Orkney’s ageing ferries look to ditch diesel for hydrogen. It sounds like a renewable energy dream: a seagoing ferry powered by fuel wrested from water with the help of the wind and tides. But if all goes well, such a vessel will in a few years be plying its trade among the islands of Scotland’s northern archipelago of Orkney, the culmination of a pioneering effort to demonstrate the role that hydrogen can play in a future low-carbon economy. A report last month by the UK’s Committee on Climate Change struck a more sceptical note. It said there might be a “niche” for hydrogen produced using surplus renewable power, but the relatively high cost of electrolysis meant it was unlikely to play a major in role in hydrogen supply beyond island areas such as Orkney. The CCC forecast that hydrogen produced using electrolysis would cost more than £89 per megawatt/hour by 2025, compared with just £44 using steam methane reforming with carbon capture.
FT 27th Dec 2018 read more »
The world’s first energy self-sufficient housing complex now runs solely on renewable energy. The self-sufficient housing complex, powered by solar energy and stored hydrogen, is located in Vårgårda, Sweden and is a project resulting from a partnership between Better Energy and Nilsson. Residents of the complex will be 100% disconnected from the electrical power grid. The project is a breakthrough in sustainable building and clean energy. When the complex is fully finished and operational, a total of 172 flats in six housing blocks will be able to operate exclusively on alternative energy derived from clean sources.
Hydrogen Fuel News 27th Dec 2018 read more »
