Irizar Hydrogen Coach With Bosch 190 kW Fuel-Cell System Faces Test Operation In Madrid
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article on Hydrogen Central.
Irizar have a page on their web site, which describes their hydrogen-powered coaches.
This paragraph describes their range.
The way our clients operate will not be changed, because the Irizar i6S Efficient Hydrogen has a range of up to 1000 km and minimal charging times, of around 20 minutes. In addition, it can run in 100% electric mode for short times, if required.
All hydrogen-powered coaches seem to claim a 1,000 km. range.
TRISO-X Completes Vertical Construction Of TX-1 Fuel Fabrication Facility
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from X-energy.
These two bullet-points act as sub-headings.
Completion of vertical construction marks major milestone for first-in-the-nation commercial scale advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility
Project advances into interior buildout, fuel fabrication equipment installation and construction of supporting facilities
These two paragraphs add more detail.
TRISO-X, LLC (“TRISO-X” or the “Company”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of X-Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: XE) (“X-energy”), today announced the completion of vertical construction at TX-1, its first-in-the-nation advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The milestone completes the primary building structure of the 214,000-square-foot facility and enables the project to advance fully into its next phase of construction, including interior buildout, installation of fuel fabrication equipment and continued construction of supporting facilities.
“Completing vertical construction is a major milestone for TX-1 and another tangible demonstration of the progress our team is making in Oak Ridge,” said Joel Duling, President of TRISO-X. “We are moving from constructing the core and shell of the facility to building out the interior utilities, installing manufacturing equipment, and constructing key support capabilities. Every milestone brings us closer to establishing a new domestic source of advanced nuclear fuel and supporting the deployment of the next generation of American nuclear reactors.”
Note.
- Oak Ridge is one of the United States premier nuclear facilities.
- It would be like building a similar facility for specialist nuclear reactor fuel at Harwell in the UK.
This is without doubt a very professional start to the X-energy programme.
I also feel that the fourth paragraph has important information.
Once operational, TX-1 is expected to produce approximately 700,000 TRISO-X fuel pebbles annually, equivalent to 5 metric tons of uranium (“MTU”), with capacity to provide fuel for up to 11 Xe-100 reactors. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“NRC”) granted TRISO-X a 40-year Special Nuclear Material License for the facility earlier this year, the first-ever NRC Category 2 fuel fabrication license issued for the processing of high-assay low-enriched uranium. TX-1 is expected to be the first new commercial-scale advanced U.S. nuclear fuel fabrication facility built in more than 50 years.
Note.
- TX-1 will be able to support eleven Xe-100 reactors.
- Four Xe-100 reactors will be built initially at Dow’s Seadrift site.
- In Hartlepool Nuclear Reactor Moves To UK Regulatory Assessment, I said that Hartlepool will eventually be a 12-pack site.
I can envisage a fuel strategy based on TX-1, which is something like this.
TX-1 will provide the TRISO fuel for the four reactors at Dow’s Seadrift site.
TX-1 will provide the TRISO fuel for the initial reactor or reactors at a new site like Hartlepool, or for other licensees like Amazon or North Western.
TX-1 will be cloned as necessary to create TX-2, TX-3, TX-4 etc. as more Xe-100 reactors are built.
I am sure, that there is relevant expertise to make TRISO-X fuel pebbles safely in Japan, Korea and the UK of the known partners of X-energy.
The Wikipedia entry for the Dragon reactor finishes with these three paragraphs.
The choice of helium coolant was made after a long debate within the UKAEA between proponents of helium and carbon dioxide, with helium ultimately selected. Groundbreaking occurred in 1960. It operated from 1965 to 1976, and is generally considered extremely successful.
Dragon’s construction was followed by similar work in the US, leading ultimately to the much larger Fort Saint Vrain Nuclear Power Plant. This suffered from a number of problems due to corrosion and the customer soured on the design. Contracts for similar models in the US that were being signed were cancelled, and although Dragon suffered none of these issues, no orders were forthcoming in Europe either. By this time the market had largely standardized on the pressurized water reactor (PWR) for the large buildout that occurred during the 1970s and 80s, and the decision was made to shut down Dragon.
As of 2023, Dragon is being decommissioned.
Note.
- It appears only two reactors using TRISO fuel have been constructed.
- The 20 MW Dragon reactor was extremely successful.
- The 330 MW Fort Saint Vrain reactor had corrosion problems.
- Both reactors used helium gas as a coolant.
- The Wikipedia entry for the Fort Saint Vrain reactor details the corrosion problems.
- According to Google AI fuel for Fort Saint Vrain was fabricated at the General Atomic Fuel Fabrication Facility in San Diego, California.
- According to Google AI fuel for the Dragon reactor was fabricated on-site at Winfrith.
After writing these seven points, I have concluded that TRISO-fueled helium-cooled nuclear reactor designs better suited to small reactors?
What does Google AI think?
I asked Google AI “Are TRISO-fueled helium-cooled nuclear reactor designs better suited to small reactors?” and received this reply.
TRISO-fueled, helium-cooled reactor designs are exceptionally well-suited for small and micro-modular reactor applications because their physical properties scale down efficiently to provide inherent safety and high-temperature operation.
Why They Suit Small Reactors
Inherent Safety (Walk-Away Safe): Each TRISO fuel particle acts as its own tiny containment system, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures (well over 1,600°C) without melting or releasing radioactive fission products. In a small reactor design, the high surface-area-to-volume ratio allows residual decay heat to dissipate passively through the reactor vessel walls, meaning the reactor cannot suffer a catastrophic meltdown even if active cooling completely fails.
Simplified Helium Cooling: Helium is chemically inert and does not absorb neutrons or become radioactive. In smaller reactor configurations, helium’s single-phase gas state eliminates the high-pressure water loops and massive containment structures required by traditional large light-water reactors.
High-Temperature Process Heat: Because helium can operate at very high temperatures without boiling off, small TRISO-gas systems can deliver high-grade industrial heat (useful for chemical plants or hydrogen production) alongside electricity.
Compact Footprint: Small modular reactor (SMR) and microreactor developers (such as X-energy and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation) leverage these traits to design factory-fabricated units that can be transported and sited near urban or off-grid industrial locations.
Key Challenges
Power Density and Size: Helium has a lower volumetric heat capacity than water, meaning gas-cooled cores can be physically bulkier per megawatt than water-cooled equivalents, placing a premium on optimizing core geometry for micro-scales.
Supply Chain and Cost: High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) and specialized TRISO manufacturing face immature supply chains and higher first-of-a-kind costs.
The more I read about X-energy’s technology, the more I like it.
Under The Railway At Oxford Station – 24th September 2026
I took these pictures as I walked under the railway using the new Botley Road underpass.
Note.
- I walked to the far side and then back again.
- Where I walked, there was also a cycle track.
- It looks like, when the station upgrade is completed, it will be possible to access both sides of the station from the underpass.
I can see this underpass winning some awards.
Electric Open-Top Bus In Oxford – 24th September 2026
I hadn’t intended to write about these buses from Wrightbus today, but Oxford is a lot easier to get to than Glasgow, which also has these buses.
I took these pictures.
Note.
- They seem to run about every fifteen minutes from the station.
- I am rather surprised that only Glasgow, London and Oxford have battery-electric open-top buses.
- I thought more mayors had big egos!
This article on the BBC is entitled Oxford Sightseeing Fleet Gets Eight New Electric Buses, gives more details.
Between Oxford And Reading Stations – 24th September 2026
Returning from Oxford to Reading, I took a nine-car Class 800 train, that was travelling between Oxford and Paddington stations.
- It was pathed at 125 mph.
- It only stopped at Reading.
- It was running on diesel
- I was sitting on the left side of the train in the sixth coach.
These are some pictures I took out of the window.
Note.
- There seems to be a lot of car parking at Oxford station.
- The Student Castle Oxford is student accommodation and has this Internet link.
- The Cowley Branch leads to BMW’s Mini factory and is being updated to a two-station branch for passenger trains as well.
- The Cowley branch appears to be double track, which should allow for two trains per hour, which is the initial desired frquency.
- There appears to be signs of more electrification.
- There is a solar-powered sewage farm as you approach Reading.
I am very puzzled about image of an electrification stanchion between Oxford station and the Cowley branch.
Consider.
- Between Oxford North junction, where the Chiltern Line joins the Cotswold Line and the Cowley branch is about 3.5 miles and takes about seven minutes, with a stop at Oxford station.
- The Cowley branch is only three miles long.
- There are also some electrification stanchions between the Cowley branch and the Great Western Main Line.
- There are no signs of electrification work in Oxford station.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the Cotswold Line through Oxford station.
Note.
- The Cotswold Line through Oxford is shown in orange.
- There is no current electrification and original plans have been dropped.
- At the North-East corner of the map, the Chiltern Line joins from Oxford Parkway station at Oxford Canal and Oxford North junctions.
- The blue arrow marks Kennington junction, where the Cowley branch joins the Cotswold Line.
- The BMW terminal is at the Eastern edge of the map.
Chiltern Railway’s trains will need to go between Oxford Canal junction and the two stations on the Cowley branch and return.
Are There Any Plans To Electrify The Chiltern Line?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
There are no fully funded or confirmed plans for complete electrification of the Chiltern Main Line, but Chiltern Railways and Network Rail are developing a business case for discontinuous electrification combined with battery-electric trains to replace the ageing diesel fleet from the early 2030s.
Current Plans and Decarbonisation Strategy
Discontinuous Electrification:Instead of wiring the entire route from London Marylebone to the West Midlands, the proposal relies on wiring select sections (such as north of High Wycombe towards Oxford or Banbury) to charge battery-electric rolling stock while avoiding costly bridge modifications and clearance issues.
Business Case Progress: Chiltern Railways has completed a strategic business case and is working with Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) on an outline business case.
Interim Fleet Upgrades: As part of its 2030 Vision, Chiltern is introducing newly leased Mark 5A carriages to boost capacity and reliability, while continuing long-term discussions regarding a power supply and infrastructure package for cleaner trains.
It would appear to me, that if the Southbound line between Oxford Canal junction and Kennington junction, that this would be enough electrification to allow Chiltern’s Oxford services to serve the Cowley branch and return.
Could GWR’s Cotswold Services Be Run On Batteries?
Consider.
- Didcot Parkway and London Paddington is fully electrified.
- Battery-electric Class 800, 801 and 802 trains have an off-wires range of around 120 miles.
- Between Oxford and Great Malvern is 75.9 miles.
- Between Oxford and Hereford is 86.3 miles.
- Between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill is 57 miles.
I believe with charging at the country end, these services could be run using battery-electric Hitachi trains.
With Federal Funding Windfall, X-energy Advances Small Nuclear Reactor
The title of this post, is the same as this article on Canary Media.
This is the sub-heading.
The Amazon-backed firm is aiming to build up to 144 of its novel Xe-100 reactors as the U.S. government seeks to revitalize an industry beset by rising costs
These three initial paragraphs add more detail.
The federal government has thrown its weight into reviving America’s long-stagnant nuclear industry, and X-energy’s first-of-a-kind reactor project is among the biggest beneficiaries so far.
The U.S. Department of Energy last month said it would award $1 billion to X-energy, an Amazon-backed advanced nuclear startup working to bring four novel 80-megawatt electric reactors online at a Dow Chemical facility in Seadrift, Texas, in the early 2030s.
The award nearly doubles the federal government’s commitment to X-energy, following a $1.2 billion investment in early 2021. Both tranches were structured as 50-50 cost-sharing agreements under the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, launched in 2020 to commercialize next-generation nuclear technologies.
Note.
- It looks like X-energy are well-funded.
- It also looks like they have received funding under two different presidents.
- I like Dow’s concept of using nuclear to power a chemical complex, which needs both lots of electricity and heat.
- If they build 144 reactors, this will be twelve of the 12-pack power station, that they have said they will build at Hartlepool and I wrote about in Hartlepool Nuclear Reactor Moves To UK Regulatory Assessment.
The next phase would appear to be up to the regulators.
The article on Canary Media is well worth giving a full read.
These are some important highlights.
Dow Seem Enthusiastic And Would Be An Ideal First Customer
In any large project the first customer is always important.
- Dow seem to fit the part well.
- I also suspect, that as Dow turned over around $40 billion in fiscal year 2025, they know what they want.
Even in nuclear power, the customer is generally right.
Has X-energy Found Any Customers For The Xe-100?
I asked Google AI, this question and received this answer.
Yes, X-energy has secured major commercial customers and strategic partners for the Xe-100 reactor.
Key Customers and Partners
Dow: Partnering to deploy an Xe-100 four-pack plant at the Seadrift chemicals manufacturing site in Texas to provide low-carbon heat and power.
Amazon: Bankrolling and collaborating on up to 12 Xe-100 units via Energy Northwest in Washington state, alongside broader clean energy scaling for AI infrastructure.
Centrica: Partnering in the UK to deploy a potential fleet of up to 6 GW (10 to 20 reactors), targeting the Hartlepool site.
Energy Northwest: A Washington public power utility working collaboratively on project deployment frameworks.
Note.
When, the four partners, of which I was one, started to develop the Artemis project management system, the salesman of the four, did a survey of who might buy.
A proportion of these became valuable clients.
As X-energy also has a world-class engineering partner from Japan and Korea, I feel that they have done their preparation thoroughly.
Where Is The TRISO Fuel To Be Made?
According to the Canary Media article, it will be made near Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
- This could be handy for support.
- It could ease recruiting some of the staff with the right experience.
- There may also be useful sub-contractors in the area, with the right experience and certification.
The location is an excellent one.
Has Centrica Been Recruited Because They Are British?
According to its Wikipedia entry, the Dragon reactor, which used TRISO fuel, was generally considered extremely successful.
So by inviting Centrica to be involved, will X-energy be able to get access to the British files concerning the details of the Dragon reactor?
Their interpretation may be the difference between success and failure of the project.
I wouldn’t be surprised that there is a very trustworthy and knowledgeable network of very elderly British nuclear engineers, who enjoy meeting in pubs, with only the best real ales.
Centrica To Invest In Fund Backing The Technologies Driving The Energy Transition
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
This is the sub-heading.
Centrica has made a $13.5 million anchor commitment to the first close of ERV Fund II, a new fund from London-based venture capital firm Energy Revolution. The fund is targeting US$50 million and invests at Seed and Series A in energy storage, grid technology and advanced materials.
These two paragraphs add more details.
The electrification of transport, heating and industry, alongside the rapid growth of data centres, is accelerating demand for electricity. That is putting greater pressure on the grids, storage systems, and materials needed to generate, move and deliver reliable power.
Founded in 2021, ERV Group backs early-stage energy technology companies through ERV Fund II and its venture builder, Prosemino. Its technical committee is led by three UK experts: Professor Paul Shearing, Director of the Zero Institute at Oxford University; Professor Chris Howard, Professor of Materials Physics at University College London; and Daniel Brett, CEO of Sention Technologies and formerly co-head of UCL’s Electrochemical Innovation Lab. The firm also has seven full-time PhDs across its technical team.
It looks to me, that this is a good long-term strategy from Centrica.
Can The Hiiroc Process Be Used To Make Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)?
After Writing Cemex To Install World-First Hydrogen Process At UK Cement Plant, I just had to ask this question of Google AI and I received this reply.
Yes, the HiiROC process is currently being developed and studied to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
How the Process Works
Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE): HiiROC’s core technology splits hydrocarbons (like biomethane, natural gas, or flare gas) into clean hydrogen and solid carbon without burning them or emitting carbon dioxide.
Thermal Plasma Reforming (TPR): Building on TPE, this adaptation is being evaluated to create synthetic e-SAF by combining the produced clean hydrogen with carbon dioxide at a lower electricity cost than traditional water electrolysis.
Current Developments
Feasibility Study: HiiROC received grant funding from Scottish Enterprise to study a negative-carbon SAF business in Scotland through its subsidiary Zeleno Ltd and partner Stratus Energy Partners.
Partnerships: The initiative has drawn interest from aviation and energy stakeholders like Airbus, World Kinect, and the Forth Green Freeport to make power-to-liquid SAF more scalable and affordable.
It certainly seems it could be a possible route to SAF.
I should say, that when I worked at ICI at Runcorn, for a period, I had the privilege of sharing an office, with an elderly scientist, who before the Second World War, was closely involved in the development of polythene.
That was a long process, but in the end they got there, mainly because radar needed a top-class insulator for which polythene was the only solution.
Cemex To Install World-First Hydrogen Process At UK Cement Plant
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Chemical Engineer from 2024.
These two paragraphs introduce the article.
CEMEX is set to trial a process developed by Hiiroc that uses plasma to produce hydrogen for greener industrial heat at its cement plant in Rugby, UK.
Cemex is finalising contract details now with UK-based process developer Hiiroc and expects to start engineering studies early next year with hydrogen production set for a “hard deadline” of January 2026. The cement major thinks the process is a better bet for producing hydrogen than water electrolysis because it requires 80% less electricity and wins out over steam methane reforming because it doesn’t produce CO2.
I believe that this process, which has its origins in Hull University, could revolutionise the manufacture of zero-carbon hydrogen.
The article describes its first big application at Cemex’s Rugby cement plant.
There are obviously issues to be solved and the article is mainly an interview with Alfredo Carrato, who is innovation advisor at Cemex Ventures.
These are some thoughts.
HiiROC Is Containerised
The article says this.
Carrato expects the changes required to integrate the process at the Rugby plant to be minimal. One or two of Hiiroc’s containerised process units will be plugged into the grid and pipes installed to carry hydrogen to the existing kiln where a new burner will be installed to combust the hydrogen producing heat to convert limestone to clinker.
It also says this.
If successful, the Rugby plant could see eight or nine of Hiiroc’s modules installed at the site, Carrato said.
There could be a lot of low-carbon cement coming out of Rugby.
But containerisation also means that any factory using natural gas for a lot of heat, can plug in a number of Hiiroc’s containerised process units and decarbonise.
Worldwide Expansion
The article says this.
“We do have plans to expand this across our operations worldwide for a number of reasons. Hydrogen certainly is a relevant vector that we are considering to decarbonise our operations. And second, the modularity of the solution allows for a quick deployment.”
Cemex Aim To Be Net Zero By 2050
The article says this.
Cemex has set itself a target of becoming net zero by 2050. The Hiiroc process can make use of biomethane so could allow Cemex to replace its use of fossil fuel natural gas. It could also use renewable electricity to power its plasma burners. In terms of output, the process produces carbon black which can be used as an additive in its cement-making operations or sold for use in tyres, rubbers, plastics, inks, and toners.
“Because of the stoichiometry, the volume of carbon black is pretty significant, meaning we are not able to take the entirety of what is produced. So, we need to figure out how to also monetise it.”
Hiiroc is searching for alternative markets too. It has partnered with researchers in Europe and the US to investigate how the carbon black from its process could be used in other applications including filters, soil enhancers, and animal feed.
Note.
- The process can run on biomethane, as well as natural gas and chemical plant flare gas.
- The carbon black could be a long-term problem, but I suspect a use will be found.
Having worked in integrated chemical plants, I believe innovative uses for both feedstocks and what to do with the carbon black will be found.
Water Stress
The article says this.
Carrato said: “We’re looking at not only the carbon footprint, but also the stress on water. Water electrolysis has a lot of water demand, whereas technology such as Hiiroc has none. In regions where there’s a lot of water scarcity, we believe that Hiiroc can move the needle [for industrial decarbonisation] way better than water electrolysis.”
Any water problems seem soluble.
Conclusion
Alfredo Carrato of Cemex Ventures seems to be enthusiastic about his charge.
London Stansted Powers Up New Solar Farm
The title of this post, is the same as this press release from Stansted Airport.
These paragraphs are the text of the press release.
London Stansted’s new on-site solar farm is now fully operational, marking a major milestone on its net zero journey.
The solar farm, the first of its kind at a London airport, has more than 24,000 panels and has been constructed and will be operated by Onsite Power, EDF power solutions’ C&I solar division, on land already owned by Stansted immediately to the east of the airport.
The panels can produce up to 17.2 MW of direct current (DC) power. Once converted, the solar farm can produce up to 12.8 MW of usable alternating current (AC) power which is supplied directly into the airport’s network. This enables the solar farm, on the sunniest day, to produce power equivalent to the airport’s peak demand.
Over a year, the solar farm will generate enough electricity to meet the annual demand of 7,000 houses, similar in number to the town of Saffron Walden.
The development is an integral part of London Stansted’s £1.1 billion transformation programme and has been designed to help meet the airport’s current and increasing electricity demands, including those associated with the growing use of electric vehicles.
The project will also support London Stansted’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its direct airport operations by no later than 2038.
It would appear that this installation meets these criteria.
- The solar farm, on the sunniest day, can produce power equivalent to the airport’s peak demand.
- The airport has a suitable, easily accessible field or roof, where the solar panels can be installed.
- There is no mention in the press release of a battery, so I would also expect, that the airport has a good two-way grid connection, so that any excess electricity can be exported.
- In SSE Energy Solutions Powers Ascot’s Shift To Electrification With One Of UK Sport’s Largest Rooftop Solar Projects, I describe a project to put a solar roof on the grandstand at Ascot racecourse, which required no upfront funding. Did EDF organise the funding of this project, which is thirty times larger than Ascot’s solar roof?
It also appears that the installation incorporates a degree of future proofing.
