First US Hydrogen-Fueled Ferry Okayed For Commercial Operation
The title of this post, is the same as this of this article on OffshoreEnergy.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
US-based shipping company SWITCH Maritime has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard for its hydrogen-powered ferry Sea Change to enter commercial operations.
This is the first paragraph.
As informed, the company was presented with the signed Certificate of Inspection (COI) by Captain Taylor Q. Lam, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco commander and Captain of the Port, for its flagship hydrogen ferry.
This paragraph gives more details of the ferry.
Built and launched at All American Marine shipyard in Bellingham, Washington, Sea Change is a 75-passenger catamaran ferry featuring an integrated hydrogen power system from Zero Emission Industries (ZEI), with 360kW of fuel cells from Cummins and 600kW of electric motor propulsion from BAE Systems.
As the electric motor propulsion is 600 kW and there are only 360 kW of hydrogen fuel cells, I suspect there is a battery in there somewhere.
The Orkney Islands have their own hydrogen ferry project called HySeasIII.
The Orkney ferry uses 600 kW of Ballard fuel cells.
There is no news this year about what is happening to the Orkney project.
It’s All Happening In Jamshedpur!
When I read this article on Hydrogen Fuel News, which is entitled Cummins And Tata Motors Ignite Change With H2 Internal Combustion Engines, I couldn’t resist using the jokey headline, which was inspired by the sub-heading.
The manufacturing has started in Jamshedpur, India at a new state-of-the-art facility
These two paragraphs give some more details.
The hydrogen internal combustion engines continuing to be produced at the facility are being integrated into Tata Motors trucks. This technology is being viewed as a promising zero- or low-carbon alternative to diesel power because of its powerful performance and substantial operating range.
Cummins’ B6.7H engines have notable similarities to current natural gas and diesel engines, particularly in terms of the components they contain. Moreover, they can fit in standard engine vehicles and require similar refueling times.
I first wrote about the Cummins B 6.7H engines in Cummins Shows Hydrogen Internal Combustion-Engined Concept Truck At IAA Transportation Exhibition, which I posted in September 2022.
I have these further thoughts.
Cummins B Series Engine
The Wikipedia entry for the Cummins B Series Engine, starts with these two paragraphs.
The Cummins B Series is a family of diesel engines produced by American manufacturer Cummins. In production since 1984, the B series engine family is intended for multiple applications on and off-highway, light-duty, and medium-duty. In the automotive industry, it is best known for its use in school buses, public service buses (most commonly the Dennis Dart and the Alexander Dennis Enviro400) in the United Kingdom, and Dodge/Ram pickup trucks.
Since its introduction, three generations of the B series engine have been produced, offered in both inline-four and inline-six configurations in multiple displacements.
Note.
- Cummins B Series is used in a wide variety of vehicles.
- It is available in both four and six cylinder versions.
But what Wikipedia doesn’t say, is that any Cummins’ customer will get the engine he wants for his application, even if it means creating a special version of the engine. Thirty years ago, I did a small data analysis job for Cummins in Darlington and on a tour of the works, I was given full details on how they treated customers. Cummins are not your average US company.
London’s Routemaster Buses
These buses are powered by a small four-cylinder version of the B-series engine, called a 4.5L ISB, which is described like this in Wikipedia.
The 4.5L ISB is essentially a four-cylinder, two-thirds version of the 6.7L ISB rated at 185 hp (138 kW), used in the New Routemaster, a series hybrid diesel-electric double-decker bus in London.
Note.
- Some diesel Range-Rovers, have more power, than these buses, but then they’re not hybrids.
- The engine also needs to be smaller, as it’s mounted under the back stairs.
Did Cummins’ special engine. allow the unique design of London’s Routemaster Buses?
Could London’s Routemaster Buses Be Converted To Hydrogen?
As an engineer and with my knowledge of Cummins’ design and manufacturing methods, I am fairly certain, if Cummins can manufacture six-cylinder versions of the B-Series engines, then four-cylinder hydrogen-powered engines are not far behind.
If London were to convert the thousand New Routemaster buses to hydrogen, there would be winners all round.
- Cummins would love the publicity and would probably benefit from increased sales of their hydrogen engines in vehicles like refuse trucks and small buses.
- It would surely give a route to convert older vehicles to hydrogen.
- The air in cities will improve.
But London has a problem, It is one of the few large cities in the world without readily-available hydrogen.
As this post illustrates and my Google searches show, India has a more advanced and scientifically-correct view on the usefulness of hydrogen.
Will Jaguar Land Rover Switch To Cummins’ Hydrogen Engines?
If Tata Motors make a success of hydrogen in India, it must make them think about adding hydrogen engines to Jaguar Land Rover products, specially as other manufacturers are getting serious about hydrogen.
Conclusion
Cummins will change the world for the better.
Is Alstom’s Proposal For A Service Between London Euston And Wrexham Part Of A Cunning Plan?
Alstom have built and introduced into service between Buxtehude and Cuxhaven in Germany, the Coradia iLint hydrogen-powered train. The prototype has performed demonstrations in Austria, Canada, The Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
This picture shows a Coradia iLint in Germany.
In the UK, Alstom had a plan to convert redundant Class 321 trains into a fleet of hydrogen-powered trains called Breeze, which I wrote about in Hydrogen Trains Ready To Steam Ahead, in January 2019.
This visualisation is from Alstom.
I suspect it didn’t appeal to train companies, as no orders appear to have been received.
But you can’t criticise Alstom for not trying, as in November 2021, they signed an agreement with Eversholt Rail Group to develop a hydrogen-powered Aventra, which I wrote about in Alstom And Eversholt Rail Sign An Agreement For The UK’s First Ever Brand-New Hydrogen Train Fleet.
This visualisation is from Alstom.
Visually, it looks just like any other Aventra and much better than the previous Breeze design.
In March 2018, I wrote Bombardier Bi-Mode Aventra To Feature Battery Power, which was based on this article in Rail Magazine.
These are a few points from the article.
- Development has already started.
- Battery power could be used for Last-Mile applications.
- The bi-mode would have a maximum speed of 125 mph under both electric and diesel power.
- The trains will be built at Derby.
- Bombardier’s spokesman said that the ambience will be better, than other bi-modes.
- Export of trains is a possibility.
- Bombardier’s spokesman also said, that they have offered the train to three new franchises. East Midlands, West Coast Partnership and CrossCountry.
Have Alstom looked at what they bought from Bombardier and decided the following train is possible, if they add some of their technology?
- A train the size needed by the customer, up to a length of at least ten cars.
- 125 mph under 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- 100 mph with 750 VDC third rail electrification.
- Running on hydrogen away from electrification.
- 100 mph maximum speed running on hydrogen.
- A range of perhaps 500 miles, if it can emulate the hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint.
A train with this specification would have several applications in the UK.
- Fully-electric routes.
- Electric routes with perhaps a hundred miles of unelectrified track.
- Scenic routes, where the Nimbies wouldn’t like electrification.
These points should also be born in mind.
- There are now 110 mph Aventras in service with West Midland Trains on the West Coast Main Line.
- I recently came back from Cardiff to London in a twelve-car Class 387 train and there wasn’t too many unhappy passengers. It was certainly better than a rail replacement bus. I wrote about the trip in Cardiff To Reading In A Class 387 Train.
- Alstom believe you can certainly fit their hydrogen gubbins in an Aventra.
- The hydrogen gubbins appear to be from Cummins, who have a worldwide support network.
- Cummins can also supply complete hydrogen support systems. A truck can refuel the train, at one end of the route?
- Alstom have been doing the market research with the hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint, so I suppose they know what the market needs.
Could Alstom, with help from Cummins, have a zero-carbon 200 kph train and support systems, which has a hydrogen range of up to a thousand kms for export markets like the United States, Africa, Australia, India and South America?
Two big world-leading companies are surely better than one!
But Alstom has one big problem!
How do you fully test a 125 mph hydrogen-powered train?
- I know with aircraft, if you change the engine type on an existing aircraft, you only have to certify the engine and this is done on a Supplementary Type Certificate.
- Is it the same with trains, so a 110 mph Class 730 train, which is in service with West Midlands Trains, could be the basis of certifying a hydrogen-powered Aventra?
- The Coradia iLint was only a change from diesel to a hybrid hydrogen-electric engine, so was it certified this way?
- With the Coradia iLint, it seemed to go into service quite quickly, so did it do much of the testing in service?
I looks to me, that London Euston and Wrexham is an ideal route for a hydrogen bi-mode 125 mph train.
- The route has electrified sections, some of which have high operating speeds.
- The route has a convenient hydrogen supply from INEOS at Runcorn at the Northern end.
- Change between hydrogen and electric power would always take place in a station.
- A round trip needs less than 200 miles of running on hydrogen.
- South of Nuneaton, no hydrogen is used, so the train will be like a Class 730 train, that already uses the route.
- There are depots that can service Aventras on the route.
It is certainly a possibility, that the London Euston and Wrexham service will be used to test and showcase Alstom’s new Hydrogen Aventra.
Cummins Inc. Selected By The UK Department Of Transport For Its High-Horsepower Methanol Vessel Retrofit Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Cummins.
This is sub-heading.
One of Only 10 Flagship Projects Chosen in the Multi-Million-Pound ZEVI Competition Enabling Decarbonization of the UK’s Maritime Sector
These three paragraphs outline the project.
Today, Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) announced the selection of its proposal to jointly develop a Methanol Kit for its QSK60 engine as part of the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition, funded by the UK Government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. To be chosen as one of the top 10 projects, Cummins delivered a proposal to collaborate with a major UK port and operators to develop, deploy and operate clean maritime technology solutions on the path to decarbonization and reduction to the overall greenhouse gas footprint.
The £4.4M in total funding will be leveraged by Cummins and its fellow project stakeholders — Ocean Infinity, the Aberdeen Harbour Board, and Proman AG — in the deployment of a UK-designed and built methanol conversion kit for a high-horsepower marine internal combustion engine, offering the UK an important foothold in enabling the transition to cleaner maritime fuels.
Upon completion in the second quarter of 2025, the project targets a reduction in CO2 emissions of 50 percent for offshore operations of the vessel with NOx, SOx and PM at levels considerably below those emitted by conventional fuel. Furthermore, all retrofitted dual-fuel engines will achieve compliance with IMO Tier III emission standards.
They certainly aim to get a move on to complete by mid-2025.
I have some thoughts.
Methanol Fuel
The Wikipedia entry for methanol fuel, starts with this sentence.
Methanol fuel is an alternative biofuel for internal combustion and other engines, either in combination with gasoline or independently. Methanol (CH3OH) is less expensive to produce sustainably than ethanol fuel, although it produces more toxic effects than ethanol and has lower energy density than gasoline. Methanol is safer for the environment than gasoline, is an anti-freeze agent, prevents dirt and grime buildup within the engine, has a higher flashpoint in case of fire, and produces horsepower equivalent to that of super high-octane gasoline.
Methanol certainly seems to be an environmentally-friendly fuel, when compared to alternatives.
Production Of Green Methanol
This paragraph from the Wikipedia entry for methanol fuel, explains some of the routes to make green methanol.
Bio-methanol, also known as green-methanol, may be produced by gasification of organic materials to synthesis gas followed by conventional methanol synthesis. This route can offer renewable methanol production from biomass at efficiencies up to 75%. Widespread production by this route has a proposed potential to offer methanol fuel at a low cost and with benefits to the environment. Increasingly, methanol fuel has been produced using renewable energy and carbon dioxide as a feedstock. Carbon Recycling International, an Icelandic-American company, completed the first commercial scale renewable methanol plant in 2011. As of 2018, Enerkem has been producing biomethanol through the conversion and gasification of municipal solid waste at its Edmonton facility. As of July 2023, construction for the $1 billion Varennes Carbon Recycling Plant, which will produce biofuel such as methanol through non-recyclable and timber waste, is 30 percent complete.
Surely, if the C in CH3OH, which is the chemical formula for methanol, comes from captured carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or say a gas-fired power station, methanol can be a truly green fuel.
The UK-Wide Need For Self-Powered Trains
How Many Diesel Trains Are In Service In The UK?
- Northern Trains – 73 x two-car and 6 x three-car.
- Great Western Railway – 20 x two-car.
- Transport for Wales – 36 x two-car.
- In Service – 129 x two-car and 6 x three-car.
These are 75 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- ScotRail – 5 x one-car.
- Transport for Wales – 31 x one-car.
- In Service – 36 x one-car.
- Stored – 27 x one-car.
These are 75 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- Northern Trains – 7 x two-car.
- In Service – 7 x two-car.
These are 75 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- Northern Trains – 58 x two-car.
- East Midlands Railway – 9 x two-car.
- ScotRail – 42 x two-car.
- In Service – 109 x two-car.
- Stored – 6 x two-car.
These are 75 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- ScotRail – 40 x two-car.
- Great Western Railway – 10 x two-car and 7 x three-car.
- East Midlands Railway – 26 x two-car.
- Northern Trains – 45 x two-car and 8 x three-car.
- Transport for Wales – 24 x two-car.
- South Western Railway – 10 x two-car.
- In Service – 155 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
These are 90 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- South Western Railway – 29 x three-car.
- In Service – 29 x three-car.
These are 90 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- Chiltern Railways – 39 x two-car.
- Great Western Railway – 20 x two-car and 16 x three-car.
- In Service – 59 x two-car and 16 x three-car.
These are 75 or 90 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- Great Western Railway – 21 x three-car.
- In Service – 21 x three-car.
These are 90 mph BR Second Generation trains.
- Chiltern Railways – 9 x two-car, 9 x three-car and 13 x four-car.
- In Service – 9 x two-car, 9 x three-car and 13 x four-car.
These are 100 mph Turbostar trains.
- CrossCountry – 7 x two-car and 22 x three-car.
- East Midlands Railway – 22 x two-car and 8 x three-car.
- Northern Trains – 16 x three-car.
- ScotRail – 17 x three-car.
- Transport for Wales – 8 x three-car.
- West Midlands Trains – 16 x three-car.
- In Service – 34 x two-car and 71 x three-car.
These are 100 mph Turbostar trains.
- Southern – 17 x three-car.
- In Service – 17 x three-car.
These are 100 mph Turbostar trains.
- West Midlands Trains – 24 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
- In Service – 24 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
These are 100 mph Turbostar trains.
- Transport for Wales – 9 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
- In Service – 9 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
- Stored – 2 x two-car and 1 x three-car.
These are 100 mph Coradia trains.
- Grand Central – 10 x five-car.
- East Midlands Railway – 1 x four-car and 2 x five-car.
- In Service – 1 x four-car and 12 x five-car.
These are 125 mph Coradia trains.
- TransPennine Express 51 three-car.
- In service – 51 three-car.
These are 100 mph Desiro trains.
- Northern Trains – 25 x two-car and 33 x three-car.
- In Service – 25 x two-car and 33 x three-car.
These are 100 mph CAF Civity trains.
- West Midlands Trains – 12 x two-car and 14 x four-car.
- In Service – 12 x two-car and 14 x four-car.
These are 100 mph CAF Civity trains.
- Northern Trains – 51 x two-car and 26 x three-car.
- In Service – 51 x two-car and 26 x three-car.
These are 100 mph CAF Civity trains.
- CrossCountry – 34 x four-car
- In Service – 34 x four-car
These are 125 mph Bombardier Voyager trains.
- Avanti West Coast -18 x five-cars
- CrossCountry – 24 x four-car.
- In Service – 24 x four-car and 18 x five-cars
- Stored – 2 x five-car
These are 125 mph Bombardier Voyager trains.
- CrossCountry – 23 x five-car and 4 x seven-car.
- In Service – 23 x five-car and 4 x seven-car.
These are 125 mph Bombardier Voyager trains.
- Transport for Wales – 11 x four-car.
- In Service – 11 x four-car.
These are 90 mph Stadler FLIRT bi-mode trains.
- Greater Anglia – 14 x three-car and 24 x four-car.
- In Service – 14 x three-car and 24 x four-car.
These are 100 mph Stadler FLIRT bi-mode trains.
- Transport for Wales – 7 x three-car and 17 x four-car.
- In Service – 7 x three-car and 17 x four-car.
These are 75 mph Stadler FLIRT bi-mode trains.
- Great Western Railway – 21 x five-car and 36 x nine-cars.
- LNER – 10 x five-car and 13 x nine-cars.
- In Service – 31 x five-car and 49 x nine-cars.
These are 125 mph Hitachi AT-300 trains.
- Great Western Railway – 22 x five-car and 14 x nine-cars.
- Hull Trains – 5 x five-car.
- TransPennine Express – 19 x five-car.
- In Service – 46 x five-car and 14 x nine-cars.
These are 125 mph Hitachi AT-300 trains.
- Avanti West Coast – 13 x five-car.
- In Service – 13 x five-car.
These are 125 mph Hitachi AT-300 trains.
- East Midlands Railways – 33 x five-car.
- In Service – 33 x five-car.
These are 125 mph Hitachi AT-300 trains.
These trains give totals as follows.
- One-car – 36
- Two-car – 601
- Three-car – 249
- Four-car – 135
- Five-car – 176
- Seven-car – 4
- Nine-car – 63
That is a total of 1254 trains that need to be decarbonised by either replacement or modification.
- Some trains are effectively double-counted, as both the current trains and their replacements are included.
- Some trains are planned to be replaced by electric trains.
- Some trains will be passed on.
But there are still a lot of trains to be decarbonised.
I will now look at each group in detail.
BR Second Generation Trains
- Class 150 – 129 x two-car and 6 x three-car.
- Class 153 – 36 x one-car.
- Class 155 – 7 x two-car.
- Class 156 – 109 x two-car.
- Class 158 – 155 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
- Class 159 – 29 x three-car.
- Class 165 – 59 x two-car and 16 x three-car.
- Class 166 – 21 x three-car.
Note.
- The trains have mostly Cummins engines, with some Perkins and a spattering of Rolls-Royce.
- Class 150,153, 155 and 156 trains are 75 mph trains and most of the others are capable of 90 mph.
- Condition of the interiors is variable, with some being excellent and others being terrible.
- There are 36 x one-car, 459 x two-car and 59 x three-car.
- There appears to be no plan to decarbonise these trains.
- Some will be replaced by new CAF diesel trains or new electric trains.
The best use of some of the better trains in this group would be to fill-in until zero-carbon trains are available.
Turbostar Trains
These trains are all Turbostars or their predecessor.
- Class 168 – 9 x two-car, 9 x three-car and 13 x four-car.
- Class 170 – 34 x two-car and 71 x three-car.
- Class 171 – 17 x three-car.
- Class 172 – 24 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
Note.
- The trains all have Rolls-Royce mtu engines.
- They are capable of 100 mph.
- Condition of the interiors is generally good.
- There are 67 x two-car, 112 x three-car and 13 x four-car.
- Rolls-Royce mtu engines may be able to run on sustainable fuel like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
- 168329 has been converted into a diesel-hybrid, by Rolls-Royce mtu.
I feel that one way or another, the trains in this group should be capable of converting to net-zero operation.
Alstom Coradia, Bombardier Voyager and Siemens Desiro Trains
I am putting these trains together, as they are all 100-125 mph long-distance trains, that are not that old.
- Class 175 – 9 x two-car and 15 x three-car.
- Class 180 – 1 x four-car and 12 x five-car.
- Class 185 – 51 x three-car.
- Class 220 – 34 x four-car
- Class 221 – 24 x four-car and 18 x five-cars
- Class 222 – 23 x five-car and 4 x seven-car.
Note.
- The trains all have Cummins engines.
- They are capable of 100 mph or 125 mph.
- Condition of the interiors is generally good.
- There are 9 x two-car, 66 x three-car, 59 x four-car, 53 five-car and 4 x seven-car.
- Cummins engines may be able to run on sustainable fuel like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
- In Grand Central DMU To Be Used For Dual-Fuel Trial, I described innovative fuel trails in a Class 180 train.
- I suspect Cummins will be taking an interest.
In Cummins And Leclanché S.A. To Collaborate On Lower-Emissions Solutions For Use In Marine And Rail Applications, I asked this question.
How many of these trains could be converted to hybrid operation, if Cummins and Leclanché were to create their version of the mtu Hybrid PowerPack?
I feel that one way or another, the trains in this group should be capable of converting to net-zero operation.
CAF Civity Trains
These three trains have all been recently introduced
- Class 195 – 25 x two-car and 33 x three-car.
- Class 196 – 12 x two-car and 14 x four-car.
- Class 197 – 51 x two-car and 26 x three-car.
Note.
- The trains all have Rolls-Royce mtu engines.
- They are capable of 100 mph.
- Condition of the interiors is probably as-new!
- There are 88 x two-car, 59 x three-car and 14 x four-car.
- All these trains were ordered between 2016 and 2018.
- Rolls-Royce mtu engines may be able to run on sustainable fuel like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
I don’t believe that as these trains were only ordered a few years ago, that the trains were bought with the knowledge of a route which would convert these trains to net-zero operation.
I suspect the most likely route to net-zero operation, would involve the following.
- Replacing the Rolls-Royce mtu engines with mtu Hybrid PowerPacks.
- Running the trains on sustainable fuel.
The work needed would probably be the same for all trains.
Stadler FLIRT Bi-Mode Trains
- Class 231 – 11 x four-car.
- Class 755 – 14 x three-car and 24 x four-car.
- Class 756 – 7 x three-car and 17 x four-car.
Note.
- The trains all have Rolls-Royce mtu engines.
- They are capable of between 75 and 100 mph.
- Condition of the interiors is probably as-new!
- There are 21 x three-car and 52 x four-car.
- All these trains were ordered between 2016 and 2018.
- As with other recently ordered trains, I am fairly sure that the Deutz engines will be able to run on sustainable fuel like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
Stadler have designed these trains, so that diesel engines can be replaced by battery packs.
I suspect the most likely route to net-zero operation, would involve the following.
- Replacing all or some the Deutz engines with battery packs.
- Running the trains on sustainable fuel.
The work needed would probably be the same for all trains.
Hitachi AT-300 Trains
Only the bi-mode trains are lists.
- Class 800 – 31 x five-car and 49 x nine-car.
- Class 802 – 46 x five-car and 14 x nine-car.
- Class 805 – 13 x five-car.
- Class 810 – 33 x five-car.
Note.
- The trains all have Rolls-Royce mtu engines.
- They are capable of 125 mph.
- Condition of the interiors is probably as-new!
- There are 123 x three-car and 63 x nine-car.
- Most were built after 2016.
- Rolls-Royce mtu engines may be able to run on sustainable fuel like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
- Hitachi are developing battery packs for these trains.
I suspect the most likely route to net-zero operation, would involve the following.
- Replacing all or some the Rolls-Royce mtu engines with battery packs.
- Running the trains on sustainable fuel.
The work needed would probably be the same or similar for all trains.
Cummins Enters Collaboration To Demonstrate Hydrogen Ecosystem
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article from Rental Management.
This is the first three paragraphs.
Cummins®, Columbus, Ind., has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Terex® Advance Mixer, Fort Wayne, Ind., a subsidiary of Terex Corp.; Edge Materials, Cloverdale, Ind.; and PCC Hydrogen, Louisville, Ky., to produce, trial and prove concrete mixer trucks powered by Cummins’ zero-carbon, hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines.
The project aims to develop a full hydrogen ecosystem together with a hydrogen producer, vehicle manufacturer and end user. It is the first MoU of its kind signed by Cummins.
he four companies will unite their efforts, which will see Cummins’ X15H hydrogen internal combustion engines integrated into the Terex Advance Commander Series of front-discharge concrete mixer trucks. Edge Materials, a ready-mix concrete provider and Terex Advance customers will operate the hydrogen-powered trucks in challenging real-world environments including on construction sites and critical infrastructure projects. PCC Hydrogen, an ultra-low carbon intensity hydrogen producer, will supply the hydrogen fuel as well as stationary storage and dispensing services.
Note.
- The X15H engine also comes in diesel and natural gas versions.
- Cummins also make electrolysers, that can produce hydrogen.
- It looks like the collaboration has all bases covered.
- I suspect similar deals could be done all over the world and with other types of trucks.
It all sounds like a sensible way to go to me.
Should Hydrogen-Powered Trucks Pay A Lower Charge In The Silvertown And Blackwall Tunnels?
London has a lot of heavy diesel trucks, which include.
Cement mixer trucks.
Large eight-wheeler trucks transporting aggregate, building materials and construction spoil to and from construction sites.
Council refuse trucks.
Skip trucks.
Supermarket delivery trucks.
They are large polluters and the only way they will be made zero-carbon, will be to use hydrogen.
In Cummins Agrees To Integrate Its Hydrogen ICE Technology Into Terex® Advance Trucks, I write about how Cummins and Terex are going to be building hydrogen-powered cement mixers.
This picture shows the baby of the range, which could be ideal for a smaller country like the UK.
Note how it is the other way round to traditional cement mixer trucks.
As companies are now selling low-carbon concrete in the UK, I suspect, it won’t be long before they will be delivering it in a hydrogen-powered zero-carbon truck.
If hydrogen-powered trucks could be given an economic boost, by lowering their charges for the Silvertown And Blackwall Tunnels, this might increase their uptake by owners of large trucks, which would in turn reduce pollution.
But this would need the election of a London Mayor, who had a hydrogen policy other than ignore it and hope it goes away.
Rolls-Royce And Zero Petroleum Join Forces To Develop Sustainable Future
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls Royce.
This is the sub-heading.
Rolls-Royce has entered a landmark agreement with breakthrough Energy company Zero Petroleum to promote further development of the company’s power and propulsion solutions with fossil-free synthetic fuels.
These two paragraphs outline the agreement.
The new agreement will see the two parties collaborate to demonstrate Rolls-Royce engines for aviation, marine and defence with Zero® synthetic fuels.
This has the potential to include Zero’s entire range of synthetic fuels – petrol, diesel and jet fuel – with data gathered from engine testing used to prove the credentials required to achieve international fuel certification standards. Synthetic fuels deployed by Rolls-Royce in engine tests will directly reduce associated carbon emissions.
Are Rolls-Royce going to do their engine testing using synthetic fuels to reduce their carbon emissions?
It certainly looks like they might and I suppose it does two tests at the same time.
Rolls-Royce Seem To Be Using Technology To Save The Company
Big companies like Rolls-Royce, who are very much toed up with fossil fuels have two options; give up or fight using the only weapons they have; superb technology and a lot of experience.
There are only a small group, that seem to be fighting to succeed. To Rolls-Royce, I would add Cummins, Fortescue Future Industries, Ricardo and SSE, and possibly BP and Centrica.
Fresh Air Fuels Global
Because of its history, South Africa has developed technology to create biofuels, as alternatives to diesel.
If you read the Wikipedia entry for South African chemical company; SASOL, you’ll see the things that South African chemists did, to get round the sanctions imposed because of apartheid.
SASOL has advanced the Fischer–Tropsch process and uses it to produce diesel and other fossil fuels.
Note that Velocys have also developed this process to make sustainable aviation fuel in the UK.
Fresh Air Fuels Global have a page on the G-volution web site.
The page is dominated by an infographic, which shows organic waste (animals and plants) going into an anaerobic digester, which produces.
- Biogas, which is used to create heat, electricity, CO2, biomethane, fuel and gas for the grid.
- Digestate, which is used for fertiliser and livestock bedding.
It almost sounds too good to be true.
This is the mission statement below the graphic.
Our mission: To be the most reliable producer of energy secure low carbon fuels.
There is then these paragraphs, which explain the relationship between G-volution and Fresh Air Fuels Global.
Global energy security concerns and climate targets necessitate countries and businesses to transition away from high-cost fossil fuels towards low-carbon alternatives.
Over more than a decade, Cape Advance Engineering South Africa (CAE) have been developing an incredibly cost-effective Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology, which has proven to generate renewable energy from organic waste in the form of gas, heat and electricity that is cost competitive with fossil fuels.
G-Volution has partnered with CAE to form Fresh Air Fuels Global (FAFG), with aim of introducing the CAE technology to international markets that the G-Volution already have a foothold, constructing AD plants and creating carbon neutral biofuel from waste that can be used in dual fuel engines.
In Grand Central DMU To Be Used For Dual-Fuel Trial, I describe how G-volution’s dual fuel technology has been applied to one of Grand Central’s Class 180 train.
This picture I took after travelling in a Grand Central Class 180 train, shows that G-volution don’t hide their light under a bushel.
Note.
- This train appears to run on diesel and liquified natural gas.
- This G-volution video gives more details.
This clip from the video, shows the possible fuels.
Note.
- Can the dual fuel engine use biodiesel or HVO instead of diesel?
- It looks like the Fresh Air Fuels Global process can produce biomethane, which could be liquified as LNG.
- Hydrogen is the only true zero-carbon secondary fuel.
- There is a Wikipedia entry for ethanol fuel.
- Hydrous ethanol is about 95% ethanol and 5% water and is used as a fuel in Brazil in petrol cars.
- There is a Wikipedia entry for the use of methanol as fuel.
Have G-volution got access to the technology to both reduce the fuel consumption of diesel engines and run them on zero-carbon fuel?
UK Trains That Have Cummins QSK-19 R Diesel Engines
Grand Central’s Class 180 trains have a Cummins QSK-19 R diesel engine.
All these trains have the same engine.
- 14 – Class 180 trains
- 51 – Class 185 trains
- 34 – Class 220 trains
- 44 – Class 221 trains
- 27 – Class 222 trains
In addition, Class 175 trains have a different engine made by Cummins.
Conclusion
If G-volution’s technology can be made to work successfully, it could play a large part in the decarbonisation of UK passenger trains.
A Cute Refuse Truck
I took these pictures on Moorgate.
Note.
- This truck was built on a DAF LF chassis.
- It normally has a Cummins B-series diesel engine.
- It looks like it was registered in late 2022.
Some DAF LF chassis have a hybrid transmission.
I have a few thoughts.
Cummins B Series Engine
The Wikipedia entry for the Cummins B Series engine starts like this.
The Cummins B Series is a family of diesel engines produced by American manufacturer Cummins. In production since 1984, the B series engine family is intended for multiple applications on and off-highway, light-duty, and medium-duty. In the automotive industry, it is best known for its use in school buses, public service buses (most commonly the Dennis Dart and the Alexander Dennis Enviro400) in the United Kingdom, and Dodge/Ram pickup trucks.
Since its introduction, three generations of the B series engine have been produced, offered in both inline-four and inline-six configurations in multiple displacements.
Note.
- It is a very versatile engine.
- When I did some data analysis work for Cummins about twenty years ago, they told me, that they are happy to create a new configuration of their engines for a new application.
- Engines for the UK are made in Darlington.
- A version of the B series engine is used in London’s New Routemaster buses.
Cummins have made a lot of these engines.
Cummins And Hydrogen
Cummins realise they have a lot to lose, as the world decarbonises and doesn’t need diesel engines anymore.
Cummins have adopted the hydrogen route to zero-carbon with a large degree of enthusiasm.
- In 2019, they took a majority stake in hydrogen company; Hydrogenics.
- In Cummins Fuel Cell Technology Powers Coradia iLint Fleet In Germany, I described how Cummins supply the fuel cells for Alstom’s hydrogen trains in Germany.
- In Electrolyser System To Linde For Green Hydrogen Production In Niagara Falls, New York, I describe how Cummins are providing a 35 MW hydrogen electrolyser .
- In Cummins Shows Hydrogen Internal Combustion-Engined Concept Truck At IAA Transportation Exhibition, I describe how Cummins have developed and released a powerful hydrogen internal combustion engine based on the B series.
I believe that in Ricardo Supports Industry Leaders To Develop Innovative Dedicated Hydrogen Engine, I talk about the most significant development involving Cummins and hydrogen.
This is how I started the post.
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Ricardo.
This is the sub-heading.
Ricardo, a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, has delivered a hydrogen-fuelled research engine to global engine specialist Cummins and automotive supplier BorgWarner, as part of Project BRUNEL part funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)
These four paragraphs outline the project.
Cummins is a global specialist in diesel and alternative fuel engines and generators, and related components and technology. BorgWarner is an automotive tier 1 supplier and specialist in the design and manufacture of systems for electrified and conventional propulsion types, that includes injection equipment for conventional and renewable fuels. BorgWarner recently announced the intention to spin off its Fuel Systems segment. The intended company name is PHINIA Inc. PHINIA is expected to be a product leader in fuel systems, starters, alternators and aftermarket distribution.
The project aims to support internal combustion engine (ICE) sub-system suppliers to increase their use of hydrogen as an alternative zero-emissions fuel solution across the light commercial vehicle market.
The engine is specifically designed to burn only hydrogen – with no supporting fuels that could give rise to any carbonaceous, or excessive air quality emissions.
Experts in hydrogen technology and integration, Ricardo has provided an engine based upon its world-renowned series of single cylinder research units, which can help the research teams evaluate a wide variety of fuels. The engine is designed to help engineers evaluate a variety of injector types and will support increased fuel efficiency, reduced air quality emissions and the move towards carbon-free heavy-duty propulsion.
Reports of the death of the internal combustion engine are greatly exaggerated.
Cummins already have larger sizes of the B series engine that will run on hydrogen, so are BorgWarner, Cummins and Ricardo going to fill the gap in the range?
Are the companies going to develop B series hydrogen engines for the DAF LF trucks, Dodge RAM pickups and the New Routemaster buses?
The Anonymous Widower 