Hydrogen

In 2017, Japan created a pioneering national hydrogen strategy, envisaging a carbon-neutral "hydrogen society." But a Renewable Energy Institute report slams the policy as catastrophically misguided, with 70% of its 10-year budget "spent on bad ideas."

The world's largest rail vehicle manufacturer has rolled out a zero-emissions train running on hydrogen fuel cells with a supercapacitor buffer. The four-car train is capable of 100 mph (160 km/h), making it the fastest hydrogen train to date.

ZeroAvia's 19-seat Dornier 228 has taken its first test flight in the UK. It's a testbed for the company's clean aviation technology, using a zero-emissions hydrogen-electric powertrain that's slated for certification and commercial flights by 2025.

UMich researchers have demonstrated an artificial photosynthesis device 10 times more efficient and one hundredth the size of previous devices of its kind. This green hydrogen production method also improves over time, and can split seawater.

PFAS are insidious pollutants thanks to their ubiquity, long life and a growing list of linked health concerns. But now researchers at UC Riverside have developed a new method to break them down more effectively, using hydrogen and UV light.

Chinese researchers say they've demonstrated a seawater electrolyzer that works as efficiently as a commercial freshwater electrolyzer for months on end without corroding itself to death. It also looks like these machines could harvest lithium, too.

France's H3 Dynamics has presented a self-contained hydrogen propulsion pod for drones and airplanes, delivering huge range and endurance figures without heavy batteries. It mirrors the approach Airbus and others are taking with commercial airliners.

RMIT researchers say they've unlocked cheaper, more energy-efficient green hydrogen production with a new electrolysis technique boosted by sound waves. With these high-frequency vibrations active, standard electrolysis produces 14x more hydrogen.

Hydrogen combustion engines offer a chance to go (nearly) green without losing the sound, feel and excitement of driving a noisy, mechanical, piston-driven engine. Toyota has been racing one, and now it's evaluating a prototype Corolla for the street.

There's not enough lithium for the EV revolution, and hydrogen cars are tough to sell because you can't fill them up anywhere. But NamX has a neat solution, and it's had Pininfarina design a "Hydrogen Utility Vehicle" to get the idea rolling by 2026.

Pedal-assist bikes are proving a popular choice but most offer a fairly limited range and long wait times when charging up the batteries. Pragma Mobility sees things differently, tapping into hydrogen fuel-cell technology for the Alpha Neo commuter.

Rolls-Royce and easyJet have edged the era of clean aviation a little closer to take-off, with the successful testing of a modern jet engine using hydrogen as fuel, and flight testing in the pipeline.