Shell: Plans to establish hydrogen storage joint venture unveiled
Shell hydrogen, Hydro-Québec (HQ) and Gesellschaft für Elektrometallurgie (GfE) today announced plans to establish a joint venture for developing, manufacturing and marketing hydrogen storage products.
Safe and convenient storage of hydrogen is crucial for the introduction of hydrogen into energy markets. Hydrogen, which can be produced with little or no emissions, is projected to become a major energy source for both passenger vehicles and power generation.
Shell Hydrogen, HQ and GfE are pursuing commercial discussions regarding the proposed venture, which would be involved in the complete value chain from development through to sale of hydride-based storage materials and devices. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding late last year.
"If a hydrogen economy is to be created, then a safe and reliable hydrogen storage system is absolutely critical," said Don Huberts, CEO of Shell Hydrogen.
"And by combining our respective strengths in manufacturing, research, development and energy provision, we believe we can create a storage system that meets these requirements much more effectively than anything that exists today," added Jean-René Marcoux, General Manager, Business Development and Affiliates at HQ and CEO of Hydro-Québec CapiTech.
The partners are convinced that metal hydrides will provide the best means of safely and reliably storing hydrogen. Metal hydrides work by ‘trapping’ the hydrogen inside a metal alloy: the storage is particularly safe because the hydrogen atoms are bonded to the metal.
Dr. Siegfried Sattelberger, Joint Managing Director at GfE, said, "This is the right time and the best team to push this technology forward and to make hydrogen storage systems available."
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