Editorial Comment

T. CAMPBELL, Managing Editor

According to Gulf Energy Information’s Global Energy Infrastructure (GEI) database, there are more than 1,200 active green hydrogen (H₂) projects and 175 blue H₂ projects globally, of which 237 (green H₂) and 17 (blue H₂) are operational. In addition, the GEI database is tracking 222 H₂ transportation projects (e.g., heavy-duty vehicles, cars, buses) and 44 industrial projects, such as metal working (alloying), glass production, various projects in the electronics industry and applications in electricity generation. 

Most of the industrial applications projects being tracked are in Europe (59%). For example, the Energy in the Container project in Erlangen, Germany is operational. This pilot project aims to explore how portable fuel cells can be optimized for industrial usage. Fraunhofer IISB has established an extensive H₂ infrastructure for research activities and services.  

In Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland, Hydropolis United and Regionalny Zaklad Zagospodarowania Odpadow (RZZO) are planning the RZZO waste-to-H₂ plant. The RZZO facility will be able to process up to 40 tons per day (tpd) of plastic trash and produce up to 2 tpd–3 tpd of H₂, in addition to power and heat. The planned start date of the project is in 2025. 

Another example of a planned waste-to-H₂ project is in Saudi Arabia: The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and CarbonMeta Technologies (KACST) plant. The KACST waste-to-H₂ plant will use microwave catalysis to convert plastic waste into H₂ gas, and will work on developing H₂ and carbon extraction techniques for industrial use. The planned start date of the project is in 2027. 

Hydrogen Utopia (HUI) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have similar waste-to-H₂ goals in Japan. The facility will explore implementing HUI's waste plastic-to-H₂ facilities in Japan. It will study the technology and explore the commercial potential to develop plants that utilize non-recyclable mixed waste plastic for H₂ production. 

In the U.S., Mi-Jack is the owner-operator of the planned Mi-Jack rubber-tire gantry (RTG) crane in Illinois. Mi-Jack selected US Hybrid, a subsidiary of Ideanomics, to convert a RTG crane from fossil diesel to H₂. All manufacturing, assembly and system testing will occur at US Hybrid’s engineering facility in Torrance, California. Mi-Jack will install the H₂ propulsion kit into the RTG crane at its Illinois facility, with US Hybrid providing all necessary engineering diagrams and onsite support. US Hybrid will source a H₂ fuel cell system from Hyundai Motor Corp. and will locally manufacture core components, including the H₂ storage tanks and cooling systems. H₂T