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This new level of maturity for hydrogen shows that we have hit an important threshold of realisation. The urgency to act on climate change has resonated across sectors and geographies, prompting substantial action on the ground to maximise hydrogen’s contribution to the decarbonisation of our economies. In the newly published Hydrogen Council Hydrogen Insights[1] report, developed in collaboration with McKinsey, we investigate key market trends, the investment commitments of Hydrogen Council members, and the industry’s efforts to deliver the cost reduction benefits of industrial scale-up. This provides valuable guidance about the role that hydrogen will play as the industry continues to grow.

For this reason, developing a dependable, long-lasting hydrogen fuel cell for trucks is the focus of a new Department of Energy consortium called the Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck, known as M2FCT, which is co-led by Los Alamos National Laboratory and kicked off at the beginning of the new year. Funded by the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office within the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, M2FCT will focus on fuel cell durability, performance, and cost to better position fuel cell trucks as a viable option in the long-haul trucking market. Because of the impracticality of testing hydrogen fuel cells for a million hours to recreate wear on the engine, researchers in Los Alamos will use accelerated stress testing to reproduce the punishment on fuel cells from driving. This sped-up stress test generally involves adding heat and gases that speed the deterioration process. Already, the research has produced a couple of insights, including that altering the microscopic structure of the platinum catalyst can reduce the metal’s deterioration. Los Alamos scientists also introduced a benign material into the fuel cell chamber that can capture the harmful chemicals that typically degrade the membrane, extending the fuel cell’s life.

Next up on the itinerary will be California, a hotbed of innovation and an accelerator of ecological transition in North America: a sea passage spanning nearly 3,000 nautical miles with two stopovers scheduled in Los Angeles and San Francisco, health conditions permitting. After a stopover in the Golden State, the crew is expected to embark on its first Transpacific passage, with an unmissable stopover in Hawaii before journeying to Tokyo Bay for the Olympic Games.

The California Energy Commission has selected the Advanced Electrolyzer System (AES) technology for hydrogen energy storage. AES will recover hydrogen from waste syngas sources using excess electricity. “This is a Win-Win solution for California State by creating higher Value from Waste,” said Pinakin Patel, President of T2M Global. The Phase 1 of the AES project is $1.2 million to validate lower cost hydrogen production. It will open a pathway for a potential demonstration of $6 million hydrogen energy storage to enhance microgrid resiliency in California, a multi-billion dollars market. The Advanced Electrolyzer System (AES) is a world-class system created by the team led by Pinakin Patel at T2M Global. Its proprietary technology allows for much lower cost production of hydrogen with no greenhouse gas emissions. AES is the only technology capable of producing high purity green hydrogen at highly competitive costs. AES targets <$5/kg H2, a significant and material improvement from the $10-15/kg H2 levels currently in the market place. The significant cost savings through AES should promote the adoption of hydrogen technology to accelerate growth in sectors such as the fuel cell vehicles and renewable energy sectors.

Though the first 100 days of the Biden administration will be a flurry of activity, our nation must prioritize U.S. climate policies and establish a clear strategy for hydrogen investment through infrastructure, development and deployment. Steve Angel is the CEO of Linde, and Tom Linebarger is the chairman and CEO of Cummins. Hydrogen Forward is an initiative led by 11 companies committed to working with stakeholders in the public and private sector to advance hydrogen for a cleaner, stronger U.S. economy.

Rachel Fakhry, Policy Analyst for Climate and Clean Energy Programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, commented, “Tacoma Power’s proactive and first-of-its-kind initiative will test the ability of flexible loads like green hydrogen to help integrate high levels of renewables on the electric grid by reducing renewable curtailment and improving grid reliability.”

The model, equipped with revolutionary proprietary technologies, promises unmatched performances for a hydrogen vehicle: 500+ hp and 1000+ km of range (629+ miles) for a record filling time of only 3 minutes. Forward-looking, it will combine hyperconnectivity, safety and ergonomics in a cabin that is both sporty and comfortable, while meeting the environmental challenges of our era.