OFCHC Global Spotlight

The Global Spotlight is OFCHC's bi-weekly news feed, that covers a comprehensive list of the most recent top news in the global fuel cell and hydrogen industry. With OFCHC's Global spotlight, we keep you at the forefront of developments in research, industry and academia.

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In The News

Plug Power Starts Production of Liquid Green Hydrogen at its Georgia Plant

January 25, 2024

Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a global leader in comprehensive hydrogen solutions for the green hydrogen economy, has started operation of the largest liquid green hydrogen plant in the U.S. market.

A truly unique accomplishment, this is the largest electrolytic liquid hydrogen production plant, and largest PEM electrolyzer deployment operating in the U.S., representing a landmark achievement in Plug’s build-out of a vertically integrated hydrogen ecosystem.

Highlights from 2023—a Big Year for Clean Hydrogen

January 17, 2024

At the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), across the United States, and all over the world, 2023 was a year to remember for clean hydrogen.

For decades, DOE has been laying the foundation of our nation’s clean-hydrogen economy by driving down costs and improving technologies through research, development, and demonstration (RD&D), while advancing technologies from the lab to demonstration phases and breaking down barriers to deployment and commercialization. 

The past twelve months saw much of that groundwork pay off.

“Dirt-powered fuel cell” draws near-limitless energy from soil

January 17, 2024

A Northwestern University team has demonstrated a remarkable new way to generate electricity, with a paperback-sized device that nestles in soil and harvests power created as microbes break down dirt – for as long as there’s carbon in the soil.

Microbial fuel cells, as they’re called, have been around for more than 100 years. They work a little like a battery, with an anode, cathode and electrolyte – but rather than drawing electricity from chemical sources, they work with bacteria that naturally donate electrons to nearby conductors as they chow down on soil.

Fuel Cell Electric Trucks Are Coming, Ready Or Not

January 11, 2024

The road ahead has not gotten much easier for fuel cell cars, but trucks are a different matter. Just a couple of weeks ago, Isuzu and Honda kicked off a months-long road test of their GIGA FUEL CELL heavy-duty truck, ahead of a commercial launch anticipated in 2027. They better act fast, because more fuel cell trucks are headed for the highways this year.

Register Today for the Hydrogen Infrastructure Strategies Workshop in Denver

December 26, 2023

This two-day event will convene stakeholders from industry, academia, national laboratories, and government to explore strategies to develop and demonstrate clean hydrogen storage, delivery, and dispensing infrastructure in three high-impact sectors:

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell inspired by the structure of a lung

December 20, 2023

In a valuable contribution to ongoing research projects on development of innovative bipolar plate designs for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, scientists from the University of Seville and the Paul Scherrer Institute have published two papers, one in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energies, and one in Electrochimica Acta.

Hydrogen Insights 2023 December Update

December 15, 2023

Hydrogen will play a crucial role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, enable the at-scale transport of energy to resource-constrained regions, and enable a clean and resilient energy system. Its deployment is at an inflection point – on one hand there are tailwinds such as a growing and gradually maturing pipeline of projects and supportive decarbonization regulation. On the other hand, there are headwinds: cost increases, project delays, continued regulatory uncertainty, and higher financing costs.

New Reactor Design Is A Gamechanger For Green Hydrogen

December 8, 2023

North America is desperate for hydrogen breakthroughs, and GH Power’s new renewable energy technology is one of the latest. The technology uses exothermic reactions with only two inputs (end of life or recycled aluminum and water) to create three extremely valuable green outputs: hydrogen, alumina (aluminum oxide), and exothermic heat.

First Hydrogen to Develop High-Power Batteries for Hydrogen Powered Fuel Cell Vehicles

December 6, 2023

First Hydrogen will own all intellectual property developed during and in relation with the partnership, which shall be used for the sole purpose of manufacturing the Battery.

The Company’s engineering team and automotive partners have determined that the new battery system being developed and designed will have greater efficiency and increased performance for its hydrogen-powered-fuel-cell-vehicles (FCEV).

Joint SOEC Development Project Signed Between Hyundai Motor Company and Nexceris

December 1, 2023

A team from HMC(KIA), led by Hyunsoo Sohn, the head of the Energy Materials Research Group at Hyundai Motor Group, visited Nexceris for the signing ceremony and project kickoff meeting on October 24, 2023.

The project plans to integrate HMC’s technologies and Nexceris’ expertise in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)/SOEC manufacturing along with extensive single cell testing for Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs).