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Cummins underlines its hydrogen ambitions

Solutions for all propulsion sources but green hydrogen is the new goal

 

It may have cut its teeth on internal combustion but engine-maker Cummins wants the market to know it is seeking to become a hydrogen powerhouse as well with a view to producing more hydrogen electrolysers.

To that end and in what the company describes as an “aggressive strategy”, chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger reveals the company plans to grow its fuel cell and hydrogen production business to rank alongside other propulsion sources.

“Hydrogen technologies, particularly electrolyzers, will be a fast-growing and increasingly important part of our business over the next few years,” Linebarger says

“As momentum increases worldwide for the use of hydrogen solutions, we will continue to leverage our industry-leading hydrogen technologies, our deep customer relationships and our extensive service network to enable adoption,”

He adds: “As the world transitions to a low carbon future, Cummins has the financial strength to invest in hydrogen and battery technologies as well as advanced diesel and natural gas powertrains.”

The engine-maker is broad in its transport approach, saying it is combining its powertrain expertise and its fuel cell and hydrogen technologies to power a variety of applications, including public-transport buses, prime movers, delivery trucks, refuse trucks and passenger trains.

Cummins has more than 2,000 fuel cell installations across a variety of on-and off-highway applications as well as more than 500 electrolyser installations.

Following an executive review of its existing hydrogen portfolio and strategy and discussions with financiers, the company” plans to generate electrolyser revenues of at least $400 million in 2025″.

“Demand for electrolysers is growing rapidly with an opportunity to utilise green hydrogen to replace less environmentally friendly grey hydrogen in industrial processes while interest in fuel cells is growing in certain end markets,” Cummins new power segment president Amy Davis says.

“Cummins is participating in markets where we see early adoption of these technologies, leveraging our technology leadership, customer relationships, application knowledge, and global service and support capabilities.

“We also continue to invest in new technologies, such as solid oxide fuel cells, that show promise in stationary power applications.”

The company reveals that, during the presentations, Cummins’ executives also shared how green hydrogen and fuel cells will play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas and air emissions from the industries it serves to meet experts’ recommendations to limit global temperature increases in line with the Paris Agreement.

They also expect adoption of fuel cell technology to take time as technologies continue to develop and costs fall.

They note that infrastructure is a current barrier and will require action and engagement from both private industry and government to increase the pace of adoption of hydrogen fuel cell solutions.


Read how Cummins has prepared for stronger US emission standards, here


“The production of green hydrogen and the adoption of fuel cell technologies in markets that are served by fossil fuels today will be critical to lowering greenhouse gas emissions globally and also will enable Cummins to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050,” Linebarger says.

“We will continue to bring hydrogen fuel cell products to market and we have many products already in the field, including in on-highway trucks, rail, marine and other applications, as well as hundreds of electrolysers.”

The product offerings include:

  • Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) scalable from 8kW to 90kW and can be combined to meet even higher power requirements and include the complete fuel cell system
  • Fuel cell powertrains , with highlights being Scania’s electric trucks for Asko , Faun waste collection vehicles and sweepers in Europe and its own H2@Scale alliance with Navistar in the US involving International prime movers that is to see take-up by major US transport and logistics firm Werner Enterprises.
  • Alkaline and PEM electrolysers, which use electricity to split water and create hydrogen.

“Cummins is in the final stages of commissioning the largest PEM electrolysis plant in the world in Becancour, Canada for Air Liquide,” the engine-maker says.

“The 20-megawatt facility will have an annual hydrogen output of approximately 3,000 tons.”

  

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