DEFINITION: A device that converts chemical energy into electricity through a chemical reaction. Fuel cells can produce electricity for as long as fuel and oxygen are supplied, and produce very small amount of nitrogen dioxide or other emissions. The technology can be used to power commercial, industrial and residential buildings, in addition to fuel cell vehicles.
Fuel cells
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Global heavy industry failing to align with Paris climate goals
Only 14% of publicly listed companies in the steel, cement, aluminum, paper and mining sector are on track to meet the Paris Agreement's 2°C climate target, according to a report by the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI), a global investor group supported by the UN. Still, some European companies offer hope, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Major renewable hydrogen demo project comes online at Welsh cement plant
Building materials giant Hanson UK has installed a renewable hydrogen generation unit at one of its facilities near Swansea, Wales, to test the potential of replacing natural gas with lower-carbon alternatives.
Avantium targets net-zero operations and shoots for fossil-free chemicals sector
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Electric vehicles and heat pumps set for exponential growth on road to net-zero
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Major gas grid companies team up to outline hydrogen deployment plans
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Total and Engie partner on France's largest green hydrogen production site
Energy majors Total and Engie have signed a cooperation agreement to bring France's largest renewable hydrogen production site online on the southern coast.
McKinsey: Global fossil fuel demand will peak in 2027
One of the world's largest consultancies has published analysis outlining how global fossil fuel demand could peak by 2027. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating trends in electrification and energy efficiency.
Bruichladdich distillery explores hydrogen heating
Bruichladdich Distillery is exploring how hydrogen combustion technology can reduce reliance on fuel oil to meet the island-based facility's heating demand.
North of England homes to pilot hydrogen heating
More than 650 households and commercial properties in a village near Gateshead will trial the use of blended green hydrogen to be used for heating.
Funding allocated to six projects aiming to develop world's first net-zero industrial cluster
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has selected six projects across the UK that will receive a share of £8m in funding to drive progress towards creating the world's first net-zero emissions industrial zone by 2040.
Five EU countries object to bloc's latest hydrogen 'manifesto'
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Five things you need to know about the Energy White Paper
After months of delays, the UK Government finally unveiled its Energy White Paper on Monday (14 December) detailing how an overhaul to transport, energy and infrastructure will deliver an "overwhelmingly decarbonised power in the 2030s" on the road to net-zero by 2050.
Energy White Paper: Government confirms £6.7bn warm homes package and UK ETS
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Hydrogen, nuclear and wind: UK's energy network operators chart course to net-zero
Energy Networks Association - the industry body representing all major energy network operators in the UK - has published a routemap outlining how they will align with net-zero and support the transition to green electricity, heat, transport and industry.
Energy giants team up to halve green hydrogen costs by 2026
Companies including Orsted and Iberdrola have teamed up in a bid to increase the world's green hydrogen production fifty-fold by 2026 - in a move they claim will halve costs.
Uniper targets carbon neutrality by 2050, outlines coal-free vision
German multinational energy giant Uniper has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality across its global business by 2050, outlining new goals around coal phase-outs and green hydrogen.
Renewable or 'low-carbon'? EU countries face off over hydrogen
EU member states are fighting over which type of hydrogen to support, with two opposing camps facing off: those backing green hydrogen produced exclusively from renewable electricity, and those in favour of a broader "low-carbon" definition, which also includes nuclear power and decarbonised gases.
Renewable Hydrogen Coalition: trade bodies team up to grow Europe's green hydrogen sector
Trade bodies including WindEurope and SolarPowerEurope have received backing from Bill-Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy to form a new coalition aimed at growing renewable hydrogen production and use across the continent.
UK climbs to fifth for global renewables market outlook
The UK has leapfrogged Germany to rise to fifth in the rankings for national attractiveness of renewable energy investment and deployment opportunities.
Boris Johnson unveils £12bn Ten Point Plan for net-zero transition
Clean hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), zero-carbon transport and offshore wind are all key pillars of Boris Johnson's Ten Point Plan to push the UK towards net-zero emissions, which will be backed by £12bn in Government investment and aim to create 250,000 new green jobs.
McDonald's plant-based burger and Scotland's green hydrogen: The sustainability success stories of the week
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Green hydrogen and retrofitted boats: Shipping giants plot course to net-zero
A coalition representing more than 120 large maritime, energy and infrastructure businesses has published a blueprint for bringing zero-emission shipping innovations to scale.
Gas denied 'transition' fuel status in draft EU green finance rules
Power plants fuelled by natural gas will not be classed as "sustainable" or "transition" investments in Europe unless they meet emission limits which are so low that none are currently able to comply, according to draft EU rules seen by EURACTIV.
Emissions from energy sector likely to rebound from Covid-19, Capgemini warns
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Energy giants launch Northern Endurance Partnership to explore carbon capture opportunities
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Capgemini: EU must invest in high-impact climate technologies through green recovery funding
The EU must allocate portions of its €750bn Covid-19 recovery fund to emerging, innovative technologies which decarbonise energy, the built environment, industry, transport and the agri-food sector if it is to meet its net-zero goal by 2050, new analysis has found.
Birmingham's hydrogen buses and Levi's circular economy store: The sustainability success stories of the week
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World's first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus hits Scottish streets
Real-world trials of the world's first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus have officially begun in Aberdeen - five years after the city unveiled a hydrogen production and bus refuelling facility.
Major businesses back North West's net-zero industrial cluster, say it can come online by 2030
Businesses including Siemens and Tata Europe's chemicals arm have agreed to back plans for a net-zero industrial cluster in North West England, which developers say will be completed by 2030 and create 33,000 new jobs.
Businesses pour £75m into Humber's zero-carbon industrial cluster
A host of organisations have submitted a public and private sector bid of £75m to build key infrastructure to create the world's first zero-carbon industrial cluster in the Humber region.
World's first commercial-grade hydrogen plane takes flight in UK, as government urged to grow 'green' hydrogen sector
The first flight of a hydrogen-powered, commercial-grade aircraft has been successfully completed in Bedford, while UK ministers face fresh calls to help scale up the domestic market for hydrogen produced using renewables.
Airbus unveils plans to debut zero-emission hydrogen planes by 2035
Aerospace manufacturing giant Airbus has revealed three futuristic concept designs for zero-emission aircraft with hydrogen as the primary power source, claiming that they could operate commercial flights by 2035.
UK slipping behind on build rate required for net-zero target
The UK is achieving less than half of the required build rate to deliver energy systems that will reach net-zero emissions by 2050, according to a new whitepaper from engineering consultancy Atkins.
BEIS eyes CfD model to help scale-up UK's green hydrogen economy
Large-scale hydrogen projects with renewables could soon be included in the UK's Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions, after a new government report identified the mechanism as a favoured option for scaling up 'green' hydrogen technologies.
National Grid kick-starts UK's first trials of grid-injected biomethane from cow manure
Biogas produced from straw and cow manure has been directly injected into the gas grid in Cambridgeshire, in what the National Grid is calling a UK first.
Hydrogen deployment could deliver 75,000 jobs and £18bn boon for UK economy
Utilising hydrogen production could generate £18bn for the UK economy and support more than 75,000 jobs over the next 15 years, according to a taskforce backed by the likes of Shell and BP.
Government urged to ramp up hydrogen spending through national strategy
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) had called on the Government to implement a Hydrogen Strategy to assist in decarbonising carbon-intensive sectors, in the same week that the National Grid announced plans to build a new hydrogen testing facility.
Cadent and Electricity North West plot roadmap to net-zero Manchester by 2038
After the Greater Manchester Combined Authority pledged to reach net-zero by 2038 last year, the city-region's gas and electricity network operators have developed a delivery roadmap for its energy sector.
CBI: UK won't reach net-zero without 2025 ban on non-hydrogen-ready boilers
The CBI has warned that the UK is unlikely to meet its 2050 net-zero target without sweeping policy changes on heat, including the creation of a National Delivery Body and a requirement for all boilers to be hydrogen-ready by 2025.
Boris Johnson outlines £750m green spending for heavy industry and aviation
Boris Johnson has unveiled a £350m funding pot for technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen alongside a £400m sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pledge, to be spent as part of the UK's Covid-19 recovery effort.
Gas grid operators unveil plan for 'backbone' of Europe's hydrogen infrastructure
A group of eleven European gas infrastructure companies from nine EU member states have presented plans to create a dedicated hydrogen pipeline network of almost 23,000 km by 2040, to be used in parallel to the natural gas grid.
EU hydrogen strategy: Bloc charts path towards 100% renewable hydrogen
The European Commission unveiled plans to promote hydrogen based entirely on renewable electricity like wind and solar, but said low-carbon hydrogen derived from fossil fuels will also be supported in order to scale up production in the short term.
IEA: Most technologies needed to achieve net-zero aren't yet mature
Some 75% of the emissions reductions necessary to meet net-zero are dependent on technologies which have not yet reached commercial maturity, new analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA) has found.
Equinor to deliver world's largest at-scale hydrogen from carbon capture plant in Hull
Equinor has unveiled plans to develop the world's largest plant capable of converting natural gas to hydrogen in combination with carbon capture and storage (CCUS), as part of the zero-carbon industrial hub located in the Humber region.
45-Minute Masterclass: Accelerating the smart grid transition for your business
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Hydrogen 'could provide half of the UK's net-zero energy demand'
Around 500TWh of hydrogen-generated power could be consumed annually in the UK by 2050 - equivalent to 50% of national demand - provided that ambitious supports from policy and large businesses are put in place, new analysis has found.
Spain underpins car sector bailout with green goals
The Spanish government unveiled on Monday (15 June) a €3.75bn aid package for the domestic auto industry, which includes a scrappage scheme with green strings, a bigger focus on electric charging points and funding for hydrogen power.
Major UK utilities exploring hydrogen fleets
Two of the UK's largest gas distribution networks (GDNs) - Northern Gas Networks and Wales & West Utilities - are exploring the feasibility of using hydrogen to decarbonise a proportion of their road transport fleets, in the same month that Yorkshire Water converted one of its vehicles to hydrogen.
What role will hydrogen play in green Covid-19 recovery plans?
Plans for major hydrogen facilities in Norway and the Isle of Wight have been unveiled this week, as business giants, banks and green campaigners call on world leaders to include hydrogen investment in their Covid-19 recovery plans.
NatWest's carbon calculator and Wilko's plastic pledge: The World Environment Day success stories
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UK's gas networks call for £900m investment into zero-carbon infrastructure
Britain's five gas networks companies have today outlined plans to spend more than £900m on zero-carbon energy infrastructure and hydrogen deployment across the UK, subject to Government approval on funding.
West Sussex's £31m 'smart' local energy system to progress during lockdown
A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) project in West Sussex which is aiming to streamline how low-carbon energy is generated, stored, traded and consumed is still running "at full speed" despite the economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Copenhagen Airport spearheads green hydrogen project for transport fuel
Renewable energy company Ørsted and Copenhagen Airport are amongst the consortium of businesses aiming to develop a hydrogen and sustainable transport fuel facility in the heart of the Danish capital.
Zero-carbon Humber cluster to rollout carbon capture and hydrogen production
Plans to create the world's first zero-carbon industrial cluster in the Humber region reached another milestone this week, as Phillips 66 and Uniper signed an agreement to deploy a carbon capture and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen production facility.
Report: Renewables to account for three-quarters of UK's power demand by 2050
The UK could source 76% of its power demand from renewables by 2050, according to a new report from RenewableUK which claims that the nation's net-zero target will spur rapid demand for green hydrogen while attracting more than £50bn to an already world-leading offshore wind sector.
Europe's draft 'green recovery' plan leaked
The European Commission's promised green recovery plan will focus on building renovation, renewables and hydrogen as well as clean mobility and the circular economy, according to a leaked working document obtained by EURACTIV.
Beware of jobs vs. climate clash in virus aftermath, EU warned
Governments in Europe and beyond should pay "utmost attention" to avoid a "jobs versus climate" confrontation in the recovery phase from the COVID-19 crisis, said Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
MPs to probe role of hydrogen in net-zero transition
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is to seek advice on the role of low-carbon hydrogen production and utilisation in accordance with the UK's wider efforts to spur economic growth and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
McKinsey: Reaching 1.5C a ‘daunting’ and unparalleled transition for all sectors
The global transition to limiting global temperature increases to 1.5C by 2050 has been labelled as a "daunting task", that would require unprecedented levels of decarbonisation for key sectors, with the world currently on course to exceed its carbon budget by 2031.
Wrightbus unveils plans to produce 3,000 hydrogen buses for use across UK cities
The owner of Northern Ireland bus manufacturer Wrightbus has unveiled a vision to put 3,000 hydrogen-powered bus into operation across key UK cities in a bid to reduce air pollution and spur job growth.
First funding phase approved for Humber net-zero industrial cluster
Plans to develop the world's first zero-carbon industrial cluster in the Humber region have been boosted after leading energy companies joined an existing consortium of project partners in the same week that Government funding was secured for the project.
Net-zero: Is the UK's gas grid ready to go green?
In a week where plans were unveiled for a nationwide roll-out of farming greenhouses heated by wastewater, the UK's major gas operators have teamed up to launch a programme aimed at delivering the world's first zero-carbon gas grid.
Carbon pricing, flexibility and scaling-up hydrogen: UK energy sector unveils net-zero innovation plans
The body representing the UK's electricity and gas transmission and distribution sector has set out its plans for reaching net-zero by 2050, concluding that this ambition will only be achieved if a "whole-systems" approach to transformation is adopted.
BNEF: Green hydrogen could slash energy, transport and industry emissions by one-third
Large-scale, global deployment of renewable hydrogen across the energy, transport and industrial sectors could reduce their annual emissions by up to 34% by 2050 - at a "manageable cost".
Green freebies for coronavirus heroes and California's clean energy boost: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Upskilling roadmap set up to decarbonise North West industrial cluster
An energy and hydrogen cluster set to be developed in the North West has pledged to create a roadmap to combat existing skills gaps for the low-carbon transition, as part of wider government plans to fully decarbonise industrial clusters in the UK.
UK's net-zero target possible with 'unprecedented' low-carbon innovation
Reaching net-zero emissions in the UK by 2050 is possible but would require "unprecedented innovation across the economy" that could see electricity generation triple, hydrogen generation grow exponentially and land use to be radically overhauled across the country.
Cadent Gas launches UK's first 'transition bond' to spur decarbonisation
The UK's largest gas distribution network, Cadent, has agreed to the UK's first 'transition bond' which has been issued to enable heavy-carbon emitters to access funds to decarbonise.
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SDG Spotlight: How Businesses Can Achieve Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities
