HYDROCARBONS BY ANY OTHER NAME...

New electrocatalyst converts CO2 into ethanol, acetone, and n-butanol with high efficiency

16 November 2021

The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 using renewable energy could establish a climate-neutral, artificial carbon cycle. Excess energy produced by photovoltaics and wind energy could be stored through the electrocatalytic production of fuels from CO2. These could then be burned as needed. Conversion into liquid fuels would be advantageous because they have high energy density and are safe to store and transport. However, the electrocatalytic formation of products with two or more carbon atoms (C2+) is very challenging.

Now, researchers in China have developed a new electrocatalyst that yields ethanol, acetone, and n-butanol as major products with a total C2-4 faradaic efficiency of about 49 % at −0.8 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which can be maintained for at least 3 months. A paper on the development is published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

Credit: Angewandte Chemie

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To make the electrocatalyst, the team from Foshan University (Foshan, Guangdong), the University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, Anhui), and Xi’an Shiyou University (Xi’an, Shaanxi), led by Fei Hu, Tingting Kong, Jun Jiang, and Yujie Xiong, etched thin ribbons of a copper/titanium alloy with hydrofluoric acid to remove the titanium from the surface.

This results in the material a-CuTi@Cu, with a porous copper surface on an amorphous CuTi alloy. It has catalytically active copper centers with remarkably high activity, selectivity, and stability for the reduction of CO2 to C2+ products. In contrast, pure copper foil produces C1 products but hardly any C2+ products.

The reaction involves a multistep electron-transfer process via various intermediates. In the new electrocatalyst, the inactive titanium atoms below the surface actually play an important role; they increase the electron density of the Cu atoms on the surface. This stabilizes the adsorption of *CO, the key intermediate in the formation of multicarbon products, allows for high coverage of the surface with *CO, and lowers the energy barrier for di- and trimerization of the *CO as new carbon–carbon bonds are formed.

Resources

• Hu, F., Yang, L., Jiang, Y., Duan, C., Wang, X., Zeng, L., Lv, X., Duan, D., Liu, Q., Kong, T., Jiang, J., Long, R. and Xiong, Y. (2021), “Ultrastable Cu Catalyst for CO2 Electroreduction to Multicarbon Liquid Fuels by Tuning C–C Coupling with CuTi Subsurface.” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202110303

Posted on 16 November 2021 in Carbon Capture and Conversion (CCC), Electrofuels, Ethanol, Fuels, Market Background | Permalink | 

New technique to avoid CO2 in energy conversion processes with carbon-containing fuels

by Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

Hydrogen bubbles emerging on the catalyst and carbonate crystals precipitating from the 

solution. Credit: Nano-Institut / LMU

Nature knows several ways how to capture carbon dioxide (CO2). The most prominent one is photosynthesis, where sun light is used to fix CO2 into biomass. Nowadays, research groups around the world try hard to mimic this process and to realize artificial photosynthesis. The ultimate goal is to efficiently photo-transform CO2 into synthetic fuels. However, nature knows also other strategies for capturing carbon dioxide, such as dissolving CO2 as carbonate (CO32-) in the oceans. Shellfish then make use of the dissolved carbonate and build CaCO3-based solid structures for shelter, which finally end up safely in rocks around the globe.

Inspired by the way shellfishes capture carbon dioxide, LMU scientists at the Nano-Institute Munich developed the vision to transform a carbon-containing fuel into a carbon-free fuel without releasing CO2 but capture carbon as carbonate. They chose alkaline methanol and devised a light-triggered system, which efficiently produced hydrogen and carbonate in the form of tiny stones. They introduced a novel multi-layer device to make maximum use of the incident light and the catalysts. State-of-the-art activities in hydrogen evolution rates are obtained, even much higher than benchmark systems driven by heat. Dr. Yiou Wang, who performed most of the experimental work is a Fellow of the Alexander-von-Humboldt foundation working at the Chair for Photonics and Optoelectronics led by Prof. Jochen Feldmann. He remembers: "I had two moments of great excitement: First when I saw the hydrogen bubbles emerging on the catalyst and second when I noticed the carbonate crystals precipitating from the solution." Dr. Jacek Stolarczyk, an expert in artificial photosynthesis, adds: "Light is an excellent means of triggering energy conversion reactions, more convenient to use than heat and pressure."

A possible application is the in-situ production of required hydrogen from low-cost alcohols, which avoids the risks to store and transport hydrogen before use in fuel cells. Such a carbon-neutral and light-triggered process produces hydrogen safely and efficiently, which could enable scalable fabrication and hold promise for broad and practical applications. Prof. Jochen Feldmann states: "Avoiding CO2-emission by binding the carbon in carbonates might generally become an important concept when using carbon-containing fuels."Carbon capture process produces hydrogen and construction materials

More information: Yiou Wang et al, A Multi‐layer Device for Light‐triggered Hydrogen Production from Alkaline Methanol, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2021). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202109979

Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition 

Provided by Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich 

SPECULATIVE FICTION

Bless Yee's vision for carbon-capturing "living infrastructures" wins joint third place in the Redesign the World contest

Anna Marks | 21 hours ago

Dezeen Magazine

Bless Yee's proposal for floating habitats that capture carbon from the air has been awarded joint third place by the judges of Dezeen's Redesign the World competition powered by Twinmotion.

Named Carbon Capture Refuge X, Yee's project imagines a world where scientists have developed a network of floating living environments that sit within the Earth's troposphere.

These habitats are home to refugees who are engaged in environmental research, Yee imagines.

Each infrastructure features solar panels and direct-air-capture fans that extract carbon from the atmosphere, converting it into electrical energy.

The energy runs through neon strips within the infrastructure's floors, walls, and roofs.

Yee describes the strips as "veins" designed to circulate utilities throughout the structure. They also act like "muscles" that elongate to accommodate the system's growth and open and close depending on the weather to allow air and natural light inside.

Yee's entry "showcases achievable technologies"

Yee's entry has been named joint third place in the Redesign the World competition. The other third-placed entry will be revealed tomorrow.

"Yee's entry is an imaginative vision for a floating, technologically advanced future city," said the Redesign the World judges.

"Despite seeming farfetched, the concept actually showcases achievable technologies such as carbon capture, which will have an important role to play in reversing climate change."

Read more about the proposal below

.

Carbon Capture Refuge X
Bless Yee, New York, United States
Joint third place

"War-ravaged by political upheaval and nearly rendered uninhabitable by natural disasters, earth's refugees became ubiquitous.

"From the suffering and desperation, a manifestation to live with the earth and not just on the earth emerged. Scientists then developed a habitable living infrastructure known as Carbon Capture Refuge X (CCRX).

"This living infrastructure simultaneously provided a sustainable way of living while filtering carbon out of the atmosphere.

"Earth's magnetic field was utilized to suspend the CCRXs above the ground and sea, thus creating a floating habitable layer in the troposphere

.
Read:
Oliver Salway calls for people to "redesign their lives" instead of redesigning the planet

"As the CCRXs developed, refugees took to the sky, and a great migration began. At the heart of this living infrastructure are solar panels and DAC (direct air capture) fans.

"The DAC fans extract carbon from the atmosphere and convert it into electrical energy. Then the collected energy is dispersed through neon strips that integrate with the walls, floors, and roofs of the structure.

"The functions of these neon strips are two-fold. They are the veins that circulate utilities throughout the space, and they are the muscles that can open a space to allow air and light in, close for inclement weather, or elongate to accommodate growth.

"The physical structure of the CCRXs are continuously evolving. Rainwater collection is stored and filtered by vegetation and then used to supplement hydroponic farming

.

Read:
BPAS Architects envisions rain-collecting skyscrapers to "reverse desertification"

"The vegetation creates a localised microclimate. A control centre monitors the comfort, location, and communications of the CCRX. Inhabitants are often engaged in environmental research.

"Drones are used as the main distributors of goods, and they transport goods from one CCRX to another. As the CCRXs flourished and multiplied, the need for larger living infrastructures grew, and units began to connect and plug into one another.

"Some merged into floating farms and pastures, others into floating forests etc., gradually restoring microclimates and ecosystems that were nearly obsolete. The CCRXs now fill the sky in which there are no borders.

"They migrate freely, floating as one with the earth."

Redesign the World

Redesign the World is the ultimate design competition, which called for new ideas to rethink planet Earth to ensure that it remains habitable long into the future.

Launched in partnership with Epic Games, the contest asked entrants to visualise their concepts using architectural visualisation software Twinmotion.

The contest received over 100 entries from more than 30 different countries around the world.

These were assessed by a judging panel comprising White Arkitekter CEO Alexandra Hagen, structural engineer Hanif Kara, speculative architect Liam Young, Twinmotion product marketing manager Belinda Ercan and Dezeen founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs, which selected 15 proposals as finalists to be published on Dezeen.

We are unveiling one finalist a day throughout our Dezeen 15 festival, culminating in the winner being announced on 19 November.

The winner will receive the top prize of £5,000. There are also prizes of £2,500 for second place, £1,000 for third place and £500 each for the remaining finalists.

Find out more about Redesign the World ›
See all the finalists revealed so far ›

Spaceship Earth | The Buckminster Fuller Institute (bfi.org)

Operating Manual For Spaceship Earth (designsciencelab.com)

Jonathan Wilkinson says natural resources must evolve to include renewables, biofuels

MIA RABSON
OTTAWA
THE CANADIAN PRESSPUBLISHED YESTERDAY
Jonathan Wilkinson makes an announcement in Calgary, July 20, 2021.

JEFF MCINTOSH/THE CANADIAN PRESS

In a country intent on helping to slow global warming without destroying its economy, Canada’s latest natural resources minister says his department can no longer be thought of mainly as the ministry for fossil fuels.

But Jonathan Wilkinson also says the Liberals are not singling out the oil and gas sector to do an unfair amount of heavy lifting in the fight against climate change because all industries that contribute to the problem have to be part of the solution.

Wilkinson is three weeks removed from the cabinet shuffle that made him the fourth natural resources minister in the last six years. Now after helming the environment department tasked with combating climate change, he’s in charge of the department that regulates and promotes many of the products that cause it.

But when the 56-year-old former clean tech CEO took over Natural Resources Canada, some saw it as a signal the department is going to evolve to prioritize clean technology in a way it hasn’t yet done.

“I would agree with that,” Wilkinson said, in an interview with The Canadian Press, about his priorities for the new job.

“I do think that the way in which we define natural resources going forward actually has to include renewable energy, it has to include hydrogen, it has to include biofuels. I absolutely think that the old sort of way of conceptualizing the department, which is just about oil and gas and mining, is not the way that we think about it going forward.”

The push-pull between the fossil fuel sectors that the world, and Canada, have relied on for decades, and the science that blames the burning of fossil fuels for the increasingly warmer planet and associated climate destruction, was on full display in the last two weeks at the United Nations COP26 climate talks in Scotland.

Environment advocates argued hard that the only way to keep global warming from becoming catastrophic is a full-scale phase out of the use of fossil fuels. The creation of a Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, an initiative to phase out fossil fuels entirely, was among the most talked-about initiatives to come out of COP26.

The Quebec government signed on as an associate member but Canada did not.

Wilkinson, who spent several days at COP26 pushing Canada’s position on phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, but promoting the development of hydrogen, said the all-or-nothing polarized positions on oil and gas production are difficult. He said he still sees a role in Canada for some fossil fuels as long as they are not contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

That includes, he said, using bitumen for non combustible uses like asphalt or carbon graphite, and extracting hydrogen molecules from natural gas, as long as that is done with technology that first reduces and then eventually eliminates the greenhouse gas emissions that come from that process.

“Those are things we should be looking at because at the end of the day, we’re interested in good economic outcomes and no carbon emissions,” he said. “So I think that’s the way people need to think about it, rather than taking the polar position, which is no fossil fuels or fossil fuels are going to continue forever.”

Wilkinson is less bullish on the future for most oil and sees no pathway in Canada to keep using coal because the technology and geological formations needed to capture and store its emissions will not be both affordable and prepared for the 2030 deadline to phase out all “unabated” coal-fired power plants.

“On the oil side. I mean, look, it is primarily a transportation fuel and we’re all committing to actually go to net zero vehicles,” he said. “And so over time, you are going to see a reduction in the amount of oil being used, being combusted for the purposes of transportation That’s just logic.”

Carbon capture technology overall is also not a massive, long-term solution to allow the continued burning of fossil fuels for energy, said Wilkinson, because the geological formations needed to store the gases don’t exist everywhere.

His priorities for the first months of his new job are to work with oil and gas provinces to develop the cap on oil and gas production emissions the Liberals promised in the recent election.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper recently accused the Liberals of targeting oil producing regions to fulfil their climate change goals, because those regions don’t vote for the Liberals. Wilkinson didn’t reference Harper directly, but rejected the sentiment.

“Some people say that we’ve singled out the oil and gas space and to that I actually say that’s just not true,” he said. “If you read the rest of the climate plan, for example, in the in transportation space, we said hard stop of the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles after 2035 for the same reasons.”

He said one of his priorities is working with those regions affected to ensure the transition away from fossil fuels is a positive one.

 #BLUEH2

TC Energy & Hyzon to construct new hydrogen production hubs across NATC Energy & Hyzon to construct new hydrogen production hubs across NA

Pankaj Singh November 15, 2021 

TC Energy Corp., a natural gas pipeline company, and Hyzon Motors, a global supplier of hydrogen fuel cell powered electric vehicles (FCEV), have reportedly announced a new partnership to develop, construct, own, as well as operate hydrogen production hubs and facilities across North America.

Corey Hessen, the President of Power and Storage at TC, stated that the partnership is expected to merge TC Energy’s experience in natural gas as well as renewables with Hyzon’s technical performance in fuel cell electric vehicles, which are being supplied throughout the world.

Meanwhile, Parker Meeks, Chief Strategy Officer at Hyzon, stated that the company’s work with TC has already started, with assessment of production sites currently underway. Meeks added that the two enterprises expect to have these systems online soon.

Jennifer Link, a TC spokesman, stated that the business is still in the initial stages of evaluating any hydrogen production hub. After a location has been confirmed and licensed, it might still take ‘several months’ to establish a 20-mt/d hub.

The TC-Hyzon collaboration is the most recent in a series of recent efforts to boost hydrogen infrastructure development.

TC and Hyzon, based in Rochester, New York, intends to assess prospective hub sites across many states and provinces across the region to deliver hydrogen for heavy-duty trucks. To facilitate Hyzon's back-to-base vehicle fleet deployments, the firms said that they would target sites near existing and prospective client demand.

Furthermore, it is estimated that each hub would generate up to 20 metric tons of hydrogen per day (mt/d).

Hessen stated that TC is dedicated to identifying and establishing energy solution in North America to satisfy energy transition demand from customers and its own assets.

The partnership with Hyzon is TC's second hydrogen FCEV agreement, after a deal to provide hydrogen to Nikola Corp was inked just last month.

According to Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.’s analyst, Matt Taylor, Hyzon and Nikola are both FCEV producers, but their business strategies are distinct.

Nikola also plans to build hubs but with a capacity of around 150 mt/d, which is significantly more than Hyzon's 20 mt/d.

Source credit: https://www.naturalgasintel.com/tc-energy-hyzon-partnering-amid-string-of-north-american-hydrogen-initiatives/

S. Korea to burn hydrogen, ammonia at thermal power plants

By Shim Woo-hyun
Published : Nov 17, 2021 - 



(Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy)

The South Korean government announced Tuesday it will develop hydrogen and ammonia as feedstock for thermal power generation in order to gradually phase out the use of fossil fuels.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the government has launched a public-private council to lead the research, with an aim of introducing hydrogen and ammonia in the fuel mix as early as 2030.

The ministry’s plan envisions more than half of South Korea’s coal-fired thermal power plants, or at least 24, using a fuel mix consisting of 20 percent ammonia as early as 2030.

By 2035, local gas-fired thermal power plants will use a mix of liquefied natural gas and 30 percent hydrogen. In the following years, the government will increase the hydrogen proportion beyond 30 percent, it said.

To achieve the goal, the ministry will launch research projects to secure necessary technologies, including one for the development of new turbines for hydrogen and ammonia fuel mix.

“Introduction of hydrogen and ammonia at local thermal power plants will reduce stranded assets of those power plants and provide them with flexibility to cope with the variability and uncertainty that renewable energy transition will deliver,” said Kang Kyung-sung, director of the material component industry division of the ministry.

The ministry will establish the ammonia supply chain, spanning from its procurement to delivery to the power plants. It plans to first build facilities that can store ammonia during the next year.

The ministry noted the use of hydrogen and ammonia at thermal power plants has been increasingly tested in other countries.

In the US, GE is currently helping an Ohio-based 485-megawatt power facility to burn hydrogen. The facility is expected to burn around 15-20 percent hydrogen by volume in the gas stream in the early stage and increase the proportion up to 100 percent in the future.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan too has built a pilot plant that has a 1MW gas turbine fueled by both hydrogen and natural gas.

The ministry’s latest announcement is part of South Korea‘s goal of going carbon neutral by 2050, which also states the government aims to increase the proportion of hydrogen and ammonia power generation to 13.8-21.5 percent.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)

‘No way around hydrogen’ says RWE CEO, as firm lays out plans to invest billions in renewables

PUBLISHED TUE, NOV 16 2021
Anmar Frangoul

KEY POINTS

“When you look long term, there is no way around hydrogen,” Markus Krebber tells CNBC.

There is excitement about the potential of green hydrogen in some quarters, but it remains expensive to produce.

Currently, the vast majority of hydrogen generation is based on fossil fuels.


Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE AG, photographed during a press conference on November 15, 2021.
Fabian Strauch/dpa | picture alliance | Getty Images


Hydrogen has a key role to play in the years ahead, especially in industrial applications, according to the CEO of German power company RWE.

“When you look long term, there is no way around hydrogen,” Markus Krebber, who was speaking to CNBC’s Annette Weisbach, said.

In an interview broadcast Tuesday morning, Krebber claimed this was because hydrogen was “the only technology … we currently know which is able to decarbonize those industries which cannot electrify like steel, but also some parts of the chemical industry.”

Described by the International Energy Agency as a “versatile energy carrier,” hydrogen has a diverse range of applications and can be deployed in a number of sectors.

It can be produced in a number of ways. One method includes using electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

If the electricity used in this process comes from a renewable source such as wind or solar then some call it green or renewable hydrogen.

While there is excitement about the potential of green hydrogen in some quarters, it remains expensive to produce. Currently, the vast majority of hydrogen generation is based on fossil fuels.

Krebber told CNBC that it would take time to build a hydrogen economy and that his company wanted to — and would — play an active role. “But we need to be fast, because I think wherever green hydrogen is available it is a very competitive edge for the location.”
Growth plans

Krebber’s comments came as RWE laid out plans for the next decade that will be backed by a gross investment of 50 billion euros ($56.73 billion) in its core business between 2021 and 2030.

In an announcement Monday, the firm said this would mean “an average of 5 billion euro gross each year for offshore and onshore wind, solar, batteries, flexible generation and hydrogen.”

Net cash investments — gross investment minus asset rotation — will amount to roughly 30 billion euros across the entire period, or 3 billion euros a year.

“Our growth plan is fully funded,” Krebber told CNBC. “We can finance it with our strong operating cashflow and then partly we do farm downs, so we sell stakes in our projects or partner with others.”

In 2030, the company is targeting “green” installed net capacity of 50 gigawatts and wants adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization to be 5 billion euros for its core business, in which nuclear and coal are excluded.

While the company is looking to expand its renewables capacity, fossil fuels are not out of the picture.

“With an installed capacity of 14 GW, RWE is currently operating the second-largest gas-fired power station fleet in Europe,” RWE said.

“Additional plants with a generation capacity of at least 2 GW, which will have a clear decarbonisation roadmap, are planned.”

At the end of last year, the RWE Group’s installed hard coal capacity amounted to 2.2 GW. Lignite, or brown coal, capacity stood at 8.5 GW.

Looking to the future and energy prices, Krebber sketched out some of the challenges ahead.

“Long term, when you think it through … [with] the current technologies and current costs we know, I think, a fully green energy world will be not more expensive than the old fossil world,” he said.

“The problem we are facing is that this transformation has to happen in a very short period of time,” he said. “Typically, we discuss investment cycles of 30 years but now, the entire transformation has to happen in 15 years. And that can create bottlenecks and drive prices.”

'MAYBE' TECH GREEN H2

Heliogen and Bloom Energy demonstrate production of low-cost green hydrogen; concentrated solar and high-temp electrolysis

17 November 2021

Heliogen and Bloom Energy have successfully demonstrated the production of green hydrogen by integrating the companies’ technologies: Heliogen’s concentrated solar energy system and the Bloom Electrolyzer.

Heliogen’s AI-enabled concentrated solar energy system is designed to create carbon-free steam, electricity, and heat from abundant and renewable sunlight. When combined with Bloom’s proprietary solid oxide, high-temperature electrolyzer, hydrogen can be produced 45% more efficiently than low-temperature PEM and alkaline electrolyzers.

Electricity accounts for nearly 80% of the cost of hydrogen from electrolysis. By using less electricity, hydrogen production is more economical and accelerates adoption. In addition, the ability to use heat, which is a much lower cost source of energy than electricity, further improves the economics of green hydrogen production.

Heliogen’s concentrated solar technology is different than traditional photovoltaic solar; it facilitates hydrogen generation for longer periods of time, operating near 24/7 by storing the solar energy, resulting in more compact and lower cost production. The extended operating time of Heliogen’s technology and Bloom Energy’s ability to utilize heat efficiently is designed to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production compared to competing solutions.


Source: Heliogen

Bloom Energy officially introduced the Bloom Electrolyzer in July 2021. The Bloom Electrolyzer relies on the same, commercially proven and proprietary solid oxide technology platform used by Bloom Energy Servers to provide on-site electricity at high fuel efficiency. Highly flexible, the electrolyzer offers unique advantages for deployment across a broad variety of hydrogen applications, using multiple energy sources including intermittent renewable energy and excess heat.

Because it operates at high temperatures, the Bloom Electrolyzer requires less energy to break up water molecules and produce hydrogen. As a result, Bloom Energy’s electrolyzer consumes 15% less electricity than other electrolyzer technologies to make hydrogen when electricity is the sole input source.

Unlike low-temperature PEM and alkaline electrolyzers that predominantly require electricity to make hydrogen, the Bloom Electrolyzer can leverage both electricity and heat to produce hydrogen. Bloom Energy’s high-temperature electrolyzer technology has the potential to use up to 45% less electricity when integrated with external heat sources than low-temperature PEM and alkaline electrolyzers.

Hydrogen use is forecast to grow from 115 million metric tonnes currently to 500-800 million metric tonnes a year by 2050, accounting for 15 to 20 percent of total global energy demand. Hydrogen projects already announced represent over $300 billion in spending across the value chain, and McKinsey & Company analysts expect at least $150 billion of that spend to be related to hydrogen production, which Heliogen and Bloom Energy are addressing through their collaboration.



Source: Heliogen

The companies said that their successful demonstration is an important step forward towards the goal of replacing fossil-derived fuels with green hydrogen in commercial and industrial applications. Responsible for more than one-third of the world’s energy consumption and a quarter of global CO2 emissions, industrial companies are particularly well-suited for low-cost, large-scale hydrogen utilization given their substantial energy requirements and notable carbon emissions.

Our demonstration project with Bloom Energy represents a significant leap toward full commercial-scale green hydrogen production, which will play an important role in decarbonizing heavy industry. Following this successful integration of Heliogen’s near-24/7 solar steam generation with the Bloom Electrolyzer, we expect that commercial projects will use Heliogen technology to supply their electric power as well, providing 100 percent of the thermal and electrical energy required to produce green hydrogen.
—Bill Gross, founder and CEO of Heliogen

Heliogen and Bloom Energy plan to continue their testing efforts and look forward to sharing further information at a future date.  

Heliogen and Bloom Energy Lead the Way to Produce Low-Cost, Green Hydrogen Following Successful Demonstration

Tue, November 16, 2021

Longer run time and steam generation through concentrated solar, combined with high-temperature electrolysis, unlock low-cost hydrogen production

PASADENA, Calif. & SAN JOSE, Calif., November 16, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Heliogen, Inc. and Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE: BE) today announced the generation of green hydrogen by integrating the companies’ technologies – Heliogen’s concentrated solar energy system and the Bloom Electrolyzer. The successful demonstration in Lancaster, California produced hydrogen and showcased the many benefits of combining the companies’ complementary technologies to achieve low-cost green hydrogen production.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211116005579/en/

Heliogen’s AI-enabled concentrated solar energy system is designed to create carbon-free steam, electricity, and heat from abundant and renewable sunlight. When combined with Bloom’s proprietary solid oxide, high-temperature electrolyzer, hydrogen can be produced 45 percent more efficiently than low-temperature PEM and alkaline electrolyzers. Electricity accounts for nearly 80 percent of the cost of hydrogen from electrolysis. By using less electricity, hydrogen production is more economical and accelerates adoption. In addition, the ability to use heat, which is a much lower cost source of energy than electricity, further improves the economics of green hydrogen production.

Heliogen’s concentrated solar technology is different than traditional photovoltaic solar; it facilitates hydrogen generation for longer periods of time, operating near 24/7 by storing the solar energy, resulting in more compact and lower cost production. The extended operating time of Heliogen’s technology and Bloom Energy’s ability to efficiently utilize heat is designed to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production compared to competing solutions.

Hydrogen use is forecast to grow from 115 million metric tonnes currently to 500-800 million metric tonnes a year by 2050, accounting for 15 to 20 percent of total global energy demand. Hydrogen projects already announced represent over $300 billion in spending across the value chain, and McKinsey & Company analysts expect at least $150 billion of that spend to be related to hydrogen production, which Heliogen and Bloom Energy are addressing through their collaboration.

The successful demonstration is an important step forward towards the goal of replacing fossil-derived fuels with green hydrogen in commercial and industrial applications. Responsible for more than one-third of the world’s energy consumption and a quarter of global CO2 emissions, industrial companies are particularly well-suited for low-cost, large-scale hydrogen utilization given their substantial energy requirements and notable carbon emissions. Further, the integration of Heliogen and Bloom Energy is a significant milestone for the hydrogen economy, as it is expected to unlock a future of economically viable green hydrogen production on par with hydrogen produced from photovoltaic solar generation.

"Our demonstration project with Bloom Energy represents a significant leap toward full commercial-scale green hydrogen production, which will play an important role in decarbonizing heavy industry," said Bill Gross, founder and CEO of Heliogen. "Following this successful integration of Heliogen’s near-24/7 solar steam generation with the Bloom Electrolyzer, we expect that commercial projects will use Heliogen technology to supply their electric power as well, providing 100 percent of the thermal and electrical energy required to produce green hydrogen."

"This integration with Heliogen underscores the value that strategic collaborations and industry-leading innovation can bring to driving change and making positive impacts for our climate," said Venkat Venkataraman, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Bloom Energy. "With a focus on providing highly efficient and low-cost green hydrogen at scale, we will be a leader in low-cost hydrogen."

Heliogen and Bloom Energy plan to continue their testing efforts and look forward to sharing further information at a future date.

Additional information on the companies’ integrated solution can be found here: https://bit.ly/heliogen-bloom-energy-green-hydrogen-demo.

About Heliogen

Heliogen is a renewable energy technology company focused on eliminating the need for fossil fuels in heavy industry and powering a sustainable future. The company’s AI-enabled, modular concentrated solar technology aims to cost-effectively deliver near 24/7 carbon-free energy in the form of heat, power, or green hydrogen fuel at scale – for the first time in history. Heliogen was created at Idealab, the leading technology incubator founded by Bill Gross in 1996. For more information about Heliogen, please visit heliogen.com.

On July 6, 2021, Heliogen entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ATHN). Upon the closing of the business combination, Heliogen will become publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol "HLGN". Additional information about the transaction can be viewed here: www.heliogen.com/investor-center/.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed business combination between Heliogen, Inc. ("Heliogen") and Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. ("Athena"), Athena has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") a registration statement on Form S-4 containing a preliminary proxy statement and a preliminary prospectus which has not yet become effective. After the registration statement is declared effective, Athena will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed business combination to its stockholders. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination. Additional information about the proposed business combination and related transactions will be described in Athena’s combined proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed business combination and the businesses of Athena and Heliogen, which Athena has filed with the SEC. The proposed business combination and related transactions will be submitted to stockholders of Athena for their consideration. Athena’s stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and the amendments thereto and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, when available, and other documents filed in connection with Athena’s solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed business combination and related transactions, because these materials will contain important information about Heliogen, Athena and the proposed business combination and related transactions. When available, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials for the proposed business combination will be mailed to stockholders of Athena as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination and related transactions. Stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy statement/prospectus, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC by Athena, without charge, at the SEC’s website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Phyllis Newhouse, President and Chief Executive Officer, Athena Technology Acquisition Corp., 125 Townpark Drive, Suite 300, Kennesaw, GA 30144, or by telephone at (970) 924-0446.

Participants in the Solicitation

Athena, Heliogen and their respective directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from Athena’s stockholders in respect of the proposed business combination and related transactions. Information regarding Athena’s directors and executive officers is available in its Registration Statement on Form S-1 and the prospectus included therein filed with the SEC on March 3, 2021. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be contained in the preliminary and definitive proxy statements/prospectus related to the proposed business combination and related transactions when it becomes available, and which can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. For the avoidance of doubt, Bloom Energy shall not be deemed to be a participant in the solicitation and disclaims liability related to the proposed transaction between Heliogen and Athena.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction. This communication shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

About Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy’s mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. Bloom Energy’s product, the Bloom Energy Server, delivers highly reliable and resilient, always-on electric power that is clean, cost-effective, and ideal for microgrid applications. Bloom Energy’s customers include many Fortune 100 companies and leaders in manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, retail, higher education, utilities, and other industries. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Related to Bloom Energy Corporation

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties. Words such as "anticipates," "could," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "can," "may," "will," "would" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, expectations regarding the success of the companies’ integrated technologies; expectations for economically viable green hydrogen production; expectations regarding the Bloom Electrolyzer; ability to improve the economics of green hydrogen production; expectations related to replacing fossil-derived fuels with green hydrogen in commercial and industrial applications; and expectations related to future hydrogen production. These statements should not be taken as guarantees of results and should not be considered an indication of future activity or future performance. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including timing of market adoption of hydrogen projects and solutions, and those included in the risk factors section of Bloom Energy’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 and other risks detailed in Bloom Energy’s SEC filings from time to time. Bloom Energy undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly update any forward-looking statements unless if and as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211116005579/en/

 

SAVING THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

B.C. firm, Toyota launch North America’s first hydrogen-powered courier fleet

On the heels of the crop26 summit on climate change, a B.C. company and an international automaker struck a deal announced Thursday that will see the vehicles fueled by hydrogen.

 
 By: Norris McDonaldNovember 16, 2021


On the heels of the crop26 summit on climate change, a B.C. company and an international automaker struck a deal announced Thursday that will see the vehicles fueled by hydrogen.

GeaZone Eco-Couriers announced the launch in Vancouver of North America’s first hydrogen-powered courier fleet, which consists of 40 new Toyota Mirai fuel-cell electric vehicles that produce one tailpipe emission: water.

“In places where the fueling structure exists (only B.C. and Quebec, at the moment), hydrogen-powered FCEVs are the perfect zero-emission solution for organizations with fleets of high-use vehicles,” said Stephen Beatty, vice-president, corporate, at Toyota Canada Inc.

“We commend GeaZone for taking this bold and innovative step for their business,” Beatty added in a release, “and we hope their fleet of Toyota Mirai will help demonstrate the value of FCEVs to other fleet owners who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Beatty’s praise was echoed by Canada’s Minister of Energy, Bruce Ralston, who said the B. C. announcement “will help other businesses and communities reach their own climate change targets.”

A Toyota spokesman said that with infrastructure only recently being developed, sales of FCEVs like the Mirai have just started. With limited fueling infrastructure in place, sales are currently focused on fleet operators with vehicles based in parts of Canada where hydrogen fueling infrastructure exists, such as Quebec and B.C.

For example:

– Toyota Canada delivered 50 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles to its first Canadian customer – the government of Quebec – in early 2019, making the company the first automaker to bring hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles to Canada en masse.

– In July 2019, Ballard Power Systems, a global fuel-cell pioneer based near Vancouver, announced the purchase of a fleet of the Toyota Mirai zero-emission FCEVs.

– In February 2021, Toyota announced a partnership with ridesharing application Lyft, providing a fleet of hydrogen-powered, zero-emission Mirai for its drivers in the Metro Vancouver area.

Toyota continues to work with key hydrogen stakeholders to put in place the necessary fueling infrastructure to make FCEV adoption a reality across Canada, and recently, the federal government released its Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, setting an ambitious framework to make Canada a global hydrogen leader.

Meantime, GeaZone has big plans to expand and will go with hydrogen when it’s possible. Meantime, they’ll stick with good ol’ electricity. Said Andrew G. Mitchell, president and CEO:

“GeaZone Eco-Courier is looking to expand throughout Canada, and as of late we’ve had a lot of requests from our existing client base to do so. We are currently working to raise the investment capital needed for this growth.

“In areas where hydrogen is not available, we would use our 100 per cent electric delivery fleet, similar to what we’ve done prior to our latest enhancements with hydrogen vehicles. If the investment we’re seeking comes about, we could absolutely be operating our emission-free final mile delivery business in Ontario by 2022.”

B.C. firm taps hydrogen-powered fleet in what it calls a first for North American couriers

Geazone turning to Toyota for fuel-cell electric vehicles

By Tyler Orton | November 15, 2021, 

Victoria-based Geazone's new fleet of hydrogen-powered electric vehicles | submitted


A Victoria-based courier service is expanding its fleet of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), this time opting for hydrogen-powered vehicles rather than the more common battery-electric vehicles.

Geazone Strategic Ecopreneur Group Inc. said Monday it plans to build a 40-car fleet of fuel-cell electric vehicles, marking what it calls a first for North American courier services.

While charging stations for traditional electric vehicles are fairly ubiquitous across the province — ranging from public stations to plug-in options in private homes — only four hydrogen fuelling stations have launched in B.C. Another 10 are planned for the coming years via $10 million from taxpayers.


But Geazone is receiving provincial government rebates under a program focused on hydrogen-powered vehicles, which offers fleet operators $8,000 up to a maximum of 35% the selling price of a fuel-cell electric vehicle.

To date, the company has purchased nine of the Mirai models from auto giant Toyota Motor Corp. (TYO:7203) and has secured $72,000 in rebates from the province.

Geazon ultimately plans to build a fleet of 40 such vehicles.

EV expert Matthew Klippenstein, a regional manager with the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, told BIV following the announcement that the prospect of new fuelling stations coming online makes launch of the fleet “terrifically exciting.”

Last month the provincial government unveiled its new CleanBC plan, which aims for 100% of new passenger vehicles sold in B.C. to be ZEVs by 2035.

Those ZEVs may either be battery-electric or hydrogen-powered electric vehicles.

“Incentives can help,” Klippenstein told BIV in October.

“There is also the matter of the zero-emissions vehicle mandate.”

Prior to last month’s unveiling of the CleanBC plan, the province was trailing other jurisdictions when it came to ZEV mandates.

The administration of President Joe Biden wants ZEVs to account for 50% of new vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2030, but B.C.’s 2019 legislation aimed for just 30% by that same year. The province’s new mandate now aims for 90% of new vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2030.

Meanwhile, Ottawa’s newest targets, announced in June, call for ZEVs to represent 100% of new vehicle sales by 2035. That aligns with the province’s recent announcement.

And as ZEV mandates put additional pressure on manufacturers in the coming years, B.C. firms have been announcing plans over the past few months to shoulder part of the burden.

Vancouver-based ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. (Nasdaq:SOLO) revealed in March that it had selected Mesa, Arizona, as its home base for manufacturing in North America.

The American plant is expected to begin producing the distinctive three-wheeled, single-passenger Solo vehicles next year, and the company already has one manufacturing facility in China.

Electric-motorcycle maker Damon Motors Inc. officially broke ground last month on its manufacturing hub in Surrey, where up to 40,000 motorbikes are expected to be produced annually once the plant opens in about a year’s time.

torton@biv.com

As autos go electric, Toyota chases hydrogen dream

Tim Kelly and Maki Shiraki
Mon, November 15, 2021,

Toyota Motor Corporation’s hydrogen engine racing car driven by the company’s President Akio Toyoda is surrounded by pit crew members in Mimasaka, Japan

Toyota Motor Corporation’s hydrogen engine racing car driven by the company’s President Akio Toyoda takes a corner in Mimasaka, Japan


TOKYO (Reuters) - As U.N. climate conference delegates considered how to save the planet over the weekend in Glasgow, Toyota Motor's chief executive was in Japan racing an experimental hydrogen car - a vehicle he says could preserve millions of auto jobs.

The colourful Toyota Corolla Sport that Akio Toyoda steered around the Okayama International Circuit in western Japan was powered by a converted GR Yaris engine running on hydrogen. Making such a powerplant commercially viable could keep internal combustion engines running in a carbon-free world.

"The enemy is carbon, not internal combustion engines. We shouldn't just focus on one technology but make use of the technologies we already possess," Toyoda said at the track. "Carbon neutrality is not about one having a single choice, but about keeping options open."

Toyota's latest push into hydrogen tech comes as the world's biggest carmaker joins the rush to win a share of the growing market for battery electric vehicles (BEV) as the world tightens emission regulations to meet carbon-cutting pledges.

Although still only a small portion of vehicles on the road, global electric car registrations in 2020 grew 41% even as the overall car market contracted by almost a sixth, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

By 2025, Toyota plans to have 15 EV models available and is investing $13.5 billion over a decade to expand battery production.

NOT ONLY ELECTRIC

At the gathering in Glasgow, six major carmakers, including General Motors, Ford Motor, Sweden's Volvo and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz signed a declaration to phase out fossil-fuel cars by 2040.

Toyota declined https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/toyota-says-large-parts-world-not-ready-zero-emission-cars-2021-11-11 to join that group, arguing that much of the world is not ready for a shift to EVs. Another notable absence was Germany's Volkswagen.

"We don't want to be seen as an EV maker, but as a carbon-neutral company," Toyota Vice Chairman Shigeru Hayakawa told Reuters in an interview.

Hayakawa likened the technological choice facing the auto industry to the late 19th century contest that pitted direct current electricity transmission against alternating current. The stakes are high.

"If the adoption of carbon-free fuels happens quickly, that could bring the first battery EV boom to an end," said Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at auto industry research company Carnorama.

In Japan, where mass layoffs are politically difficult, hydrogen's allure is that it would cause less disruption than a full switch to EVs. The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association estimates the automotive industry employs 5.5 million people.

Although Toyota https://www.reuters.com/article/toyota-hydrogen-idCNL4N2S404A and other car makers are putting resources into building hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCV), none have shown the appetite Toyota has for hydrogen engine technology.

CHALLENGING TECHNOLOGY

One problem is that the engine is not completely carbon-free and cannot therefore be classed as zero-emission.

Although the byproduct of hydrogen and oxygen combustion is water, a small amount of engine metal burns as well, resulting in about 2% of the emissions of a gasoline engine. The exhaust also contains traces of nitrogen oxide.

There is a carbon cost to building electric car batteries, but EVs do not pollute when operated.

Hydrogen cars also need bulky pressurized tanks for their fuel. Much of the rear seat and trunk in Toyota's hydrogen car was taken up by fuel tanks that blocked the rear window.

Safety concerns meant Toyota engineers had to refuel the vehicle far from the pits where other teams worked on their cars.

Such concerns have also slowed the construction of hydrogen fuelling stations in Japan, despite Japanese government backing for the fuel, which it sees as a key component in the country's future carbon-neutral energy mix.

At the end of August, there were 154 hydrogen stations in Japan - six short of what the government wanted by the end of March.

"Hydrogen has long been known as a potential low-carbon transport fuel, but establishing it in the transport fuel mix has been difficult," the IEA said in a progress report https://www.iea.org/reports/hydrogen this month.

Even with adequate fuel infrastructure, Toyota still must build a vehicle that can compete in price, range and operating cost with conventional gasoline cars and EVs.

In Okayama, Toyoda declined to say when Toyota might launch a commercial hydrogen-engine car.

"It's good to have a lot of choices. If everything becomes EVs then much of that industry is in China," said Eiji Terasaki (57), who had travelled to the Okayama circuit from neighbouring Kagawa prefecture to watch the races.


(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Gerry Doyle and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

ExxonMobil hands out big subsea hardware contract for Guyana's Yellowtail project


Big award: TechnipFMC has been awarded a major contract as part of the Yellowtail project off the coast of GuyanaPhoto: EOIN O'CINNEIDE/UPSTREAM

Project scope includes 51 enhanced vertical deep-water subsea trees and associated tooling

UK-headquartered TechnipFMC has won a large contract from US supermajor ExxonMobil to supply the subsea production system for the highly anticipated Yellowtail project off the coast of Guyana.

While the exact terms were not disclosed, TechnipFMC considers a “large” award to be between $500 million and $1 billion.

As part of the contract, TechnipFMC will provide project management, engineering, manufacturing, and testing capabilities as well as the subsea production system.

The scope of the project includes 51 enhanced vertical deep-water subsea trees and associated tooling, as well as 12 subsea manifolds and associated controls and tie-in equipment.

The Yellowtail project, which includes the Yellowtail-1, Yellowtail-2 and Redtail-1 finds, is still in the developmental stages.

ExxonMobil intends to install a fourth floating production, storage and offloading system in the Stabroek block. The block is estimated to hold at least 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent in recoverable resources.


ExxonMobil targets up to 67 wells for Yellowtail development cluster offshore GuyanaRead more

“We are very excited to continue our relationship with ExxonMobil through this award, which is our fourth within the Stabroek block. We are proud of our dedicated Guyanese employees and are committed to the continued development and expansion of local capabilities,” Jonathan Landes, president of subsea for TechnipFMC, said.

TechnipFMC has emerged as a preferred vendor to supply subsea hardware for the ExxonMobil-led consortium on Stabroek.

In April 2017, the company was chosen to supply equipment for the Liza deep-water project, including 17 vertical deep-water trees and associated tooling, as well as five manifolds and associated controls and tie-in equipment.

In October 2018, TechnipFMC was awarded a similar subsea contract for the next phase of Liza, including 30 enhanced vertical deep-water trees and associated tooling, as well as eight manifolds and associated controls and tie-in equipment.

In 2020, an ExxonMobil order for Payara field included 41 enhanced vertical deep-water trees and associated tooling, six flexible risers and ten manifolds along with associated controls and tie-in equipment.

Italian rival Saipem has been enjoying the same run of success with the Stabroek consortium as a preferred vendor of subsea umbilicals, flowlines, risers and associated terminations and jumpers for the Liza and Payara projects so far.(Copyright)

Hundreds of UK offshore workers set to strike

 November 17, 2021

 TotalEnergies

Around 300 workers of Ponticelli UK and Semco Maritime employed on TotalEnergies’ North Sea assets in the UK have voted in favor of going on strike, following a dispute over cuts to terms and conditions, trade union Unite has confirmed.

Unite members, who work on Alisa FSO, Culzean, Dunbar, Elgin Franklin, Gryphon FPSO, North Alwyn & Shetland Gas Plant, are now set to take strike action, including an overtime ban, from early December until late February 2022.

Unite’s Ponticelli UK members voted to take strike action by 93.6% on a return of 64.8%, and Semco Maritime members voted to take strike action by 90.3% on a 61.4% return.

“Unite members at Ponticelli/Semco have made their intentions clear in the ballot. They are going to push back against this attack on their jobs, pay and conditions. Those making the decisions within these companies clearly lack experience and sound judgment. They need to rethink their proposals and come back with an improved offer. Otherwise, they are going to face determined industrial action which will be supported all the way by the union,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

Unite regional officer, John Boland, added: “Unite members are beyond angry and frustrated. We now see that Unite was right when we raised concerns about the inexperience of these two companies and that that inexperience would result in cost cutting for our members’ terms and conditions as well as jobs.

“These workers have worked through the Covid pandemic, losing leave days while involved in Covid testing and while in isolation, they are the people that have kept North Sea platforms producing oil and gas for Total. But now that oil and gas prices are at a new high, vaccines have greatly reduced the impact of Covid, and Total are making millions in profits, our members are being asked to accept cuts to their terms and conditions and redundancies.

“The only way our members can stop these attacks on pay and conditions is to fight for them. This ballot result is a clear mandate that our members will not accept this appalling treatment.”

Aberdeen-based consortium PBS, formed of Ponticelli, Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services and Semco, said earlier it was looking at possible redundancy proposals that could lead to a 10% reduction in its headcount. Although not related to job cuts, Unite previously raised concerns over the slashes proposed to pay where terms and conditions have left certain workers facing a drop in their pension of up to £40,000 ($53,750).

PBS director Andreas Christophersen commented: “While disappointed with the result of the ballot, we will continue to work closely with our employee representatives and unions to achieve the solutions which best meet the needs of all parties from the consultation.

“The decision to make changes to anyone’s terms and conditions is not taken lightly, and we are appreciative of the efforts that have gone into ensuring assets have been able to operate since the beginning of the pandemic.”

BELARUS THREATENED TO SHUT IT DOWN

Germany suspends approval for Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

Move follows mounting political pressure to scrap project in setback to Kremlin-backed project

US Critics of Nord Stream 2 fear Russia will use the pipeline as a geopolitical weapon in Europe amid the global gas crisis.

 Photograph: Anton Vaganov/Reuters


Jillian Ambrose
Tue 16 Nov 2021

Germany has suspended its approval process for the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline which would double its reliance on Russian gas following growing geopolitical pressure to scrap the project.

Energy markets across Europe surged after the German energy regulator suspended its certification process, in a big setback to Kremlin-backed Gazprom’s plans to extend Russian gas dominance via a new pipeline across the Baltic Sea.

UK gas prices for next month surged 9.3% on Tuesday to 223p a therm, an almost three-week high, while the Netherlands – which is one of the biggest gas markets in Europe – suffered an increase of 7.9% to 88.05 euros a megawatt hour.

The German energy regulator said it would not continue its approval process until the Nord Stream 2 company, which is registered in Switzerland, transfers its main assets and staffing budget to its German subsidiary.

“A certification for the operation of Nord Stream 2 will only be considered once the operator is organised in a legal shape compliant with German law,” the regulator said.

Germany’s decision to delay Nord Stream 2, which bypasses current pipelines that run through Russia’s nearest neighbours in Ukraine and Belarus, follows calls from western leaders to scrap the plan or risk destabilising the region.

Boris Johnson warned Germany that it would have to choose between “mainlining ever more Russian hydrocarbons in giant new pipelines” and “sticking up for Ukraine” and “championing the cause for peace and stability” in eastern Europe.

Critics of the project fear Russia will use the pipeline as a geopolitical weapon in Europe amid the global gas crisis, while weakening Ukraine which relies heavily on revenues from shipping Russian gas to Europe via its gas transit network. Moscow denies this.

“When we say that we support the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine, that is not because we want to be adversarial to Russia, or that we want in some way strategically to encircle or undermine that great country,” Johnson said in a speech to City of London dignitaries at Mansion House on Monday.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, warned earlier this year that Nord Stream 2 represented “a Russian geopolitical project intended to divide Europe and weaken European energy security”.

Europe faces a looming winter gas crisis, which has fuelled fears of a widespread industrial slowdown due to factory shutdowns and potential power outages. It is also expected to drive a cost of living crisis for homes and small businesses.

Gas prices have reached record highs in recent months, ignited by a global surge in demand after the Covid-19 economic slowdown last year, and fuelled by Russia’s reluctance to export extra supplies to Europe to help meet demand despite rocketing market prices.

Some countries have accused Russia, which is Europe’s largest gas supplier, of withholding extra gas supplies to Europe in order to pressure Germany to approve the gas project. The Kremlin has denied this.

The boss of commodities trading giant Trafigura, Jeremy Weir, warned that Europe could face “rolling blackouts” this winter due to tight gas supplies and low gas storage levels.

“We haven’t got enough gas at the moment quite frankly; we’re not storing for the winter period. So hence there’s a real concern that there’s a potential if we have a cold winter that we could have rolling blackouts in Europe,” Weir told an industry conference.

Weir warned that there was “an issue looming on oil prices on a long-term basis” because of a slowdown in new oil production, and that it was “very possible” that global oil prices, which have climbed by 60% since the start of the year to more than $80 a barrel, could reach $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.