Cummins To Cease New Electrolyser Activity Amid Worsening Market
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Renewables Now.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Cummins Inc has decided to stop new commercial activity in the electrolysers space following a strategic review of the segment launched last year, citing deteriorating market conditions and weakening customer demand.
The decision is linked to USD 458 million (EUR 388.4m) of charges for the full-year 2025 related to the electrolyser business within the company’s zero-emission technologies arm, Accelera, of which USD 415 million were non-cash charges.
The company noted that it will continue to fulfil existing customer commitments before winding down new commercial activity in the segment.
Although, I am in favour of using hydrogen as a fuel, I recognise, that traditional electrolysis is not the most efficient process.
These methods are more efficient.
HiiROC
- HiiROC use a process, that they call Thermal Plasma Electrolysis to split any hydrocarbon gas into hydrogen and carbon black.
- HiiROC originated in the University of Hull.
- Typical gases that can be used are chemical plant off-gas, biomethane and methane.
- I like the ability to use chemical plant off-gas, as some of this is particularly nasty and HiiROC may offer safe disposal.
But the big advantage is that the HiiROC process is five times more energy efficient than traditional electrolysis.
The carbon black is no useless by-product, but has several valuable uses in its own right, which are detailed in its Wikipedia entry.
These two paragraphs from Wikipedia, give a summary of the more common uses of carbon black.
The most common use (70%) of carbon black is as a reinforcing phase in automobile tires. Carbon black also helps conduct heat away from the tread and belt area of the tire, reducing thermal damage and increasing tire life. Its low cost makes it a common addition to cathodes and anodes and is considered a safe replacement to lithium metal in lithium-ion batteries. About 20% of world production goes into belts, hoses, and other non-tire rubber goods. The remaining 10% use of carbon black comes from pigment in inks, coatings, and plastics, as well as being used as a conductive additive in lithium-ion batteries.
Carbon black is added to polypropylene because it absorbs ultraviolet radiation, which otherwise causes the material to degrade. Carbon black particles are also employed in some radar absorbent materials, in photocopier and laser printer toner, and in other inks and paints. The high tinting strength and stability of carbon black has also provided use in coloring of resins and films. Carbon black has been used in various applications for electronics. A good conductor of electricity, carbon black is used as a filler mixed in plastics, elastomer, films, adhesives, and paints. It is used as an antistatic additive agent in automobile fuel caps and pipes.
It can also be used as a soil improver in agriculture.
HiiROC would appear to be five times more energy efficient than traditional electrolysis.
I would also rate the range of their investors as a particular strength.
Google AI lists these companies as investors.
HiiROC, a UK-based developer of plasma torch technology for “turquoise” hydrogen production, is backed by a consortium of industrial and strategic investors. Key investors include Centrica, Melrose Industries, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, HydrogenOne Capital, CEMEX Ventures, Wintershall Dea, and VNG.
Note.
- CEMEX must be going to decarbonise cement making.
- Melrose describe themselves as an industry-leading aerospace technology provider.
- Will we be seeing hydrogen cars from Korean manufacturers?
- Wintershall Dea is Europe’s leading independent gas and oil company.
HiiROC has an impressive list of investors.
Bloom Energy
I wrote about Bloom Energy’s process in Westinghouse And Bloom Energy To Team Up For Pink Hydrogen.
This method also looks promising.
- Westinghouse Electric Company is an American builder of nuclear power stations.
- Bloom Energy Corporation make a solid-oxide electrolyser.
- Pink hydrogen is green hydrogen produced using nuclear power.
It uses electrolysis at a higher temperature, which speeds it up.
Desert Bloom
This is an Australian process, that I wrote about in 10GW Green Hydrogen Project Aims To Electrolyze Water Drawn From Desert Air.
Conclusion
You can understand, why Cummins are getting jumpy!
But you have to remember that when I worked in a hydrogen plant in the 1960s, the hydrogen was an unwanted by-product and it was mixed with coal gas and sent down the power station to raise steam, so that it could be used to do something useful.
FEV And Daimler Buses Create Hydrogen Coach Demonstrator
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Automotive World.
This is the sub-heading.
Daimler Buses and engineering firm FEV have developed a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Setra coach, marking the first hydrogen demonstrator vehicle in the coach segment for the Daimler Truck subsidiary. The H₂ Coach technology demonstrator, which was handed over to Daimler Buses in summer 2025 following approximately two years of development and approval by German technical inspection authority TÜV, offers a range of at least 800 kilometres per tank filling and is intended for testing purposes.
The article also has a picture, which shows.
- A typical modern coach design with three axles.
- Setra H2 Coach branding.
- A Slogan of “Travelling Towards a Sustainable Future”
It looks very similar to images of Wrightbus’s three-axle Contour design. But that would mean, they could fit similar infrastructure.
But when I asked Google AI, when the Wrightbus three-axle hydrogen coach would enter passenger service, I received this answer.
Wrightbus’s three-axle hydrogen fuel cell electric coach is planned for launch in 2026. The company, which is developing the vehicle in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has confirmed the project is aimed at decarbonising long-distance travel, with a projected range of up to 1,000 km.
It would appear that Wrightbus are ahead on range and timescale.
All Five Halted US Offshore Wind Farms Resume Construction
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
All five US offshore wind farms under construction that received stop-work orders from the US government have been cleared to continue building, with Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind project the fifth project to be granted a preliminary injunction as part of a lawsuit challenging the order issued by the Director of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on 22 December 2025.
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall of the Oval Office in the White House, as what words could the dumbest United States President of my lifetime possibly use to put any positive spin on such an overwhelming five-round defeat, where he was screwed, glued and tattooed to borrow an expression from Brian, who was one of my favourite accountants.
This table summarises the five wind farms.
- Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind-Commercial – 2600 MW – Operation in 2027.
- Empire Wind 1 – 816 MW – Operation in 2026.
- Revolution Wind – 704 MW – Operation in 2026.
- Sunrise Wind – 924 MW – Operation in 2027.
- Vineyard Wind 1 – 804 MW – Operation in late 2026.
The five farms total nearly 6 GW.
This is what Google AI says about the usefulness of 6 GW to power typical United States houses.
6 gigawatts (GW) of power can supply approximately 5 million US homes, based on recent large-scale energy capacity deals. Depending on energy efficiency and regional usage, this capacity typically translates to around 750,000 homes per 1 GW, meaning 6 GW can cover a range of roughly 4.5 million to 5 million households.
I doubt Trump will give up gracefully.
Centrica Energy And Seneca Resources Company Sign First-of-Its-Kind Long-Term MiQ Methane Emissions Certificates Agreement
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica Energy and Seneca Resources Company are proud to announce a groundbreaking agreement, marking the first long-term deal of its kind to support independently verified methane emissions from an MiQ-certified US natural gas producer, helping to underpin reductions over time. This ten-year agreement underscores the commitment of Centrica and Seneca to support global efforts to reduce methane emissions.
This first paragraph added more detail.
Centrica Energy sources and delivers gas and LNG globally, including LNG shipped from the US to international markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Centrica will procure 250,000 MMBtu per day of MiQ-certified gas certificates over the next ten years, a strategic move that positions Centrica at the forefront of methane reduction initiatives, aligns with emerging regulatory requirements, and reinforces leadership in sustainable energy practices.
MiQ is new to me, so here is what the press release says about MiQ.
MiQ is a global leader in methane emissions certification and data. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to lower emissions gas by providing a credible and transparent certification system that drives regulatory compliance, incentivizes continuous improvement, and ensures methane accountability in the oil and gas sector throughout the entire supply chain.
It appears to me that MiQ-certified low-emissions gas is almost like an equivalent of FairTrade coffee.
If the UK buys its gas as MiQ-certified low-emissions gas, it could claim, that it has cut its gas emissions.
Google AI On Low-Emission Natural Gas
I asked its view and received this answer.
Low-emission natural gas refers to methane-based energy with significantly reduced greenhouse gas, methane leakage, and particulate emissions, often achieved through enhanced extraction, certification, or blending with cleaner gases. It offers up to 40% less (CO2) than coal and 20-30% less than oil, serving as a critical transition fuel to support renewable energy.
low-emission natural gas would seem to be a sensible way to go.
Is There A Plan To Increase The Capacity Of the Elizabeth Line?
On Sunday, when I came back from West Ealing station to Moorgate station on Sunday after taking the pictures, that I used in West Ealing Station – 1st February 2026, I was at the wrong end of the train for getting out at Moorgate.
So I had to walk from one end to the other of one of the most crowded Elizabeth Line trains, I’ve ever been on.
If it was as crowded as that on a Sunday morning, then it would appear, that the capacity of the line needs to be increased.
So I asked Google AI, the title of this post and received this reply.
Yes, there is a firm plan to increase the capacity of the Elizabeth line, driven by high demand and to support the future opening of the HS2 station at Old Oak Common. Transport for London is producing 10 new Class 345 trains to boost service, with expected delivery in 2026-2028.
But is 2026-2028 going to be early enough?
University Of Alberta Partners With City of Edmonton And Diesel Tech Industries To Pilot Hydrogen-Diesel Bus Retrofits
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Pulse 2.0.
These two paragraphs introduce what is a comprehensive practical approach to decarbonising a fleet of diesel buses.
The University of Alberta is partnering with the City of Edmonton and Diesel Tech Industries to cut carbon emissions from Edmonton’s fleet of diesel-powered buses by integrating hydrogen fuel into existing combustion engines.
The initiative focuses on developing a practical retrofit approach to help transit agencies and other vehicle operators reduce emissions quickly without waiting for full fleet replacement. Project leaders say that if the pilot succeeds, the work could translate into a deployable solution for operators across Canada seeking near-term carbon reductions while maintaining current diesel assets.
Note.
- The City of Edmonton has around a thousand buses.
- Many of Edmonton’s buses have Cummins engines.
- Cummins are decarbonising the company and have developed hydrogen-conversions for some of their diesel engines.
- I am sure that this technique could be used to convert London’s thousand new Routemaster buses, with their Cummins engines.
This project seems to have a lot of possibilities to get very much larger.
West Ealing Station – 1st February 2026
Because of the confusion of WordPress yesterday, I had to go back to West Ealing station to take more pictures today.
These are the pictures that I took.
These are some of my thoughts.
The High-Density Transport-Hub Cluster
This seems to be coming on with several blocks now visible and the Waitrose site to be developed.
There also seems to be some useful shops, which include a pleasant Italian cafe on the North side of the rail lines.
The Fast-Charge System Contacts
Note.
- These are shown in Pictures 16-17!
- There are two contacts, which are in yellow for safety reasons.
- I wonder how many can be installed?
- Is it one per battery and one battery per car?
I suspect by duplicating cables and putting them underneath and between the tracks, the Fast-Charge system could handle a train like a Class 800 train.
Will Other High-Density Transport-Hub Clusters Be Developed Along The Elizabeth Line?
This is one for the nimbys, planners, politicians and residents, but I don’t see why some councils will try.
I Have Just Been WordPressed
My method of using WordPress is to use the Classic editor because, that was how I started and many of the original posts were created with it.
I also do some actions with galleries, which now the program seems to have banned.
Rule one of writing software is never to go back on your original design and change things that they habitually do.
Some big software manufacturers do it all the time and I’m sure it does them harm.
As an example, who remembers the company; Wordstar, but loads of people remember and use Control-C, Control-V, Control-X, Control-Z etc.
The solution is to get the design right first time.
WordPress are driving me nuts, by my not being able to edit my post ; The Ultimate Recycled Electric Local Train.
I particularly want to get the gallery in the post into order. If I try to move the last picture into position zero, I can do it and it even stays there when I update the gallery. But if I go back to do another move, the picture is back to the old place.
That looks like a Grade A Bug to me! Fix It!
The Ultimate Recycled Electric Local Train
This morning, I took a ride across London to ride in the first Class 230 train in public service in London.
I took these pictures of the new block of flats going up at West Ealing station, the charging system for the train and the train.
Note.
- The train is three-cars with a toilet to suit everybody, except possibly Donald Trump, who’d want it in gold.
- The single train is shuttling between West Ealing and Greenford stations.
- Each journey 2.5 mile journey takes eleven minutes.
I was surprised at the number of tables and the quality of the seats.
These are some extra thoughts.
The Blocks Of Flats
Google AI gave me this.
Several new developments around West Ealing station feature tall blocks, with major proposals ranging from 4 to 26 storeys. Key projects include a 26-storey tower, proposed 19–22 storey towers on Manor Road/Waitrose site, and 7–21 storey student accommodation blocks. These, along with other 9-storey developments, are transforming the area into a high-density “transport hub” cluster.
I think the 26-storey West 55 Tower is shown in the first two pictures.
Google AI also says some of the natives are not happy about all the towers.
But I like the “high density” transport hub.
Integrating The Railway And The Housing
Note.
- This would appear to be a good example of integrating the railway and the housing.
- The second picture appears to show a walkway between the station and Tower 55.
- I met a property developer on a train once and he told me, that housing on top of stations without car parking, had better numbers all round, with more flats, less cost and good profit.
- I wonder, if Tower 55, is one of his? He was certainly enthusiastic about the concept.
- Would a Fast-Charge system be easier and very much safer to squeeze in than traditional overhead wiring?
If the flats all don’t have garages, there must be space for other uses.
The Charger At Work
Note.
- The third to the sixth pictures, show the train coming into the station and charging ready for a trip to Greenford.
- The train acts as a heavy safety guard during the process.
- Anything electrical or dangerous is underneath the train.
I would expect that a health and safety expert, would rate the train no more dangerous than a normal train.
There Seems To Have Been A Lot Of Innovative Recycling On The Train
This certainly seems to apply to the seats, which in some cases are the originals remodeled.
A Stylish And Well-Built Train
This phrase would sum up my overall view of the train.
I have a Korean son-in-law and I know a bit, how Koreans think about design.
I would think, that he would like this as it is a stylish and practical train, so it wouldn’t embarrass you or your Korean boss, if you told him to use this train in the UK, to get to your offices.
Using my Korean example, I suspect, that this train could be one that endears itself to its passengers, with its quirky and practical feel, just like the original Mini did.
Adrian Shooter Would Be Pleased
Most Certainly!
I wish all the team well, as I believe this technology and a few trains like 230001 will make their mark on the world.
A Practical Hundred Mile Battery-Electric Route
The Sheffield and Scunthorpe Line is a Parliamentary Service.
- It is 71.6 miles over 1 hour and 48 minutes, through seven stations of the Lincolnshire countryside, at an average speed of 40 mph.
- Currently, it runs once per day, which is not very ideal for a job, education, training, shopping or visiting grandchildren.
- A two-car version of 230001 could be ideal to perhaps do four round or five trips a day and level-up some of the poorer parts of the UK, that don’t even have a decent bus service.
- A similar two-car train could also serve the 45-mile round-trip Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber service.
I am sure that this train could start the right sort of rural or urban revolution.
The Anonymous Widower 