding environments.

“One of the biggest challenges in the hydrogen industry has been the need for scalable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions that enhance production and distribution while withstanding extreme conditions,” said Dr. Kerry Drake, Corporate Thermoplastics Technology Manager at Greene Tweed. “Arlon® 3160XT is engineered to meet this challenge, helping streamline hydrogen processes, reduce operational costs, and deliver exceptional performance and reliability.”

Arlon® 3160XT offers several key features that set it apart. Its creep resistance is over 20 times greater than that of non-cross-linked glass-filled PEEK, ensuring long-term durability under sustained mechanical loads. It also demonstrates significant improvements in high-temperature performance, with a 30–70% enhancement in short-term elevated temperature conditions (tensile, flex, and shear) compared to standard glass PEEK materials. In addition, Arlon® 3160XT maintains excellent electrical insulation properties, resisting degradation in critical electrochemical cells and enabling long operational lifespans. Laboratory tests also indicate improved flame resistance, with enhanced structural integrity following flame exposure.

Source:  Hydrogentechworld

Plug Power has announced a purchase agreement with Allied Green Ammonia (AGA) for the supply of 3 GW of electrolyzer capacity to AGA's green hydrogen-to-ammonia plant, currently under development in Australia.

AGA will install a 4.5-GW solar plant to power the Plug electrolyzers with zero-emission clean electricity. The green hydrogen produced will be used to make green ammonia.

With the agreement now signed and sealed, Plug will develop a Basic Engineering and Design Package (BEDP), providing crucial technical details and engineering specifications to attract investors and finalize financing.

Upon a positive Final Investment Decision (FID) expected by Q2 2025, Plug will kick off the manufacturing and delivery of PEM electrolyzers starting in Q1 2027.

AGA’s ambitious mega project, one of the largest green ammonia production facilities in the world, is set to produce approximately 2,700 metric tons per day of green ammonia. This venture is driven by a growing demand from AGA’s customers in Asia and Europe for ammonia used in a range of sectors, including agriculture, energy storage, transport, and industrial applications.

“Ammonia producers are recognizing the substantial advantages of cost and carbon reduction through electrolysis-based hydrogen,” said Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug. “We’re thrilled to partner with Allied Green Ammonia, a leader in global green ammonia production. Together, we’re not only advancing green ammonia production but actively supporting the global transition to a net-zero emissions future.”

Alfred Benedict, Chairman and Managing Director of AGA, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “Taking on a project of this magnitude, deploying 3 GW of electrolyzers, is no small feat. From the moment we decided to embark on this journey, we knew we were looking at a long-term commitment to our partners of 4 to 5 years. That’s why our relationship with Plug is so pivotal. Strong, enduring partnerships are the bedrock of successful projects like this. Having the right allies by our side, like Plug, makes all the difference in turning ambitious, green energy visions into reality.”

Source:  Hydrogentechworld

Seawater electrolysis one of 10 hydrogen projects funded to ‘accelerate net zero’

Seawater electrolysis, repurposing of offshore oil and gas assets for hydrogen production and storage, and decarbonised steel production will all be explored as part of 10 new hydrogen-focused projects.

The UK Hub for Research Challenges in Hydrogen and Alternative Liquid Fuels (UK HyRES) awarded a total of £3m to researchers working on the schemes today (17 January). Based at the University of Bath, HyRES is aimed at accelerating the net zero transition.

Professor Tim Mays, leader of the initiative, said :

We are delighted to welcome 10 new research projects to UK HyRES.

“The projects cover all our hub themes – hydrogen production, storage and end use and alternative carriers – and join the 14 core projects already underway in the hub,This gives UK HyRES a comprehensive base of top-tier research expertise to help answer the key questions around how we can use hydrogen and zero-carbon alternative liquid fuels to help reach net zero.”

An announcement said,

The projects will seek to address obstacles that currently stand in the way of greater adoption of hydrogen and low-carbon liquid fuels and seek to better understand ways to efficiently produce and use, and safely store and transport them,

The schemes include:

Decoupled electrolysis of seawater

Led by Professor Mark Symes at the University of Glasgow, this project will research the potential to create an electrolyser that can produce hydrogen directly from seawater, by using decoupled electrolysis – forming the oxygen and hydrogen products at different times, at different rates and in different locations.

The announcement said,

Producing hydrogen directly from seawater would be a major breakthrough, particularly where freshwater supplies are limited, such as in offshore or desert locations,

Repurposing the economy future of the North Sea

This project, led by Dr Alfonso Martinez-Felipe at the University of Aberdeen, aims to optimise key mechanical properties of materials used for hydrogen storage and transport, enhance the safety of long-distance hydrogen transmission networks, and determine the feasibility of repurposing offshore assets in the North Sea for hydrogen production, generation and storage.

Multi-purpose exploration of ammonia reduction of iron oxides to enable green steel and high purity

Professor Aidong Yang at the University of Oxford will lead this project, exploring ammonia’s use as a hydrogen carrier, and ammonia and hydrogen direct reduction in steel production.

Source:  Hydrogencentral