MINEX Forum

Tag: hydrogen

  • Anglo American Leads Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Revolution Across Europe

    Anglo American Leads Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Revolution Across Europe

    Anglo American, the South Africa-linked mining giant, is spearheading the introduction of platinum-catalysed hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in Europe, offering new mobility options across major cities.

    The London- and Johannesburg-listed corporation is partnering with FCEV taxi operator Hype under the banner of H2 Moves Europe to bring these eco-friendly vehicles to the continent.

    Since launching in Berlin in 2022, the initiative has expanded to Paris and Brussels, with Hamburg reportedly the next stop. H2 Moves Europe has already achieved over eight million zero-emission kilometres across nearly 650,000 passenger journeys.

    Key partners include Toyota Deutschland and SafeDriver-ennoo in Berlin, while Paris boasts a 250-strong hydrogen-powered FCEV taxi fleet, featuring models like the Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo, Peugeot e-Expert, and Citroën ë-Jumpy vans adapted for wheelchair access. Brussels follows a similar pattern, with a fleet of 50 FCEVs.

    In each case, platinum group metals (PGMs) from South Africa play a crucial role, working alongside emission-free green hydrogen, which Hasan Akbulut, an academic expert, highlights on LinkedIn for its high energy content and its significance across various industries, including the chemicals sector.

    Moreover, the New York Times reports that the Biden administration has finalised new rules offering substantial tax credits to companies producing hydrogen—an element efficiently produced using PGM-catalysed proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers and converted back into green electricity through PEM fuel cells.

    Zero-emission PEM fuel cells are gaining traction in various sectors, from buses and commercial trucks to trains, ships, and power stations, providing clean energy solutions for both mobile and stationary needs.

    Notably, Ballard Power Systems has secured contracts to supply fuel cell engines for zero-emission trains and city buses, validating the advantages of fuel cells as a sustainable transport alternative.

    As hydrogen’s industrial applications grow, Bosch Hydrogen Energy reports a transition to large-scale PEM electrolysis systems with capacities in the hundreds of megawatts, positioning hydrogen as a major player in future energy production.

    The global hydrogen movement is gaining momentum, with major cities and industries investing in projects to produce, store, and utilise hydrogen for greener energy solutions. From China to Europe and the US, hydrogen continues to emerge as a pivotal technology for decarbonising industries across the world.

  • ArcelorMittal Warns of Possible Halt to German Decarbonisation Plans Without Cheap Renewable Energy

    ArcelorMittal Warns of Possible Halt to German Decarbonisation Plans Without Cheap Renewable Energy

    Steelmaker ArcelorMittal has issued a warning that it may not proceed with its plans to decarbonise its steel plants in Germany unless it secures cheap electricity and a sufficient supply of renewables and hydrogen. On Friday, Thomas Buenger, head of the steelmaker’s German division, stated that without internationally competitive energy prices and adequate green electricity and hydrogen, there is an increased risk of industrial production capacity leaving the country.

    Buenger emphasized that these conditions need to be met by mid-2025, the deadline for ArcelorMittal’s final investment decision on its €2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) decarbonisation plan for its German steel mills. Out of this total, around €1.3 billion are expected to be covered by German government subsidies, similar to the decarbonisation projects of peers Thyssenkrupp and Salzgitter, which also rely on public support.

    Buenger mentioned that detailed planning and the review of the economic viability of the transformation plans are currently underway.

  • Researchers just discovered a massive ‘jacuzzi bubbling with almost pure hydrogen’ — a lucrative source of clean energy

    Researchers just discovered a massive ‘jacuzzi bubbling with almost pure hydrogen’ — a lucrative source of clean energy

    Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a promising alternative to fossil fuels due to its lack of carbon emissions when burned. However, traditional methods of hydrogen generation have been energy-intensive and environmentally harmful. Recently, researchers identified a significant reservoir of hydrogen in a mine in Albania, offering potential as a clean energy source. Located in the Bulqizë chromite mine near Albania’s capital, Tirana, this reservoir emits over 200 tons of H2 gas annually, making it one of the largest known flow rates of hydrogen. Despite its potential, the high concentrations of hydrogen in the mine have led to several explosions, resulting in fatalities and injuries. Lead researcher Laurent Truche described the reservoir as a remarkable find, transforming a mine gallery into a bubbling jacuzzi of nearly pure hydrogen. While hydrogen is highly flammable, if safely harnessed, this discovery could become a significant energy source. The rarity of large, natural hydrogen reservoirs underscores the uniqueness of this find. However, researchers suggest that areas with similar geological characteristics may harbor similar resources, opening avenues for further exploration. This discovery coincides with President Joe Biden’s initiative to invest $7 billion in hydrogen hubs across the US. These hubs aim to produce millions of metric tons of clean hydrogen annually by 2030, aligning with efforts to transition to sustainable energy sources.

  • Massive hydrogen reservoir discovered beneath an Albanian mine could be an untapped source of clean energy

    Massive hydrogen reservoir discovered beneath an Albanian mine could be an untapped source of clean energy

    A massive hydrogen reservoir may be lurking deep beneath a chromium mine in Albania, a new study has found.

    The reservoir sits within a portion of Earth’s crust and mantle that once lay at the bottom of the ocean and was scraped off when the tectonic plate it rode on slid beneath another plate. The crumpled slab of crust and mantle was thrust onto land between 45 million and 15 million years ago and formed a 1,900-mile-long (3,000 kilometers) rocky belt, known as an ophiolite, that extends from present-day Turkey to Slovenia.

    Ophiolites exist worldwide, and research has previously documented hydrogen gas leaking from boreholes and mines drilled into these formations. In the new study, scientists discovered the reservoir thanks to huge clouds of hydrogen gas wafting from pools of water inside the Bulqizë mine, which is located 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Tirana, Albania. Such hydrogen reservoirs could be tapped to provide carbon-free fuel, but the deep infrastructure needed to do so is lacking and the gas is inherently difficult to extract.

    “We have seen plenty of hyper alkaline springs hosted in ophiolites worldwide where hydrogen is bubbling [out],” lead study author Laurent Truche, a professor of geochemistry at Grenoble Alpes University in France, told Live Science in an email. But “what we have observed deep in the mine is another dimension,” Truche said, and “turns a draining pool inside a mine gallery into a breathtaking 30-square-meter [323 square feet] jacuzzi bubbling with almost pure hydrogen.”

    Truche and his colleagues explored the deepest levels of the Bulqizë chromium mine and recorded extreme quantities of hydrogen gas leaking from the rocks and bubbling through pools of water. Their measurements suggest that at least 220 tons (200 metric tons) of high-quality hydrogen escape from the mine every year, which is one of the largest natural hydrogen flow rates documented to date.

    Hydrogen is a highly flammable gas. The high concentrations measured inside the Bulqizë mine are thought to have sparked three explosions since 2011, killing four miners and injuring many more. “Our study will help to understand the phenomenon and to improve safety,” Truche said.

    The discovery also sheds light on the geological conditions that seal large reserves of natural hydrogen underground. Hydrogen venting from the Bulqizë mine likely accumulated in tectonic fractures between two blocks of rock deep within the ophiolite, according to the new study, which was published Thursday (Feb. 8) in the journal Science. This fault zone is estimated to be 33 feet (10 meters) wide, up to 3,300 feet (1,000 m) long and up to 16,400 feet (5,000 m) deep, and it “can easily be observed in the deepest mine galleries,” between 1,640 feet (500 m) and 3,300 feet deep, Truche said.

    “We still don’t know how this fault is sealed, but it has no visible footprint at the surface,” he added.

    As much as 55,000 tons (50,000 metric tons) of hydrogen could lurk in the reservoir beneath the mine — enough to sustain the high flow rate for 238 years, according to the study.

    Deposits of natural hydrogen are a promising source of carbon-free energy if they are extractable and sufficiently large.

    “What sets our discovery apart is the large flux of almost pure [hydrogen] gas we have observed,” the authors wrote in the study. “In the context of energy transition, our findings could substantially affect the ongoing search for new energy resources.”