Vattenfall to build 100MW hydrogen plant at Moorburg
Swedish utility Vattenfall will build an electrolysis plant with a capacity of 100MW at its recently closed Moorburg coal-fired plant in Hamburg, Germany.
The project remains subject to a final investment decision (FID) but the company estimates the plant could start generating hydrogen in 2025, according to its planning schedule.
The utility has joined forces with Shell, Japanese engineering firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hamburg's municipal heating company to build the plant that will generate hydrogen from the electricity generated from offshore wind farms in the German North Sea and onshore wind turbines and solar units in the region.
Under a letter of intent signed by the partners, they also aim to build a green energy hub on the same site and investigate further to what extent the existing infrastructure at Moorburg can be used in the future to generate energy based on renewable power.
The partners also aim to apply in this quarter for funding under the EU's programme for projects of common interest.
The partners said the Moorburg site has ideal conditions for further use. It is connected to both the national 380kV transmission network and the 110kV network of the city of Hamburg.
Numerous potential customers for green hydrogen are located in the vicinity of the site, so that the entire hydrogen value chain — from generation to storage and transport to specific applications in the various sectors — can be mapped on site, Vattenfall said.
The previous 1.6GW Moorburg coal-fired power plant was taken out of the wholesale market in December last year as Vattenfall won a bid in the first tender for coal-capacity closures. The company is still waiting for a final decision by the relevant transmission system operator on the system relevance of the plant, which is scheduled for March 2021.
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Industry leaders urge realism in green hydrogen push
Industry leaders urge realism in green hydrogen push
Dubai, 28 April (Argus) — Hydrogen and its derivatives will have a critically important role to play in accelerating the energy transition but policymakers need to be more realistic given that many of the technologies are still in their infancy, energy industry leaders from the Middle East and Europe said Sunday at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh. "The market is a challenge," UAE energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said. "There is development of the market, but are we there yet? No. At the same time, are we serious about our production? I would say yes. It's between planning something, and getting the result you are aiming for." The UAE is planning to produce 1.4mn t/yr of hydrogen by 2031, more than 70pc of which will be green hydrogen, al-Mazrouei said. In the longer term the country aims to build its hydrogen capacity to 15mn t/yr by 2050. "Clean energy is something we decided to venture into 17 years ago when we began investing in the likes of [UAE state-owned renewables firm] Masdar and started thinking about what would happen after we export the last barrel of oil," UAE energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said. "What we did first is regulate and put a strategy of how much to produce." Al-Mazrouei's Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, voiced similar concerns. "We don't mind partnering with everybody… With the Koreans, the Japanese, our friends the UAE… but there are challenges," he said. "There is a lack of clarity on the policies, a lack of clarity on the receiving or consumer end, a lack of clarity on the incentives and a lack of clarity around what it takes to develop these technologies." Arguably more prohibitive is the "economics" of new energies such as hydrogen, he said. The cost of green hydrogen today is "between roughly $250-300/bl of oil equivalent," Prince Abdulaziz said. "What kind of a business acumen would choose to buy at $250-300/bl?" Al-Mazrouei agreed that costs are too high. "We cannot just treat the consumers as if they are ready to just pay double or triple the price [of conventional energies today]." Let's be serious The EU has set ambitious targets on renewable hydrogen. In 2022, the bloc doubled its 2030 production target to 10mn t/yr, from 5.6mn t/yr previously, and it is also working towards a separate pledge to import another 10mn t/yr by the same date. The production target is an unrealistic goal, according to the Saudi energy minister. "Those projects that have crossed the finishing line only come to 400,000t ꟷ around 4pc of the target," Prince Abdulaziz said. "How is it conceivable that in 2024, only 4pc has been achieved? How can people imagine that 10mn t/yr can be achieved?" TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanne, who was speaking on the same panel, was even more blunt in his assessment, describing the EU's target as "impossible" and "not in reality". "Let us recognise that we are still at the infancy stage, and stop speaking about 10mn t, 20mn t, just to the media. It makes no sense," Pouyanne said. "Let's just be serious about it and find the right roadmap. Yes, we probably won't reach our target by 2030, but that's not a problem. It's more important to take steps and spend the money economically, to give them affordable and clean energy." By Nader Itayim Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
STB chair Oberman to leave rail agency on 10 May
STB chair Oberman to leave rail agency on 10 May
Washington, 26 April (Argus) — US Surface Transportation Board (STB) chairman Martin Oberman (D) said today that he would retire in two weeks, though a replacement has not been named. Oberman informed President Joe Biden of his decision in a letter earlier today. Oberman said in mid-November 2023 that he would exit the agency in early 2024 . His five-year term expired on 31 December but he continued to serve into his one-year holdover term. No additional details have been announced, but vice chairman Karen Hedlund (D) is expected to lead the rail regulator until a formal appointment has been made. Chairman Oberman's "commitment to exploring all sides of an issue was pivotal in helping to find solutions for stakeholders," the Freight Rail Customer Alliance said. National Grain and Feed Association chief executive Mike Seyfert said pointed to Oberman's actions in working toward significant regulatory milestones for agricultural shippers and railroads. Under Oberman's leadership, STB has moved forward on long-standing proposal to allow reciprocal switching. The switching plan would allow a shipper served by a single railroad to request that its freight be transferred to another major railroad at a designated interchange point. STB is expected to act on reciprocal switching as early as this month, after introducing a plan tied to railroad service performance in September 2023. His term was also highlighted by several major industry events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern and the 2022 rail service crisis. Oberman was nominated by former US president Donald Trump in July 2018. His appointment was confirmed by the US Senate in January 2019 and he was appointed chairman by President Joe Biden in January 2021. By Abby Caplan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
New technologies aim to boost SAF production
New technologies aim to boost SAF production
London, 26 April (Argus) — A likely rise in global demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), underpinned by mandates for its use, is encouraging development of new production pathways. While hydrotreated esters and fatty acids synthesised paraffinic kerosine (HEFA-SPK) remains the most common type of SAF available today, much more production will be needed. The International Air Transport Association (Iata) estimated SAF output at around 500,000t in 2023, and expects this to rise to 1.5mn t this year, but that only meets around 0.5pc of global jet fuel demand. An EU-wide SAF mandate will come into effect in 2025 that will set a minimum target of 2pc, with a sub-target for synthetic SAF starting from 2030. This week the UK published its domestic SAF mandate , also targeting a 2pc SAF share in 2025 and introducing a power-to-liquid (PtL) obligation from 2028. New pathways involve different technology to unlock use of a wider feedstock base. US engineering company Honeywell said this week its hydrocracking technology, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) Unicracking, can be used to produce SAF from biomass such as crop residue or wood and food waste. Renewable fuels producer DG Fuels will use the technology for its SAF facility in Louisiana, US. The plant will be able to produce 13,000 b/d of SAF starting from 2028, Honeywell said. The company said its SAF technologies — which include ethanol-to-jet , which converts cellulosic ethanol into SAF — have been adopted at more than 50 sites worldwide including Brazil and China. Honeywell is part of the Google and Boeing-backed United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund , which is aimed at scaling up SAF production. German alternative fuels company Ineratec said this week it will use South African integrated energy firm Sasol's FT catalysts for SAF production. The catalysts will be used in Ineratec's plants, including a PtL facility it is building in Frankfurt, Germany. The plant will be able to produce e-fuels from green hydrogen and CO2, with a capacity of 2,500 t/yr of e-fuels beginning in 2024. The e-fuels will then be processed into synthetic SAF. Earlier this month , ethanol-to-jet producer LanzaJet said it has received funding from technology giant Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund, "to continue building its capability and capacity to deploy its sustainable fuels process technology globally". The producer recently signed a licence and engineering agreement with sustainable fuels company Jet Zero Australia to progress development of an SAF plant in north Queensland, Australia. The plant will have capacity of 102mn l/yr of SAF. Polish oil firm Orlen formed a partnership with Japanese electrical engineering company Yakogawa to develop SAF technology . They aim to develop a technological process to synthesise CO2 and hydrogen to form PtL SAF. The SAF will be produced from renewable hydrogen as defined by the recast EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and bio-CO2 from biomass boilers, Orlen told Argus . By Evelina Lungu Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan’s JBIC to finance Chilean copper mine development
Japan’s JBIC to finance Chilean copper mine development
Osaka, 26 April (Argus) — Japan is enhancing its financial support for the development of copper mines in Chile, as part of efforts to increase its self-efficiency of base metals. State-owned Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC) on 25 April signed a $248mn loan agreement with Chile-based joint-venture Compania Minera Arqueros (CMAQ) to finance development of its Arqueros copper project in Chile. CMAQ is 80pc owned by Japanese copper producer Nittetsu Mining and 20pc by Chilean firm Fondo de Inversion Privado Talcuna. The load will be co-financed by other Japanese private-sector financial firms, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, Mizuho Bank and MUFG Bank. The total co-funding will be $355mn. CMAQ plans to use the funding to develop Arqueros, located 35km northeast of La Serena. The mine is expected to produce 1.8mn t/yr of crude ore and 55,000 t/yr of copper concentrates for 15 years. The company aims to start operations in 2026. Nittetsu is to secure all the output from the project. The latest deal follows last month's loan agreement by JBIC and other financial institutes to provide $2.5bn to develop the Centinela copper mine in Chile . Japan relies on all its copper concentrates demand from imports, which has prompted the government to secure long-term and stable supplies of copper resources. The country's strategic energy plan has a target to achieve at least an 80pc self-sufficiency for base metals, including copper, by 2030. By Motoko Hasegawa Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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