Daily News Wrap-Up: EU Approves $133 Million to Support BASF in Green Hydrogen Production

Chemours announces a $200 million investment to support the hydrogen economy

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Here are some noteworthy cleantech announcements of the day from around the world:

The European Commission has approved a €134 million (~$133 million) measure to support BASF in producing renewable hydrogen. The measure is expected to decarbonize BASF’s chemical production processes and promote hydrogen use in the transport sector. The aid will support the construction and installation of a large-scale electrolyzer at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site, which will have an annual production capacity of 54 MW and produce approximately 5,000 tons of renewable hydrogen and 40,000 tons of oxygen per year. The electrolyzer is envisaged to start operating in 2025. The measure will contribute to achieving the EU Hydrogen Strategy, European Green Deal targets, and REPowerEU Plan.

Chemical company Chemours announced a $200 million investment to support the hydrogen economy. The investment will focus on the company’s ion exchange materials technology platform, whose chemical properties can help generate clean hydrogen from water electrolysis. The proton exchange membranes are used in fuel cells to convert hydrogen to power instantly. The exchange materials can also enable flow batteries to store excess renewable energy and convert it back to electricity, helping to solve the challenge of renewable power intermittency. Chemours’ investment will support the growing demand for clean hydrogen generation using water electrolyzers, energy storage in flow batteries, and hydrogen conversion to power fuel cell vehicles.

Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) announced the list of agencies for installing 124 battery swapping stations, 352 standing chargers for electric two and three-wheelers, and 1,294 standing DC fast chargers for electric four-wheelers. The tender witnessed participation from 11 companies, of which five have been selected. The business will be delivered under a Build, Own, and Operate model valid for eight years, with charging stations installed across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, and Surat. Currently, CESL has 1,017 e-vehicle charging stations, of which 427 are for public use, under implementation. With this tender, 1,770 charging stations will be added to the count.

Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas received multiple orders for 383 MW of its turbines from the U.S., Japan, and Europe. Vestas received a 185 MW order to power an undisclosed wind project in the U.S. Vestas will provide 41 of its V150-4.5 MW turbines. Turbine delivery for the order begins in mid-2023, with commissioning scheduled by the fourth quarter of 2023. The company also secured a 50 MW order with Toda Corporation for the SGET Iwaizumi Wind Farm in Iwate prefecture, Japan. The company will deliver 12 units of V117-4.2 MW wind turbines in the second quarter of 2024, with commissioning scheduled for the third quarter of 2025. Vestas received a 74 MW order for a wind project in Finland. The project includes 12 units of its V162-6.2 MW turbines. Vestas also secured an engineering, procurement, and construction order for a 74 MW wind project in Lithuania. The project consists of 12 units of its V162-6.2 MW wind turbines.

Axfood’s purchasing and logistics company Dagab is installing an additional rooftop solar park encompassing about 30,000 square meters atop its new fruit and vegetable warehouse in Landskrona. Once completed, the solar power facility that will be installed at the new nationwide warehouse for fruit and vegetables in Landskrona is expected to generate 3.9 MW when fully operational. This corresponds to an annual production of 3.4 GW. The rooftop solar power facility will comprise about 7,000 panels with a total surface of about 30,000 square meters. Next year, Dagab will also commence the operation of Sweden’s largest rooftop facility when the company’s new logistics center in the north of Stockholm opens. The facility will comprise over 16,000 panels across a surface of about 80,000 square meters and generate approximately 8.9 MW when fully operational, corresponding to the annual production of 7.8 GWh.

InfraRed Capital Partners entered into an agreement to acquire a 49% stake in a portfolio of three operating, utility-scale wind assets in the U.S. from Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. InfraRed has also agreed to acquire an 80% stake from Algonquin in Blue Hill, a Canadian wind asset. The portfolio comprises a 149 MW wind farm in Michigan, a 200 MW wind farm in Minnesota, a 202 MW wind farm in Illinois, and a 175 MW wind farm in Saskatchewan. This acquisition will positively contribute to the geographic and offtake diversity of InfraRed’s renewables portfolio. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. It is expected to close in December 2022.

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