Businesses Back Hydrogen Trials To Accelerate Net Zero Ambitions
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item on Centrica.
These are the three main findings of a business survey, to ascertain attitudes to hydrogen.
- Three quarters (77%) of businesses back hydrogen as part of their energy improvement strategy with a quarter (27%) intending to trial or implement it in the next two years.
- Almost one in ten (8%) respondents say they have already installed hydrogen-ready combined heat and power (CHP) units.
- A third (33%) of firms say energy costs are motivating them to adopt hydrogen.
This paragraph details who were surveyed.
We surveyed 500 executives in December 2022 and January 2023 across food and beverage manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality and travel, pharmaceutical manufacturing, heavy industry, horticulture and light industry. 24% of respondents were from the UK, 16% Ireland, 20% Netherlands, 20% Italy, 20% Hungary.
It certainly looks to be a well-constructed survey, with a wide range of respondents.
I have some thoughts.
Centrica And Combined Heat And Power
I was initially surprised that eight percent of respondents had already installed hydrogen-ready combined heat and power units.
But according to Centrica Announces Hydrogen Ready Combined Heat And Power Partnership With 2G, Centrica are preparing themselves for selling systems in this area.
Businesses Are Certainly Looking At Hydrogen
A figure of 77 % of businesses are looking at hydrogen and 27 % are investing in hydrogen.
But I don’t think the average man on the Clapham Omnibus would be so enthusiastic.
Costs Are Motivating Firms To Adopt Hydrogen
I would be surprised if costs didn’t have an effect.
But if costs are driving them towards hydrogen, then hydrogen must be more affordable.
Which is one in eye for hydrogen deniers, who always tell me it is more expensive.
Are Centrica Working To Drop Their Costs?
These posts would suggest they are.
- Centrica And Ryze Agree To Develop Hydrogen Pathway
- Centrica Announces Hydrogen Ready Combined Heat And Power Partnership With 2G
- Centrica Partners With Hull-Based HiiRoc For Hydrogen Fuel Switch Trial At Humber Power Plant
- Centrica Plan Green Energy Hub At Former Gas Power Plant
- Centrica Re-Opens Rough Storage Facility
- Lhyfe And Centrica To Develop Offshore Renewable Green Hydrogen In The UK
They are doing deals with start-ups and repurposing old plants and pipelines.
Conclusion
Centrica seem to be leading the charge to hydrogen in the UK.
Does Anybody Know Of A Covid Travel Consultancy?
There are a few places in Europe, that I’d like to go for a couple of days.
I can book all the train tickets and hotels myself, but what I would like is someone to review my route for a fee and send me a pack of all the things I need to do and take.
Countries, I would like to visit include France, Germany, Hungary and The Netherlands.
Szeged Tram-Train Service Inaugurated
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the first paragraph.
The country’s first public tram-train service left Hódmezővásárhely for Szeged at 03.31 on November 29, with guests onboard including János Lázár, the government’s special commissioner for the project, and László Palkovics, Minister of Innovation & Technology.
They are obviously early starters in Hungary.
The Szeged-Hódmezővásárhely Tram-Train has its own Wikipedia entry.
From the Railway Gazette article and Wikipedia, I can ascertain the following.
- It is a 32 km route.
- Journey time will be 51 minutes, with an Off Peak frequency of two trains per hour (tph), with three tph in the Peak.
- The main stations in Hódmezővásárhely and Szeged are served.
- The route between the two cities is not electrified, but has been partially-upgraded to double-track and the speed has been upgraded to 100 kph.
- In both central districts the vehicles run as tram-trains.
The rolling stock will be electro-diesel versions of Stadler Citylink tram-trains.
This pictures show Sheffield Supertram’s Class 399 tram-trains, which are also members of the Stadler Citylink family.
The two tram-trains would appear to be very similar in terms of cab design, passenger compartment and an operating speed of 100 kph.
The question has to be asked, if Sheffield could expand their Supertram network with some electro-diesel tram-trains.
They could be ideal for the proposed service to Stocksbridge, that I wrote about in Reopening The Don Valley Section Of The Former Woodhead Line Between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria To Passenger Services.
The route could be tested using diesel engines on sections without electrification and if the route attracted enough passengers, electrification could be erected.
Construction Of Europe’s Largest Rail Intermodal Terminal Starts On Hungary-Ukraine Border
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on MENAFN.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The construction of Europe’s largest railway intermodal combi terminal East-West Gate (EWG) has begun near the Hungarian-Ukrainian border.
This paragraph sums up the benefits of the new terminal.
‘Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the EWG intermodal terminal, as the western gateway to the New Silk Road, offers a faster alternative route to Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Germany for freight traffic from Asia than the current land and maritime routes, reads the article.
It is planned to be completed in 2022.
Vlad The Poisoner won’t like it!
Electro-Diesel Tram-Train Order Expanded To Support Service Increase
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraph.
National passenger operator MÁV-Start has exercised an option for Stadler’s Valencia plant to supply a further four Citylink electro-diesel tram-trains for the route being developed to link Hódmezővásárhely with Szeged.
The reason, I am posting this, is that I feel the use of diesel tram-trains may have applications in this country.
- The Class 399 tram-trains in Sheffield and the Class 398 tram-trains ordered for the South Wales Metro are both members of the Citylink family, that were built or will be built in Stadler’s Valencia plant.
- The Class 398 tram-trains will have batteries to extend the route on routes without electrification.
Perhaps, if they ran on bio-diesel, they may have applications, where electrification would be difficult or inappropriate and the distance is too long for a Citylink with batteries.
The Anonymous Widower 