hydrogen

Airbus leaves its aircraft engines in the hands of others. With hydrogen he has decided to enter that business

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Airbus has built some of the world’s most important commercial aircraft for decades, but its engines have always come from outside. Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and CFM International have occupied that specialized space, while the European manufacturer concentrated on design, integrate and assemble the aircraft. That separation has been one of the unwritten rules of the industry. Now, the search for a hydrogen-powered plane has led the group to cross a border that until today it had preferred to keep intact. The movement will take shape, if it overcomes the pending steps, in a joint venture between Airbus and MTU Aero Engines. Its objective will be to bring together in a single organization the development, testing, certification and commercialization of a fully electric propulsion system powered by hydrogen fuel cells. For now, both companies have signed a non-binding agreement and the operation remains subject to regulatory authorizations and the corresponding labor consultation processes. The forecast is that the new company will begin operating in 2027. Airbus wants to manufacture the heart of its future hydrogen plane The operation represents Airbus’s first foray into the manufacture of complete aeronautical engines. The step breaks with a model in which manufacturers define and integrate the aircraft, but leave the propulsion in the hands of specialized companies. The European firm does not intend to compete with them in the conventional engines that its models currently use. Its entry will be limited, at least for now, to a technology still in development that Airbus and MTU want to transform into an industrialized and certifiable system. The two partners come to the project from complementary positions. Airbus brings its knowledge of commercial aviation programs and its experience in fuel cell and liquid hydrogen propulsion; MTU adds capabilities in engine design, integration, validation, certification and maintenance. The final terms of the future partnership are still being negotiated. The Financial Times maintainsbased on two sources close to the talks, that the European manufacturer would have close to 75%, that the valuation could exceed 1.2 billion euros and that both parties are inclined to install it in Germany. Recreation of the ZEROe turboprop concept presented by Airbus in 2020 The initiative also reflects how ZEROe has changed since its launch in 2020. Airbus initially aspired to introduce a hydrogen aircraft around 2035, but ended up recognizing that the technology and the necessary ecosystem would not advance in time to meet that horizon. The British newspaper now places the launch in the 2040s and claims that the readjustment included a budget reduction and the reassignment of staff. After reviewing the program, the group decided to prioritize an all-electric architecture based on fuel cells. The prioritized architecture would not burn hydrogen inside a turbine. The fuel, stored in a liquid state, would power fuel cell systems that would electrochemically combine it with oxygen to produce electricity; That energy would later reach the electric motors responsible for moving the propellers. It should not be confused with the direct combustion demonstrator that Airbus and CFM International had planned to test on an A380. That was a different technological path. The system would not produce direct CO₂ emissions during the flight and would have water as a byproduct of the reaction. The announcement does not immediately bring a hydrogen plane closer to airports. As we say, the future society must still be established, convert the research and results of the demonstrators into an industrialized and certifiable system, and face obstacles ranging from weight and cooling to fuel supply. There is also no assigned model nor a confirmed commercial calendar. Images | Airbus In Xataka | Spain promised them very happy with the European hunting megaproject. Until a rival appeared out of nowhere: Italy

put a hydrogen train on a narrow track

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Stadler and ARST have presented in Erlen (Switzerland) what both companies describe as the first hydrogen train designed specifically to run on narrow gauge tracks. The idea is that the convoy will begin transporting passengers in 2028 on three lines in northern Sardinia. Below these lines we tell you all the information. What has happened? The Swiss manufacturer and ARST have closed a project that started with a framework agreement signed in 2023 and that contemplates the supply of ten hydrogen trains for the Sardinian network. According to the press release, these vehicles will replace the current diesel units and will allow, according to the company, to save more than 2,100 tons of CO₂ per year, a figure that Stadler compare with avoiding about 450 car trips around the planet. Why is it a technical novelty? Until now, the hydrogen trains that circulate in Europe, like Alstom’s Coradia iLint in Lower Saxony or Siemens’ Mireo Plus H in Bavaria, have been developed for the standard gauge gauge of 1,435 millimeters. Sardinia, Calabria and Sicily, on the other hand, preserve a network inherited from the 19th century with a width of only 950 millimeters, which imposes much stricter axle load limits. Stadler had to design a completely new lightweight aluminum body to fit into that tight space. It is worth clarifying, however, that this is not the first time that something similar has been proposed. And just as they point From Trenvista, in 2011 the Spanish operator FEVE converted a retired 3400 series unit, the so-called Fabiolo, to hydrogen, although that project was later abandoned. What is certain is that it is the first narrow gauge hydrogen train conceived from the beginning to enter commercial service. In detail. The propulsion system is based on fuel cells and hydrogen tanks, but with a peculiarity, because instead of distributing the components across the roof of the train, as other manufacturers do, Stadler has concentrated all the equipment in a central car, named Power Pack. This module acts as a kind of rolling charger that transforms hydrogen into electricity to power the traction batteries, freeing up space in passenger cars for air conditioning, panoramic windows and access to the lower floor for people with reduced mobility. With its own hydrogen. Most hydrogen trains in service are refueled at conventional stations. ARST has opted for a model designed to produce its own hydrogen through electrolysis powered 100% by solar energy, integrating the production plant within the transport network itself. As explained by Carlo Poledrini, central director of ARST, in Stadler’s notethese vehicles are “a central element of the decarbonization strategy of the narrow gauge network” and represent “the first step in the evolution of ARST from a transport operator to an energy company capable of powering its own service network.” Expansion. The project is part of a broader initiative by the Italian Government and its Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to decarbonise the narrow gauge lines in the south of the country. Stadler affirms which already builds nine similar trains for Ferrovie della Calabria and two more units for Ferrovia Circumetnea, in Sicily, the latter adapted for the slopes around Etna. And now what. Before receiving passengers, the ten Sardinian trains must complete a battery of safety and operational tests. If everything progresses as planned, the first unit should be circulating with travelers in 2028, and from there we will see if the idea ends up gaining traction. Cover image | Stadler In Xataka | Switzerland installed the first railway solar plant in the world: a year later, it has been such a success that its neighbors are already asking about it

China is about to launch the most powerful cargo drone in the world. And it will move it with hydrogen

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The aeronautical industry has been researching and experimenting for quite some time. with hydrogen turboprop engines on airplanes. A Chinese company is about to break that barrier, as it has taken off an airplane with one of these megawatt-scale engines. Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has completed the first test flight of the AEP100, installed on a 7.5-ton cargo drone, in an operation that took off from Zhuzhou airport, in Hunan province. what has happened. The device flew for 16 minutes, reached an altitude of 300 meters and traveled 36 kilometers at a speed of 220 km/h before landing without incident. According to AECC, the engine operated stably throughout the flight profile and responded as expected. Chinese state media present it as the world’s first flight with a hydrogen turboprop of this power. Why is it relevant?. Yes, it is a short, unmanned, low-altitude test. But this means that hydrogen aeronautical propulsion leaves the laboratory and test benches to face real flight conditions. AECC maintains that the country already has a complete technological chain for hydrogen aeronautical engines, from essential components to system integration. direct combustion. The AEP100 does not use fuel cells to power an electric motor. It burns liquid hydrogen directly in a turbine cycle, just as a conventional turboprop would burn kerosene. This is the main difference with other bets. Airbus, for example, has prioritized fuel cells on its roadmap to a hydrogen commercial aircraft in 2035, while China has opted for direct combustion. Combustion is more complicated to tame in engineering, but offers much higher power density, something key to scaling up to larger aircraft. What aircraft is it intended for?. The AEP100 is custom designed for the W5000, a twin-engine cargo drone developed by Chinese startup Air White Whale. According to the manufacturer’s data, we are talking about a device with a maximum takeoff weight of 10.8 tons, 5 tons of payload, more than 65 cubic meters of hold and a range of 2,600 kilometers. Just like share from China Daily, when it completes its first flight, it will become the most powerful transport drone in the world, surpassing the Norinco Luca. Deadlines. Yuan An, general manager of subsidiary AE General Aviation Power Tech, has explained The engine is in the final phase of the type certification process and they hope to obtain approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in 2027. The process is progressing faster than usual because the AEP100 shares a core with the AES100 turboshaft, which shortens procedures. Yuan has also assured that the AEP100 and its variants will “end the heavy dependence on foreign engines” in Chinese general aviation. Where will it be used first?. For now, we have to forget about getting on a hydrogen-powered passenger plane. The bet goes through what they call the “low altitude economy”that is, situations in which unmanned cargo drones, inter-island logistics or controlled transport routes to remote areas are used, being scenarios where hydrogen refueling infrastructure, certification and operational economics are more manageable than in passenger aviation. Yuan remember also that the United States has more than 275,000 general aviation aircraft, while in China there are only a few thousand. The problems that remain unresolved. Burning hydrogen in a turbine is no small feat, as you can imagine. It burns at higher temperatures than kerosene and with a much higher flame speed, which requires the design of systems that avoid autoignition, flame flashbacks and combustion oscillations. Added to this is storage, since liquid hydrogen requires cryogenic temperatures close to -253 ° C, heavily insulated tanks and, most likely, redesigning the geometry of the fuselage itself to accommodate it. Sustainability. aviation Today it is around 2% of global CO₂ emissions, a figure that could skyrocket in the coming decades if the sector maintains its dependence on fossil fuels. China aims to reduce its exposure to imported oil in an increasingly complicated geopolitical scenario, so hydrogen can fit into both narratives. And now what. China’s road map mark 2028 as horizon to validate similar technologies in small unmanned aircraft, helicopters and urban air mobility, 2035 for applications in broader regions and 2050 for large commercial turbofan aircraft. The first flight of the W5000 with the AEP100 installed is expected in the coming months and will be the next litmus test. Cover image | CCTV In Xataka | For China, DeepSeek is more than just AI: it is the key to creating an industry that makes them independent of Nvidia

It is manufactured in Extremadura combining hydrogen and CO2

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Green hydrogen is no longer a distant promise for the future in Spain. The European Commission has selected the Extremadura T2X project within the third auction of the European Hydrogen Bank, awarding community support to this strategic initiative. In short. This proposal is the first in Europe that manages to pour green gas directly into the distribution network. This historic achievement places Extremadura as an undisputed benchmark in the European energy transition race. The project is promoted by the German promoter Turn2X, which had already inaugurated its first global plant in the Cáceres municipality of Miajadas in 2024. In depth. To achieve this milestone, the Miajadas plant uses a disruptive technology known as Power to Gas (P2G). As detailed pv magazinethe process consists of combining 100% renewable hydrogen with biogenic carbon dioxide, which in this specific case comes from a nearby bioethanol plant. Through the well-known Sabatier reaction, high purity synthetic methane gas is obtained. This renewable natural gas (RNG) is transported to industrial customers via existing pipeline infrastructure. The gas has already been tested successfully injecting fluidly into the Gas Extremadura distribution network. The industrial objective of this advance is clear: decarbonize sectors where electrification is very complex, such as steel plants, the ceramics industry or the maritime sector. Technical level. The T2X project —managed by TURN2X Asset Co II EXTREMADURA SL— will deploy an electrolysis capacity of 9 megawatts. According to local mediathe forecast is to produce around 6,390 tons of renewable hydrogen throughout its first ten years of activity. Once the subsidy agreements are signed, something that is expected to occur in the last quarter of 2026, the initiative will receive a fixed European premium of 0.62 euros for each kilogram of certified hydrogen produced for a decade. From that moment on, companies have a maximum period of five years to put the facility into commercial operation. Additionally, to ensure source power is truly clean, Turn2X has sealed an innovative agreement power purchase agreement (PPA) with Axpo Iberia, the entity that will supply renewable electricity generated by Aquila Clean Energy. The weight of Extremadura. The choice of the Extremaduran community is not the result of chance, but rather responds directly to the numerous hours of sunshine that the territory offers. Added to this, according to the statements of the regional Executive collected by theEconomistthe strategic location of the region right on the route of the future European hydroduct, which will cross it from north to south. Due to this initial success, the Turn2X project, which is already in the production phase, has proposed an industrial expansion that is currently in the public information phase. The German company has even initiated environmental procedures before the Board to build a second facility in the town of Miajadas. This ecosystem is rapidly being strengthened with the talent of pioneering local companies; Recently, the Minister of Economy visited Eficae, a firm in the region with ten years of experience and 22 professionals, which has already managed to mobilize more than 2,000 million euros in energy investment. Finally, there is good news at the national level: those projects that have passed the technical requirements but remain in the reserve of the European fund will be eligible for aid, since Spain will contribute an additional 440 million euros under the ‘Auctions as a service’ mechanism. A real starting point for Europe. The agreement signed by Turn2X demonstrates with tangible facts that green hydrogen It is no longer a simple promise to become an industrial reality with proven economic viability. This emerging industrial fabric is a fundamental magnet to attract investments that generate wealth and high-quality employment in the region. Today, Spain and, in a very particular way, Extremadura, are no longer just a promising testing laboratory; have been consolidated as the real starting point for Europe to move firmly towards true and sustainable energy independence. Image | Turn2X Xataka | In Extremadura they have managed to produce 100% renewable natural gas: they only needed sun and plant waste

the bizarre history of Toyota and its hydrogen trucks

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Toyota relies on hydrogen as a mobility solution. It is not news in itself. However, the agreement reached in the United States is. And the Japanese have partnered with Hyroad Energya mobility solutions company from the United States that will rent 40 trucks to the Japanese company for use in its support activities. That is to say, It is not Toyota that develops trucks. On the contrary, it is Toyota that pays to have these heavy vehicles available. And this North American company will be in charge of supplying the trucks, maintenance and software. Toyota, for its part, will have its own hydrogen charging network. The move is interesting for the company that has to demonstrate that hydrogen is a still alive formula. But it also needs to make profitable an infrastructure that has been dead in the United States practically since its birth. Everything to hydrogen! Toyota’s relationship with hydrogen seems like that of unrequited love. The Japanese have been ensuring for some time that hydrogen is as valid a solution (or even better) than the electric car. Along the way they have developed the Toyota Miraithe first car powered by a fuel cell. In this type of car, a battery inside the car carries out the hydrogen electrolysis process. With this process, electricity is obtained, which is stored in a battery and used by electric motors. The great advantage of the system is that the time spent on “recharge” the car It is the same as filling a gas tank. Furthermore, the car only expels water vapor through its exhaust pipe. Although some polluting substances can also be found in this water vapor, their presence is so low that it is not considered really harmful. The problem is that the use of hydrogen in light transport It is expensive and inefficient. Producing, transporting and storing hydrogen is very expensive given its volatility. For the Toyota Mirai to be able to use this hydrogen, it must have large tanks where it can be kept at a pressure of 600 bars. This leaves the car with almost no storage space because it takes a lot of space to carry a relatively small amount of “fuel.” The other solution they have found is designed for use on the track or with high-performance vehicles, as an alternative to maintain the sensations of a combustion engine but without emitting smoke from the exhaust pipe. This solution goes through burn hydrogen in liquid form but the high cost of storage and the system used continues to be a real problem. A final solution involves heavy transport. Some anticipate that this last option is the most logical since a truck has a lot of space to incorporate huge hydrogen tanks without sacrificing cargo space. Furthermore, if recharging is only carried out in the large industrial centers of the cities, the cost of transportation would be lower because it would not be necessary to distribute it to many small points in the geography of a country. With the aim of demonstrating that the use of hydrogen is reasonable and interesting for heavy transport, the company has reached an agreement with the aforementioned Hyroad Energy. This company is in charge of supplying 40 trucks to the company for its daily tasks. These heavy transport vehicles have a capacity 12 times greater than that of a Toyota Mirai, with a range of more than 800 kilometers. According to the company, refueling this truck only takes between 15 and 20 minutes. Curiously, these trucks with Nikola vehicles, a promising start-up that was betting on electric vehicles for heavy transportation. However, the company went bankrupt last year and was forced to sell its assets. It was at that time when Hyroad Energy acquired a fleet of more than 100 trucks, so those used by Toyota will be electric vehicles converted for use with hydrogen. It is an operation similar to that Stellantis was carrying out in Germany until terminated the project. The story is, if possible, even more bizarre. And it is that Toyota is immersed in a legal dispute with the American owners of some Toyota Mirai who They sued the company for false advertising. They maintain that when they obtained these vehicles, Toyota promised a deployment of its infrastructure that has never occurred. Without that support network, their cars can barely be used. Therefore, even if Toyota uses third-party vehicles, its bet makes some sense. If the company continues to invest in hydrogen, it needs to demonstrate that it is a viable alternative and wants to take advantage of its charging points in the United States to add value to an infrastructure that has been identified as insufficient. The movement also comes when more and more companies are beginning to think about purely electric heavy transport as the ideal solution for the future. Photo | Hyroad Energy In Xataka | Hyundai and Kia want to save combustion by burning hydrogen. And they have a very promising engine in their hands.

the first large pure hydrogen turbine to fight renewable waste

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Talking about renewable energies is talking about China. Although they continue to burn coal and gas and want to become an oil power, the country is positioning itself as the major player in renewables. Also of the ‘megastructures’. And, combining both, we have Jupiter I. It is the first 30 MW class turbine in the world that works with pure hydrogen, it has just been launched. light and they aspire for it to be the solution to one of the biggest renewable energy problems. Take advantage of surplus energy. Jupiter I. Like practically everything that has to do with energy and China, the numbers of this plant are, to say the least, striking. Now we will get into the fact that it is the first 30 MW class turbine that runs on pure hydrogen. There are others in the world that operate in pilot mode on a scale of 5 or 10 MW, but they are natural gas turbines that have been converted. Jupiter I has been designed from the ground up as a pure hydrogen machine that, in combined cycle mode, can generate 48 MWh. It is estimated that it is enough to satisfy the daily demand of more than 5,500 homes. Those responsible for the turbine they claim that the machine “can use more than 30,000 m³ of hydrogen per hour, which calculated annually is the equivalent of 500 million kWh.” In perspectiveit’s like filling the gigantic Hindenburg airship 25 times every hour. And the key to this is that it is electricity stored in the form of hydrogen pure hydrogen. Although it has not fully caught on in sectors such as utility vehicles, hydrogen has the potential to be one of the fuels that helps achieve decarbonization objectives. It all depends on its color: green is achieved through renewable energy and black through burning coal, for example. Turbines are classified according to the type of fuel they burn and the percentage of hydrogen in the mixture. There are those that use only up to 20% H2, others that use 50% H2 and those that use pure hydrogen, which operate entirely with this fuel. They are usually pilot or demonstration units, but Jupiter 1 is the first of its kind in which all its systems (combustion chamber, injection and flame control) are optimized for that fuel. Megaplant. The turbine is not isolated. It is located in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, and is part of a larger system. It is inside a 500 MW wind farm. It is not an astronomical figure considering what we are used to, but it is important to remember that not all the energy produced by renewables is stored correctly. Much of it is wasted, either because there are not enough batteries, or because it is not consumed when needed or because it is stored and lost. How it works. That’s where Jupiter I comes into play. The system works through a kind of closed cycle of electricity – hydrogen – electricity. When wind turbines generate more energy than the grid can consume and it is not going to be stored in batteries, turbines like this one can use that excess to produce green hydrogen. Once produced, it is stored in tanks, and at the Ordos plant there are a dozen of 1,875 m3 each. If the grid is stable and can operate well with renewables, that hydrogen is stored there, but in times of greater demand or when renewables cannot satisfy it, that stored green hydrogen comes into play to produce emissions-free and immediately accessible electricity. Fighting deserts. Placing a hydrogen turbine right in a renewable plant solves the challenge of wasting electricity, but also that of transporting hydrogen, which we have already seen is complicated. Precisely, that is where those responsible say that the technology has great potential. It is in the deserts where China has found an oasis of renewable energy, and having turbines of this style can further enhance those megascale energy projects – greater than 1 GW – that China is deploying. Now we have to see if it fulfills what it promises, since it is the first of a pilot project, but according to warned by the China National Energy Administration in June this year, it will not be the last. Image | FreePik and Pexels In Xataka | We have known for years that the future of wind power was in the sea and yet only one country has believed it: China

Toyota was determined to make hydrogen the perfect alternative to the electric car. Hyundai has just invested 563,800,000 euros

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Time passes and the hydrogen car continues to be the great promise of clean mobility. The problem is that, little by little, time passes and hydrogen seems to be at the same point: challenges that seem impossible to solve and the eternal promise of revolutionizing transportation. Along the way, a good handful of companies said they were joining the hydrogen wave. Toyota has been one of those that has bet the most but, in the midst of a decline, it has been Hyundai that takes a new step. Reconversion. Hyundai has confirmed which has already laid the first stone of its new fuel cell and electrolyzer production plant in Ulsan (South Korea). The company has invested 930 billion won. That is, 563.8 million euros to convert the space and give it a new industrial use. According to the company, starting in 2027 they will be able to manufacture 30,000 fuel cell units per year in a space that extends across 43,000 m2. The intention is to produce systems for hydrogen-powered passenger cars but also for heavy transport services. a bet. Hyundai’s commitment to hydrogen is not new. The company has on the market the Nexusone of the few hydrogen cars that can be purchased and that has no competition since the Toyota Miraithe other great hydrogen car, is a sedan with a totally different approach. At the end of last year, Hyundai also presented Initiumthe preview of what should be a new hydrogen car that will arrive in 2025. However, the company has not launched the new model on the market. The Nexo has not been the first car powered by a Hyundai fuel cell but, for now, it is the last despite the fact that in 2021 they announced that we would have the entire range on the street with hydrogen versions in 2028. The promise. For years now, hydrogen has been proposed as the great alternative to the electric car. Although, really, it is an electric car. In its operation, a fuel cell car is a vehicle that carries out the electrolysis process inside to generate electricity that is stored in the batteries. In this process, the car does not generate CO2 and only expels water vapor through the exhaust pipe. The great advantage is that its carbon emissions are non-existent while it recharges the tanks in a few minutes to travel hundreds and hundreds of kilometers. The problems. There are many and they are difficult to remedy. When it comes to bringing hydrogen to a street car, the technical difficulties are enormous. First, because hydrogen occupies a large volume for the energy it can later generate. That’s why the Toyota Mirai is, almost everything, huge tanks. The latter is solved by turning the hydrogen into a liquid state but requires keeping it at -30ºC. It is a solution that has been designed to be used as fuel in a combustion engine and to remember the sensations of a combustion engine but generates very polluting particles such as NOx. That is, hydrogen requires huge tanks or a good amount of energy to keep it at a very low temperature. When this is achieved, it requires a complex system to carry out electrolysis or burn it in the engine itself (which generates very polluting particles). And all this without counting the complexity of producing and transporting it to the service station on duty. Non-viable. What happens at this point? That hydrogen is, at the moment, very expensive. As expensive as in Germany the cost of filling the tank was as expensive as filling it with diesel. It does not seem so strange that service stations are being dismantled in Germany and that although Stellantis offered to convert electric vans to hydrogen to gain autonomy, has ended up abandoning his plans. For now, on the way BMW too says it is developing hydrogen cars. Renault says to do the same. And Toyota continues investigating with burn hydrogen in combustion engines while turning his back on his Toyota Mirai in the United States where he faces a class action lawsuit from owners who they feel cheated. a light. In addition to light transportation, Hyundai says it wants to focus fuel cell production on heavy transportation. The company has its hopes that this type of transportation can find a true use for hydrogen. Heavy transport can find some advantages over electric transport. To charge an electric truck in a short time, enormous infrastructure is needed with chargers as fast and powerful as those from BYD. If hydrogen poles are created in dry ports or large distribution centers, it could make sense with less dispersed and therefore less costly distribution. Also the cost of filling the truck with huge tanks is lower because in percentage terms it would not eat up as much space as in a car. And, at the same time, recharging would be faster for less clean transportation than purely electric but much cleaner than current diesel engines. Photo | Hydrogen In Xataka | Renault is clear that the electric car is not the only way. Your proposal for the future: a hydrogen plug-in hybrid

45,000 tons of green hydrogen per year

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For decades, the North Sea was synonymous with oil and gas, holding a good part of the European economy and energy supply. Today, in full transition to renewables, that same sea is emerging as the scenario of a change of era: there has not been discovered a hidden reservoir, but the production of 45,000 tons per year of green hydrogen. Is this possible? Some media They have replicated The same narrative of finding a natural hydrogen site in the North Sea, but the reality is very different. An official statement from Totalenergies and Air Liquide They announced two projects of electrolysis in the Netherlands and Belgium that, added, could produce that amount of green hydrogen every year from renewable electricity generated in the Oranjewind marine wind park. In short, there is no hydrogen deposit “under the sea”. What there is is production potential thanks to offshore wind turbines that provide energy to electrolyte capable of dividing water into oxygen and hydrogen. Electrolysis It consists of applying electricity (If it comes from renewable sources, such as wind, we talk about “green” hydrogen) to previously treated water to separate its oxygen and hydrogen molecules. Subsequently, hydrogen is compressed or transported by pipes towards its industrial or energy use. There are many plans in sight. The project mentioned above contemplates an electrolyzer of 250 MW in Zeeland with the capacity to produce up to 30,000 tons per year, it is scheduled for 2029. Also, there is one of “Tolling” with the Elygator electrolyzer in Maasvlakte, with 15,000 tons per year for the Refinery of Antwerp, operational within two years. This scheme means that Totalenergies does not build or opera directly that electrolyzer: yields its renewable electricity to air liquid, which transforms it into hydrogen, and totalenergies pay for that production capacity In addition, others develop in Europe projects like Hope (Hydrogen offshore production for Europe), coordinated by French Lhyfe. This will install a 10 MW electrolyzer off the coast of Belgium and hopes to produce its first four tons per day in 2026, demonstrating the viability of generating hydrogen directly on the high seas. But is there anything in motion? Pilots have been tested for three years Sealhyfea small offshore plant also from Lhyfe. However, making the leap to large -scale production faces several obstacles: High costs: a single electrolyzer such as Zeeland is about 600 million euros of investment. Technical challenges: corrosion, storms and maintenance in marine conditions. Environmental Impact: Offshore wind farms They can affect to marine biodiversity, fishing or provoking bird collisions with turbines. Fragmented regulation: Each northern sea country applies different norms, which delays common projects. A strategic sea. The European Union has marked as a goal to boost renewable hydrogen to decarbonize sectors that are difficult to electrify – such as steel, cement or heavy transport – and reduce dependence on fossil gas. By 2030 wants to have dozens of electrolyte gigawatts installed. In parallel, its offshore renewable energy strategy plans to reach up to 300 GW of marine wind capacity in 2050, Much in the North Sea. Now, the North Sea does not belong to the EU as a whole: it is distributed in exclusive economic zones (ZEE) from different countries, including Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom and Norway. That means that each project must first adjust to the country’s regulations in whose Zee is. To overcome this fragmentation and scale the energy transition, Brussels promotes cross -border cooperation initiatives such as the North Seas Energy Cooperationwhich seeks to harmonize rules and interconnect projects between neighboring countries. Goodbye gas and oil. The North Sea was for decades symbol of the European Black Gold and gas dependence. Today it could become a laboratory of the energy transition. The “Treasury” is not hidden in chests under the sea: it is a challenge that requires investment, political cooperation and technological advances. Only if these barriers are exceeded, the figures will cease to be striking holders to become a true energy revolution. Image | Freepik Xataka | How much electricity produces each country with renewable energy, exposed in a graphic

European cars manufacturers promised them happy with the hydrogen battery. Reality has hit them

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In search by Eliminate fossil fuels From cars, electrification seemed the best option. Have 100% electric, hybrids and plug -in. However, some companies They seemed not to be convinced at all with the electric ones, so they began to boost the development of cars moved by ‘pilas’ of hydrogen. Some are getting off the shipand the last one is a Stellantis that has been closely to the controversy These last years. BMW has another opinion and defends that the hydrogen battery is a strategic alternative for Europe. Against what? Against China. Short. In a brief releaseStellantis (which, remember, is the megacompañía that arises after the Fusion of Fiat, PSA and Chrysler) He confirmed a few weeks ago that he interrupted his hydrogen fuel cell technology development program. They affirm that “the hydrogen market remains a niche segment, without perspectives of economic sustainability in the medium term.” And this affects all the divisions they were developing: Cars. Small vans. Large vans. Next steps. The company comments that the personnel who were doing R&D work related to hydrogen technology will be redirected to other projects and that now what it is to focus on what it sells: hybridization and conventional electric batteries. “We must make clear and responsible decisions to ensure our competitiveness and meet the expectations of our customers, as well as continue with our offensive of electric vehicles and hybrids of both passengers and light commercials,” explains Jean-Philippe Imparato, Chief Operating Operating Officer for Enlarged Europe. Issues. The main argument that underwent the hydrogen strategy, with cars on the street such as the Hyundai Initium or the Mirai de ToyotaIt was the speed of loading. If the electric took some dozens of minutes to achieve a decent autonomy, one of hydrogen was closer to the times of a gasoline/diesel. The problem is that it is not entirely true. Toyota has been one of those who More has driven the hydrogen batteryeven competing with hydrogen -driven cars, such as GR LH2 Racing Concept or the Gr yaris rally2 h2 concept For rallies, but in everyday use, hydrogen looks like everything except practical, away from that more classic “plugging and reproducing” liquid fuel. The reason? GR LH2 Racing himself needs a cryogenic system at the cargo station that maintains hydrogen at -253 degrees Celsius. This implies advanced isolation and advanced manipulation, which makes it very little practical out of a very specialized competitive environment. Among other thingssince the energy density of hydrogen is almost nine times lower than that of gasoline and storage is complex. Without ‘hydrogeneras’ there is no FCEV. Returning to Stellantis, the group was not working with the hydrogen pile for the distant future, but immediately. This year they were going to launch a new range of vans, the Pro one fed by hydrogenthat evidently will not see the light. And although there are still companies that keep some hope for the hydrogen pile, the truth is that without refueling points, technology seems unsustainable. In the United States, Toyota has faced collective demand by Mirai owners who ensure that the brand lied to ensure that reposting would be as simple as in a gasoline. There are practically no load points, with just a thousand open hydrogeneras worldwide for public use. And last year they began to close in Germany because they were not used. BMW and his “hold me the cubata”. Trucks are another song. The numbers are there, With strong consecutive falls in 2023 and 2024 that seem to have punctured, at least for now, that fever for the hydrogen pile for conventional cars. However, the turn comes from BMW. The German company has publicly defended that hydrogen is an opportunity for Europe not to depend so much on the China’s battery industry. And others like Volvo maintain projects Hydrogen for trucks. It has been the CEO who has insisted that Europe must bet on multiple roads and that, in a scenario in which China controls the production of Rare earth Essential to create batteries, and they are also the most manufactured batteries, Europe must have a BM plan, BMW has no car with a hydrogen battery and is working on a SUV that They will launch at some point in 2028. We will see how the market is then. Image | H2 Mobility In Xataka | Nikola had everything to revolutionize the world of hydrogen trucks. Now is on the verge of bankruptcy

Walmart has already approved the first green hydrogen truck in Latin America. Its great limit: the load infrastructure

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What if the future of heavy logistics in Latin America had already begun, and would have done it with a single truck? In a region where the transport of goods depends largely on diesel engines, Walmart has achieved homologation of the First Tonnage Tonnage Moved by Green Hydrogen. It happens in Chile, with a vehicle that, on paper, It can exceed 700 km of operation without issuing CO2. It is a test, for the moment. But one that marks the beginning of something much bigger. Chile has not only been the country chosen to test this truck: it has also been the engine of a public-private collaboration that seeks to open the way in heavy transport without emissions. Walmart participates in the Hidrohaul program, promoted by the Corporation for Production Promotion (Corfo), with an initial investment of 6.15 million dollars and a clear goal: Check if this technology can climb. An experiment that can mark a before and after For Walmart, the experiment fits with Its global objective to decarbonize all its logistics operation before 2040. For Chile, it is a general essay of what could become a National Transportation Network Green hydrogen driven. Manufactured by the Chinese company Feichi Technologythe truck uses a hydrogen fuel battery that generates the electricity that feeds its engine. Can transport up to 49 tons and is designed to travel up to 750 km per full load with 75 kg of hydrogen. Although it does not seem, this truck is also an electric vehicle. The difference is how that electricity generates. Instead of loading a battery connecting to the network, use a Hydrogen fuel battery: A system that mixes hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, water and heat. That electricity feeds an electric motor that drives the truck. There is no combustion, there is no CO2. And as a byproduct, it only emits water vapor. It is a different way to reach the same destination: a heavy transport without emissions. It all starts in Quilicurain the metropolitan area of Santiago. There, Walmart Chile installed in 2023 The first green hydrogen industrial plant in the countryin collaboration with Engie. The installation has a 0.6 MW electrolyzer which uses electricity from renewable sources – solar and wind – to separate water molecules and generate hydrogen. That plant not only supplies the new truck: it also feeds a fleet of hydrogen lifting wheelbarrows that already operate in the logistics center. The refueling, the great challenge for this to climb The autonomy of the truck is sufficient to operate within the central area of the country, but not beyond. Today there is no public network of trucks for trucks. The challenge is not only technical, but also logistical and economic: how many trucks will need to justify a hydroiner? ¿Where to place them To cover routes without wasting resources? In scenarios like Californiathe order of dozens of high volume stations is projected to serve several thousand trucks towards the beginning of the next decade. Chile will have to solve its own puzzle. The big question is not whether hydrogen works, but it is worth betting on it. In long -running trucks, it has clear advantages: autonomy, quick recharges, zero emissions and lower impact of weight than in pure electric. But it is still a expensive technology, with a limited refueling network and a lower energy efficiency compared to other options. It is not a universal solution, but a useful tool on the right place. That is precisely what Chile is trying to find out: if the hydrogen fits on its real logistics map. Images | Walmart Chile In Xataka | Welcome to the silent collapse of energy: In the US, AI is beginning to drain the country’s electricity

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