Amara Raja Infra has launched India’s first green hydrogen fuelling station built in Leh, India

Amara Raja Infra has announced the completion of the construction of India’s first hydrogen fueling station for NTPC Ltd

The fueling station is located at an altitude of 3,400 meters above sea level in Leh, Ladakh, is capable of producing 80 kilograms of green hydrogen per day. The project was completed in just two years despite extreme climatic conditions, with temperatures ranging from -25°C to 30°C

NTPC plans to start with the operation of five hydrogen fuel cell buses for emission-free transport within and around Leh

More hydrogen mobility and storage projects are set to come up as part of India’s National Hydrogen Energy Mission

About Amara Raja Infra:
The company specializes in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services, with sustainable infrastructure development projects in the renewable energy and green mobility sectors. The company is a key part of the Amara Raja Group, with its expertise in executing large-scale projects across power, transportation, and renewable energy

Volkswagen submits patent for a vehicle and hydrogen fuel cell technology

·     The technology allows for an easy gasoline-to-hydrogen transition
·     The ceramic membrane as an alternative to platinum, reduces production costs
·     The new hydrogen fuel cell system offers a 2,000 km range

Volkswagen has submitted a patent for an automobile and a new hydrogen fuel cell stack. The German carmaker is reportedly developing the technology together with German firm Kraftwerk

The new technology also allows vehicle owners to switch from gasoline to hydrogen without requiring a conversion kit

The company submitted a patent filing involving a stack that would be incorporated into a passenger car and that would boast a range of about 2,000 kilometres

The fuel-cell technology contains a ceramic membrane which is cheaper to manufacture than the polymer membranes. The membrane is more durable and offers better resistance to freezing and drying compared to Nafion. The material is more cost-effective than platinum, reducing overall production costs
If approved and developed, the system could lower hydrogen vehicle prices while increasing efficiency, and being the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle from Volkswagen

Volkswagen’s focus on the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is instead a long-term approach towards climate protection, with Volkswagen planning to become carbon-neutral by 2040. The company is devoting funding to renewable power sources and unique technologies

Volkswagen is conducting a project to synthesize green hydrogen for the largest light metal casting in Europe, Baunatal, Germany. This project will decarbonize the foundry from conventional gas usage in aluminium production to green hydrogen

Singapore launches S$90 million programme to fund research into hydrogen use, sustainable chemicals

·     $90 million SAF and green chemicals research program launched
·     Focus on hydrogen utilization and biomass conversion
·     Nine projects spanning over three to five years

Singapore has allocated $90 million research program focusing on the production of green chemicals and fuels like sustainable aviation fuel
Singapore predominantly relies on natural gas for its electricity generation, it is looking to decarbonise it’s economy by importing sustainable electricity from its neighbouring countries, and pursuing other clean energy alternatives, including hydrogen, geothermal energy, nuclear technology, as well as carbon capture and utilisation

The new program by the National Research Foundation consists of nine research projects, each with a duration of between three and five years
The research work will cover four main domains:
·     Hydrogen utilisation to hydrogen combustion technologies
·     Green chemistry, such as the sustainable conversion of biomass to chemicals and biofuels
·     Synthetic biology, such as by engineering microbes to convert carbon dioxide into chemicals and biofuels
·     Chemical transformation, which involves developing net-zero pathways of producing molecules for pharmaceutical applications

The program will contribute towards building Singapore’s capacity in hydrogen utilization, garnering insights on the combustion behaviours of zero-carbon fuel blends, and building ammonia-ready fuel cells for power generation
In April, a $60 million corporate lab was launched by NTU, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research and ExxonMobil to further research into biofuels, carbon capture and storage and hydrogen

Finland’s Oddlygood acquires British dairy alternative brand Rude Health

Finnish plant-based company, Oddlygood, has acquired British plant-based company, Rude Health

Oddlygood has anticipated turnover close to €50m this year and a widely stocked range of plant-based alternatives to milk, cheese, desserts, cooking products and yoghurts

It launched its plant-based desserts into the UK market in 2023 and established itself in the competitive UK plant-based drinks category earlier in 2024. The UK is a key territory for the company and its acquisition of Rude Health will further diversify the business beyond the Nordics and drive both UK and European growth

Camilla and Nick Barnard co-founded Rude Health in 2005 at their kitchen table. The is amongst top five UK plant-based drinks brand alongside its range of cereals and snacks. The brand, has focused on quality ingredients and taste, is now available across major retailers and foodservice operators in over 40 countries and has a successful online presence. It has garnered a loyal customer base – even opening its own café in London which has been running since 2016. This year, the company is on track to deliver €33 million in revenue – its biggest year to date. And recently, Rude Health has recertified as a BCorp with a score of 120.7, putting it in the top 3 food and drink brands in the UK.

Oddlygood will establish a base for its UK and European operations and support the expansion plans. Oddlygood will increase its market share of the competitive UK plant-based drinks category, worth £511m1

Niko Vuorenmaa, CEO of Oddlygood, added, ‘’Our ambition is to become one of the leading plant-based companies in the UK and Europe and this acquisition will help accelerate this, but key to its success is the strong alignment between Rude Health and Oddlygood.

Oddlygood and Rude Health have complementary portfolios, target audiences and capabilities which will enable them to grow the business

Camilla Barnard, Co-Founder of Rude Health, said, ‘We created Rude Health at our kitchen table, to make healthy eating a celebration, not a sacrifice. From these basic beginnings mixing muesli we branched out into more cereals and then dairy alternative drinks. The Rude Health brand has grown beyond anything I could imagine to become a household name. Now is the right time to find a partner who can help take it to the next stage of success and Oddlygood shares so many values and the ambition to make this possible.’’

Tim Smith, CEO, Rude Health, commented, ‘’Joining forces with Oddlygood opens up new opportunities for growth and innovation, and our shared missions around taste, quality and the crucial role of plant-based food and drink make this a natural fit. We’re looking forward to working together and leveraging our strengths and making the healthy choice a celebration (not a sacrifice) for our customers. It’s an exciting new chapter for the brand and the team.’’

Elyse Energy secures c. EUR120 million from Hy24, PGGM, Bpifrance and Mirova for Elyse Energy’s European E-fuels Ambitions

Elyse Energy, a Low carbon fuel company has secured €120m investment from hydrogen infrastructure fund manager Hy24, Dutch pension manager PGGM, Bpifrance and Mirova. Elyse Energy makes production facilities for sustainable fuels derived from renewable and nuclear electricity and recycled carbon from industry or biomass. The company will use the recently secured money to support the development of its e-methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production projects in France and Spain

When operational, Elyse has said its most advanced projects -BioTJet, eM-Rhône and eM-Numancia – could save 700,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents per year and contribute to Europe’s security of supply and reindustrialisation

Elyse will deploy nearly 2.5GW of installed capacity and produce more than one million tonnes of e-methanol and 200,000 tonnes of SAF annually

“We must stay the course on French and European ambitions to decarbonise the maritime and aviation sectors, which cannot achieve their transition without low-carbon hydrogen,” claimed Pierre-Etienne Franc, Co-Founder and CEO of Hy24.

Anne-Laure Messier, Investment Director at Mirova, reiterated this point, adding, “Their strategy, which contributes to European energy sovereignty and the reindustrialisation of regions, aligns with our approach as a responsible investor in energy transition infrastructure.”

Elyse Energy’s President and Co-Founder, Pascal Pénicaud, stated that the funding is not only a milestone for Elyse, but “for the development of the European e-fuels industry.”

Pénicaud continued, “It reflects the growing demand for sustainable molecules and fuels from our clients in the industrial, maritime and aviation sectors. The energy transition is accelerating, and we are proud to actively contribute to this transformation.”

 

Ricardo to collaborate with South Australian Hydrogen Hubs Inc to investigate feasibility of hydrogen technology retrofitting for heavy duty vehicles

Ricardo to collaborate with South Australian Hydrogen Hubs Inc (SA-H2H™) to undertake a feasibility study into hydrogen technology retrofitting as a decarbonisation pathway for heavy duty vehicles in South Australia

South Australia is a leading player in the emerging sustainable hydrogen industry, with the South Australian Government funding one of the largest green hydrogen electrolysers in the world and establishing a precinct at Whyalla, located close to some of the state’s prime solar and wind assets for industrial-scale green hydrogen production

However, it also faces two distinct challenges: how this hydrogen industry can be nurtured towards making significant decarbonisation progress, and how to support long-term skilled ‘green’ jobs in the region

SA-H2H™ is delivering two projects to address these challenges. The first, centred around hydrogen mobile refuelling, is underway. The second is a hydrogen retrofitting programme for heavy vehicles, with the first phase feasibility study to be lead by Ricardo

 

Australia’s decarbonisation journey-

Given Australia’s dependence on its agriculture, mining and freight industries to maintain its economic prosperity – as well as the vast distances between communities and its relatively low population – heavy vehicles that support these sectors need affordable decarbonisation pathways to enable Australia to meet national net zero targets. The feasibility study will present a significant step in the nation’s decarbonisation journey

Additionally, because South Australia is soon to become a significant producer of hydrogen through government or industry projects in construction or development, the feasibility study will also support regional authorities’ understanding of the opportunities for local use of hydrogen for mobility, and the potential for the creation of long-term local jobs which support industries’ access to, and use of, hydrogen to make Australia cleaner, more sustainable, and less reliant on imported fuel sources

 

Industry collaboration-

 

The feasibility study will leverage Ricardo’s proven expertise in innovating and safely implementing hydrogen technology in light vehicles, heavy vehicles, trains, planes and ships, combined with capability in local delivery

Ricardo has provided specialist support to the South Australia Government in the early phases of its Hydrogen Jobs Program (HJP) and, through the Australia-based team, have been active members of SA-H2H™ for the past three years

 

CHARBONE Hydrogen Secures first Tranche of US$6 Million to develop green hydrogen facilities

CHARBONE Hydrogen Corporation ,North America’s only publicly traded pure-play green hydrogen company, has announced that it has closed a $2.1 million CAD (US$1.5M) unsecured convertible debt tranche to accelerate the funding of the construction of its first two green hydrogen production facilities located in Sorel-Tracy Quebec and Detroit, Michigan, including orders of two electrolyzers for a total capacity of 5,0MW

 

The Sorel-Tracy facility will serve as CHARBONE’s flagship green hydrogen production site, with operations scheduled to begin, following delivery of a pre-ordered electrolyzer in Q1 2025. The implementation of a second green hydrogen project site is slated to be confirmed in the Detroit vicinity

 

CHARBONE plans to build and deliver a network of sixteen 16 green hydrogen production facilities across North America by 2030

The first tranche of the financing includes US$1.5 million (CA$2.1M) in gross proceeds through unsecured convertible notes with a 36-month term at a 12% annual interest rate, maturing in December 2027 or convertible earlier

The funds will be allocated to capital expenditures for engineering, equipment, infrastructure, and project management costs for the Sorel-Tracy and Detroit facilities. CHARBONE has placed US$1 million in deposits for two 2.5 MW electrolysers from a global manufacturer with 17 years of experience. The industry leader, specializes  in Alkaline and PEM technologies, has delivered over 300 units across five continents and holds more than 60 patents, with an annual production capacity exceeding 5 GW

 

About CHARBONE –

CHARBONE is an integrated green hydrogen company focused on creating a network of modular green hydrogen production facilities across North America. Using renewable energy, CHARBONE produces eco-friendly dihydrogen (H2) for industrial, institutional, commercial, and future mobility users. CHARBONE is currently the only publicly traded pure-play green hydrogen company, with shares listed on the TSX Venture Exchange