CIDAUT, as an expert in the use of hydrogen and ammonia in propulsion systems, participates in the NEWBunker project, an initiative that aims to analyze the state of the art in marine propulsion systems with alternative fuels to conventional fuels, such as ammonia and hydrogen. The project will make it possible to identify the different supply modalities (bunkering) of these fuels depending on the storage system and the power generation system installed on board the ship.
NEWBunker is a project led by Gasnam with the technical management of Gas Natural Comercializadora (Naturgy group) and the participation of ESK, Fundación CIDAUT, TESICNOR, Siport21 and AEI-Basque Maritime Forum. This initiative has received a grant of aid for about 175,000 euros in the 2022 call for support for innovative business groups to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized companies.
El Batel Auditorium and Conference Center hosted, on October 4 and 5, a forum of European technology centers: the ‘Iknowledge – Forum of technology centers’, organized by the Murcia Region Development Institute. Cartagena became the epicenter of the technology sector, bringing together more than 200 of these professionals and the main technology centers. Experts from all over Europe traveled to Cartagena to present the latest technological developments and trends within the themes: Smart & connected devices, Collaborative robotics & advanced industrial automation, Immersive experiences: metaverse technologies, Web 3.0… and Energy transition, Climate change & Sustainability.
CIDAUT has participated in Challenge 4 (energy transition) showing the main capacities in the hydrogen sector in its three main aspects: production, distribution and use. In addition, the projects in which CIDAUT is immersed were shared with the rest of the centers, such as: design of innovative renewable electrolysis systems, design and testing of non-conventional fuel cells, hydrogen compression systems for very high pressures or definition and testing of hydrogen-based combustion systems. Bilateral meetings also took place to identify partners for future projects, technological and research cooperation, as well as a technology fair and a project exhibition space.
On November 22, 2022, the event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spanish Hydrogen Association took place. Around 250 participants from 200 affiliated companies attended the talks and project generation sessions that took place throughout the day, where the partners had the opportunity to share the growth, progress and concerns that the sector.
In the morning, Mr. Javier Brey, president of the AeH2 and Mr. Galo Gutiérrez, General Director of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, reviewed the milestones of both the association and the administration, to promote the development of hydrogen in Spain.
Two presentations were also given by Mr. Daniel Esteban, Technician of the Department of Energy, Manufacturing and Transportation Technologies, Directorate of Evaluation and Technological Cooperation of the CDTI and Mrs. María Ángeles Ferre, Head of the Scientific-Technical Programs subdivision of the State Agency for Research, which offered a general image of the financing mechanisms available in the field of hydrogen and evidenced the growth of innovation projects linked to hydrogen.
To close the first part of the event, Ms. Marina Holgado, Coordinator of the technical secretariat of the Technological Collaboration Program on hydrogen of the International Energy Agency and representative of “Women in Green Hydrogen”, presented both initiatives.
The second part of the event consisted of two project generation sessions, in which our partners had the opportunity to share opinions on topics of common interest within the hydrogen sector.
The CIDAUT Foundation, as a founding partner and member of the Board of Directors of the AeH2 actively participated in these sessions, supporting and promoting R&D in the hydrogen sector in Spain.
The AeH2 20th anniversary event ended with a cocktail-dinner where you could establish ties and create opportunities for collaboration to continue advancing together in the hydrogen sector in our country.
In the process of growth of the interest on hydrogen technologies sector in Spain, the Spanish Hydrogen Technology Platform PTEH2 (old Spanish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform PTEHPC) is in a process of adaptation to these new times in order to provide valuable content. With this aim, the mission and objectives of PTEH2, as well as its structure, Working Groups and Internal Regulations have been reformulated.
Within this process, CIDAUT, as a technology centre linked to hydrogen technologies for more than 20 years, has been actively involved by renewing its participation in the Steering Group and acting as coordinator and vice-coordinator of the Working Groups on hydrogen use in mobility and use in industry, respectively.
CIDAUT will also work to ensure that PTEH2 achieves its three general objectives:
1. To be a forum of scientific-technical knowledge of reference: Promoting the exchange and dissemination of accessible, rigorous, public and independent R+D+i on the hydrogen sector.
2. To be a link between the Public Administrations and R+D+i: Consulting the Administration and national representatives based on the interests of the science-technology-innovation network and the keys to the short-medium term technological strategy.
3. To be a promoter of national and international cooperation: Coordinating the different stakeholders, establishing relationships with related sectors and proposing alliances and joint strategies.
The new corporate image and the changes approved and ratified at the General Assembly will soon be disseminated.
CIDAUT is one of the research entities participating in the Zeppelin industrial research project, which aims to develop efficient and circular technological solutions for the production and storage of green hydrogen. The project aims to use innovation to reduce the current costs of renewable fuel production.
Led by the company Aqualia, Zeppelin has the participation of other actors in the hydrogen sector such as Redexis, Naturgy, Norvento, Perseo, Reganosa, Técnicas Reunidas and Repsol.
The general objectives of the project are to research new green hydrogen production technologies that are alternatives to electrolysis and that promote the circular economy through the recovery of waste and by-products from different sectors (agri-food, textiles, WWTPs, refineries, etc.).
Currently, 96% of the hydrogen produced in the world comes from fossil fuels and only 1% from renewable sources. Spain’s Hydrogen Roadmap calls for 25% of the hydrogen consumed by industry to be renewable by 2030, which will begin to power our trains, planes and vehicles. The Zeppelin project will contribute to achieving these Roadmap targets.
New materials and carriers for storing green hydrogen and modelling tools for the different technologies developed will also be evaluated. All of this, aligned with the objective of reducing the energy, economic and environmental costs associated with current hydrogen production and promoting safe, efficient and clean energy.
Within Activity 4: Research into H2 storage processes, led by Redexis, CIDAUT will collaborate in the research into alternative storage processes for green hydrogen in the form of ammonia. A comparative study with other forms of H2 storage will be carried out and a process for H2 storage in form of ammonia adapted to production and use needs will be dimensioned.
Zeppelin is funded by the Centre for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI), through the CDTI Missions programme, aimed at financing large strategic business R&D initiatives that propose solutions to cross-cutting and strategic challenges for Spanish society and with the support of the Ministry of Science and Innovation. It has a budget of more than 7 million euros and the research will last until the end of 2024.The budget granted is financed by the European Union through the Next Generation Fund.
