1 kg of hydrogen takes 9lts of water and uses aprox 53kwh of power at .30c kw Hmm not cost efficient is it,rather a waste of resources
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/hydrogen-car-sales-predicted-to-take-off-pushing-evs-as-auckland-trial-begins/U3EKYHEVOJYZMT5HCRRD6423WY/Hydrogen trucks cost more than diesel models, but their makers pitch them on the basis of ultimately lower running costs. In the meantime, Hiringa says the $6m government subsidy on the HR Group order for 20 should neutralise the up-front price premium, meaning they can charge similar freight rates to diesel-powered trucks.
Hyzon plays its cards close to its chest when it comes to its pricebook, but Southland-based transport group HW Richardson, which is looking at options to convert 10 of its 1300-strong fleet to hydrogen by early 2023, recently told BusinessDesk that a hydrogen heavy truck would cost it $1.2m; an electric model would be $800,000 and the diesel equivalent $300,000.
HWR also wants to help push things along by building its own hydrogen refuelling network in the South Island, with the first filling station opening in April next year.
The two largest truck makers - Daimler Truck and Volvo - are both betting on hydrogen fuel cells over lithium-ion batteries.
While hydrogen is pricier than diesel today, a Daimler study predicted hydrogen trucks could be cheaper to run by 2027. It says it will begin mass manufacturing in 2025.
Image / Supplied
Image / Supplied
Trucking operators work their capital hard, with vehicles on the road for as many hours of the day as possible.
With consumers and cars, it's a different story. The likes of Cityhop aside, sedans and SUVs sit idle for long periods between commutes, or trips to the supermarket.
If hydrogen does take off, New Zealand could be in a good position to take advantage.
While there's no shortage of hydrogen (it's the H in H2O, or water), electrolysis is required to split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, then compress the hydrogen for a refuelling station. If you use coal- or gas-fired plants to power that process, you're not getting any closer to zero emissions. But with 90 per cent of our power coming from hydro or geothermal generation, New Zealand is well-positioned to produce so-called "green hydrogen".
Local generation
Here, things are starting to happen. In December Halcyon Power, a 50/50 joint venture between Tūaropaki Trust and Japan's Obayashi, began green hydrogen production near Taupo at a plant that uses geothermal power to electrolyse water.
It aims to produce some 180 tonnes of hydrogen this year.
But that could pale in comparison with a plan - still at the whiteboard stage - to convert our largest power station for hydrogen production.
In July last year, Meridian and Contact asked for expressions of interest to convert the 800MW Manapouri hydroelectric power station into the world's largest production facility if the Tiwai Point aluminum smelter is closed in 2024.
There's no guarantee that Manapouri will actually be freed up in two years' time. Negotiations between smelter ower Rio Tinto, Meridian and the Government have a history of gamesmanship and going into overtime.
Nevertheless, in February Contact and Meridian appointed two Australian companies, Woodside Energy and Fortescue Future Industries, to enter "final stage negotiations to become lead developer" of a green hydrogen plant they claim will create "thousands" of jobs and add $800m to this country's GDP.
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Fortescue - the world's fourth-largest iron ore producer - was founded by Australia's second-richest person, Dr Andrew Forrest, whose net worth is A$30.7 billion according to the AFR Rich List 2022.
In May last year, Forrest met Southland councils and talked to government officials about fitting Tiwai Pt into his ambitious global plans.
It's not all open arms. Meridian has had to push back against criticism from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, that its plant will be inefficient. But wheels are turning.
The big spend-up
More than $200b has already been committed by governments and the private sector around the world to support the development of hydrogen economies, say Meridian and Contact. They quote estimates that global demand could increase more than sevenfold to 553m tonnes by 2050.
Juniper sees the investment in hydrogen production for heavy vehicles trickling down to the consumer market - to the point where consumer vehicles account for the majority of hydrogen vehicle sales in just five years' time.
The research firm says that while today's hydrogen fuel cells power electric engines, hybrid hydrogen/petrol vehicles could help smooth a mass-market transition to hydrogen.
It also notes that in 2021, Toyota showcased its new hydrogen-powered combustion engine technology in the GR Yaris, plus an experimental, hydrogen-powered Corolla Sport. The company has also produced prototype hydrogen buses.
It's still very early days, and it will be a few years before we can get a good handle on whether it's a case of "fool cells", as electric car pioneer Elon Musk puts it, or whether hydrogen fuel cells will give today's EVs a run for their money. But one thing's for sure: the EV takeover is no dead cert.
Still paying RUV charges hydro/electric/diesil with tight contractual costs in trucking I can see fossil fuel being around well in to the furture
