Centrica And Ryze Agree To Develop Hydrogen Pathway
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Centrica.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Centrica and Ryze Hydrogen are set to jointly build and operate hydrogen production facilities aimed at providing a reliable supply of hydrogen for industry and transportation.
Under the landmark agreement the firms will jointly develop hydrogen production projects on existing Centrica sites and work with third-parties to build production on their sites too.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed and will combine expertise in order to kickstart the development of the UK hydrogen economy, targeting the mobility, industrial and commercial markets.
There are also some other interesting statements in the press release.
- Centrica’s Head of Hydrogen, says that we should be bold in our thinking about hydrogen.
- The partnership will explore how the UK can work with international hydrogen production facilities.
- Jo Bamford, green entrepreneur and Executive Chairman of Ryze, believes that Centrica are very serious about hydrogen.
- Centrica and Ryse will convert some of the British Gas fleet to hydrogen.
I feel this could be a very significant deal for the decarbonisation of the UK.
Ryse Hydrogen Is Now Ryze Hydrogen
Jo Bamford’s company Ryse Hydrogen is now called Ryze Hydrogen.
I have changed this blog to use the new spelling as I suspect Ryse clashed with the name of a computer game.
Will JCB Dig The Whole World Out Of A Hole?
JCB and the Bamford family in general have form, where hydrogen is concerned.
- JCB have developed internal combustion engines, that will run on hydrogen.
- Jo Bamford owns Wrightbus and they are building hydrogen-fuelled buses in Northern Ireland.
- JCB were an early investor in hydrogen electrolyser company; ITM Power.
- JCB have signed a large contract for the delivery of hydrogen with Fortescue Future Industries.
I have just watched this amazing video, where Lord Bamford explains his philosophy on hydrogen.
JCB Signs Green Hydrogen Deal Worth Billions
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first two paragraphs.
Construction equipment maker JCB has signed a deal to buy billions of pounds of green hydrogen, defined as hydrogen produced using renewable energy.
The deal means JCB will take 10% of the green hydrogen made by the Australian firm Fortescue Future Industries (FFI).
JCB are certainly going into hydrogen in a big way.
- They have demonstrated hydrogen-powered construction equipment.
- They have developed technology, so that internal combustion engines can run on hydrogen.
- Lord Bamford’s son; Jo bought Wrightbus and company supplied London’s hydrogen buses.
- Ryze, which is mentioned in the article was founded by Jo Bamford.
- JCB have made a strategic investment in electrolyser company; ITM Power.
I can see JCB making more investments in hydrogen.
In terms of green hydrogen production from renewable energy, I can see three areas providing substantial amounts of green hydrogen.
- Australia from solar and electrolysers. Australia has space and sun.
- Africa from solar and electrolysers. Africa has space and sun.
- Waters around the UK from wind and electrolysers.
As ITM Power have the world’s largest electrolyser factory in Sheffield and have recently raised money to build a second one, they could be the big winner in green hydrogen production.
But I can see JCB making hydrogen-powered equipment all over the world and supplying the hydrogen to run it.l
It should also be born in mind, that JCB know how to dominate a market.
Wrightbus Presents Electric & Fuel Cell Single-Decker Buses
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on Electrive.
This is the first paragraph.
The Northern Irish bus manufacturer Wrightbus is introducing a new single-deck bus with battery and fuel cell propulsion. The new models of the GB Kite series in the Hydroliner FCEV and Electroliner BEV variants can each accommodate up to 90 passengers and are scheduled to go into series production in 2022.
This means that Wrightbus now have single and double-deck zero emission buses with both battery and fuel cell propulsion.
These are my thoughts.
High Commonality
There may be four different buses, but they have a surprising amount in common.
In this press release on the Wrightbus web site, which is entitled Wrightbus To Showcase Two New Zero-Emission Buses, there is this paragraph.
Both buses share an 86% parts commonality with their Double Deck sisters which delivers significant benefits to operators in terms of reducing complexity and costs for fleet maintenance.
Vehicle manufacturers have been looking for high commonality for many decades and it is amazing that Wrightbus have achieved such a figure.
We mustn’t forget the advantages, Wrightbus will get from such commonality in terms of production, product support and the supply of parts and sub assemblies.
Passenger Capacity
The passenger capacity of the four buses are as follows.
- Double-decker – Hydrogen – 86
- Double-decker – Battery – 95
- Single-decker – Hydrogen – 90
- Single-decker – Battery – 90
Note.
- These figures come from the Wrightbus web site.
- The site says that the figures for the single-decker buses depend on bus length and specification.
Does the similar capacity of all the buses give operators more flexibility?
Range
The range of the four buses are as follows.
- Double-decker – Hydrogen – 350 miles
- Double-decker – Battery – 200 miles
- Single-decker – Hydrogen – 640 miles
- Single-decker – Battery – 300 miles
Note.
- These figures come from the Wrightbus web site or the press release for the new single-deck buses.
- These ranges are claimed by Wrightbus as best-in-class.
- But surely the range of 640 miles for a single-deck zero-carbon hydrogen bus opens up some interesting and unusual routes.
- Single-deck buses appear to have a longer range than their double-deck sisters.
There is also a degree of battery size flexibility in the battery-electric buses to suit an operator’s routes.
Single-deck battery-electric buses are available with these battery sizes and charging times.
- 340kWh – 2 ½ hours @ 150kW
- 454kWh – 3 hours @ 150kW
- 567kWh – 3 ½ hours @ 150kW
And these are the figures for the double-deck battery-electric buses.
- 340kWh – 2 ½ hours @ 150kW
- 454kWh – 3 hours @ 150kW
Note.
- Both single- and double-deck buses can use the two smaller batteries.
- I would assume that they are similar and it’s all part of the commonality.
- Both buses can also be fitted with a pantograph to charge the batteries, when the routes present an opportunity.
Could the largest battery be fitted to the double-deck bus? Perhaps at some point, but I suspect, that currently, a weight limitation applies.
The Fuel Cell
This sentence from the Electrive article, describes the fuel cell system of the hydrogen bus.
The fuel cell solo bus model is very similar in design. Instead of the pure BEV drive, the GB Kite Hydroliner FCEV has a Ballard FCmove fuel cell with 70 kW or 100 kW and a small supplementary battery with 30 or 45 kWh on board.
It appears, there is flexibility in the power.
Forsee Batteries From France
This paragraph from the Electrive article, talks about the batteries.
Incidentally, Forsee Power is acting as the supplier of the batteries for the BEV buses. The Bamford Group, new parent of Wrightbus, had extended the partnership with the French battery manufacturer in October 2020 with a new contract for several hundred battery systems per year. Forsee Power announced the introduction of extra-thin battery modules earlier this year and directly named Wrightbus as the launch customer for the modules of the new Slim series. Whether these batteries are now already being installed in the two Electroliners is not specified. However, the high storage capacity of the 567-kWh top battery leads us to assume this, at least for the solo bus model.
Forsee’s slimline batteries seem a major advance in the powering of vehicles like buses.
It certainly looks like extra-thin is beautiful, where batteries are concerned.
Conclusion
This is a formidable line-up of four zero-carbon buses, that can be tailored to an operator’s needs.
When linked tom Jo Bamford’s company; FUZE, which I wrote about in New Company Established To Help Transition Bus Fleets To Hydrogen, Bamford’s deck of cards look even stronger.
Will Jo Bamford do for the bus industry, what his grandfather did for diggers? I wouldn’t bet against it!
New Company Established To Help Transition Bus Fleets To Hydrogen
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on H2 View.
These first two paragraphs describe the company.
A new asset financed company has been launched to help design, deliver, and finance the seamless transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet with hydrogen included.
Launched by Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford today (August 9), FUZE will support the energy transition to cleaner variants by offering packages that enable the transition to hydrogen or electric fleets of buses.
If Jo Bamford gets this right, it could certainly smooth the transition to hydrogen and electric buses, where bus companies will be introducing new technology.
The words asset-based make me think, that buses, fuelling systems and chargers could all be hired on a bus-by-the-hour basis in much the same way train manufacturing companies like Hitachi and Stadler supply trains to the train operating companies.
The manufacturers are contracted to supply so many trains each day and if there are reliability or availability problems, then they must compensate the operators. That model would surely work with buses.
- I also suspect the model would allow flexibility, as to the choice of either an electric or hydrogen bus.
- I also think, that the model would be able to provide short-term deals for large events and Rail Replacement services.
- Buses no longer needed could also be returned, repainted and hired by another operator.
- FUZE could also have a standby fleet, so any bus operator wanting to try hydrogen buses for a month, could enter into a short-term deal.
I also think that this new generation of buses can open up innovative ideas for bus use. In Three Hydrogen Double Decker Buses Set For Dublin, I describe how Dublin will use just three hydrogen buses to create a fast commuter route.
Conclusion
I like it!
Short Term Hire Of Buses
I have a feeling that if say you wanted to hire a small fleet of buses for say a festival like Glastonbury, that hydrogen buses could be the better bet.
Suppose you wanted to run a fleet of five buses to and from the car park at the nearest rail station.
- Feeding the chargers for five buses will need a substantial electricity feed.
- Hydrogen buses can be refuelled from a mobile fuelling station.
- Hydrogen buses can probably run all day on one refuelling.
The ease of refuelling would appear to favour the hydrogen bus.
Ryze Hydrogen’s Suffolk Freeport Hydrogen Vision Takes Shape
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on S & P Global.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Ryze Hydrogen plans to install a 6 MW electrolyzer at the Sizewell nuclear site in Suffolk as a launchpad for mass production of low carbon hydrogen in and around the future freeport of Felixstowe, company founder Jo Bamford told S&P Global.
Ryze Hydrogen are building the Herne Bay electrolyser.
- It will consume 23 MW of solar and wind power.
- It will produce ten tonnes of hydrogen per day.
This would mean that Sizewell’s 6 MW electrolyser could be producing around a thousand tonnes of hydrogen per year or 2.6 tonnes per day.
Note that the port and the power station are only about thirty miles apart.
Suffolk is thinking big again!
The last part of the article is where Jo Bamford discusses the cost of hydrogen and hydrogen buses and how he intends to sell them to the UK and ultimately the world.
Suffolk and Jo Bamford appear to be made for each other, with complementary ambitions.
All Aboard The Bamford Hydrogen Bus Revolution
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Air Quality News.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Air Quality News editor Jamie Hailstone talks to JCB heir and hydrogen advocate, Jo Bamford, about why it is the fuel of the future for buses.
It is a good read, as Jo Bamford details his vision to change public transport with thousands of hydrogen-powered buses.
He talks in a common-sense manner, about the economics and practicalities of zero emission buses, of which this paragraph is typical.
‘I have a bus manufacturing business,’ he adds. ‘We make a diesel bus, a battery double-decker and a hydrogen double-decker. A battery double-decker will do 60% of the distance of a diesel bus and take 4.5 hours to charge. A hydrogen bus will do the same distance as a diesel bus and take seven minutes to fill up. If you are running a bus for 22 hours a day, you can’t afford to charge them up for 4.5 hours a day.
Jo Bamford finishes with.
I think hydrogen is a sexy, cool thing to be looking at.
I agree with him and we should get started on lots of hydrogen buses and their hydrogen supply network.
As I wrote in Daimler Trucks Presents Technology Strategy For Electrification – World Premiere Of Mercedes-Benz Fuel-Cell Concept Truck, Mercedes are going the hydrogen route with big trucks and these trucks will need a hydrogen supply network to be built in the UK.
So surely, we should look at decarbonisation of buses and heavy trucks in an holistic way, by creating that hydrogen supply network in the UK.
Ryze have now obtained planning permission for their first big electrolyser at Herne Bay and it now has its own web site, which includes this video, explaining Ryze Hydrogen’s philosophy.
Let’s hope that this first electrolyser, grows into the network the country needs.
Green Bus Maker Reveals Plan For Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Production Facility
\the title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Herald.
Thwaw are the introductory paragraphs.
Jo Bamford, chief of Ryze Hydrogen, has revealed plans to create a hydrogen production facility in Scotland.
He said the production unit will be sited outside Glasgow and it is expected to be operational by November next year when the rescheduled COP26 climate event is due to take place in the city.
Mr Bamford earlier said Glasgow could run 300 hydrogen-powered buses, while Aberdeen is set put a fleet of hydrogen powered double deckers on the road.
You can’t fault Jo Bamford’s ambitions.
Joint Venture With Linde AG And £38M Strategic Investment
The title of this post, is the same as that as this Press Release from ITM Power.
This is the first paragraph.
ITM Power plc is pleased to announce its intention to raise at least £52.0 million (before expenses) through (i) a strategic investment of £38.0 million at 40 pence per share by Linde UK Holdings No. 2 Limited, a member of the Linde AG group (Linde) (the Share Subscription); and (ii) a conditional placing of £14.0 million at 40 pence per share (the Firm Placed Shares) with certain existing and new institutional investors (the Firm Placing). The Group has also entered into a 50/50 joint venture with Linde (the Joint Venture) which will focus on delivering green hydrogen to large scale industrial projects, principally those with an installed electrolyser capacity of 10 Megawatts (“MW”) and above.
There is all the usual financial stuff and these sentences.
The net proceeds of the fundraising will be used principally to enhance the manufacturing capabilities of the Group, particularly for the development and production of large scale 5MW electrolysers, to facilitate product standardisation and manufacturing cost reduction.
The Joint Venture will focus on delivering green hydrogen to large scale industrial projects (generally being opportunities with installed electrolyser capacities of 10 Megawatts and above)
As ITM Power are constructing the largest electrolyser factory in the world, at Bessemer park in Sheffield, it appears to me that ITM Power are going for the larger scale hydrogen market.
Recently, I wrote these three posts.
- Funding Award to Supply An 8MW Electrolyser
- Surplus Electricity From Wind Farms To Make Hydrogen For Cars And Buses
- H2OzBus Project: Deploying Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Fleets For Public Transport Across Australia
News stories generated about the company or the production of hydrogen seem to require large electrolysers in excess of 5 MW.
It looks like ITM Power are setting themselves up to tap this market substantially.
How Much Hydrogen Would A 5 MW Electrolyser Create In A Day?
I found the key to the answer to this question on this page of the Clean Energy Partnership web site.
To produce hydrogen by electrolysis directly at the filling station, the CEP currently requires about 55 kWh/kg H2 of electricity at an assumed rate of efficiency of > 60 percent.
To produce 1 kg of hydrogen, nine times the amount of water is necessary, i.e. nine litres.
I will use that figure in the calculation.
- A 5MW electrolyser will consume 120 MWh in twenty-four hours.
- This amount of electricity will produce 2,182 Kg or 2.182 tonnes of hydrogen.
- It will also consume 19.64 tonnes of water.
In Surplus Electricity From Wind Farms To Make Hydrogen For Cars And Buses, I described how Jo Bamford and his company; Ryze Hydrogen, have applied for planning permission to build the UK’s largest electrolyser at Herne Bay in Kent.
- It will produce ten tonnes of hydrogen a day.
- The hydrogen will be sent by road to London to power buses.
So could the electrolyser be a 25 MW unit built of five 5 MW modular electrolysers?
Linde and their UK subsidiary; BOC, must have a lot of knowledge in transporting tonnes of hydrogen by road. I can remember seeing BOC’s trucks behind ICI’s Castner-Kellner works in the 1970s, where they collected hydrogen to see to other companies.
The Anonymous Widower 