Environment

Wind turbine giant Siemens Gamesa lays out plan to drive down cost of ‘green’ hydrogen

Published

4 years ago

June 10, 2021

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Wind turbines in Brandenburg, Germany.

Patrick Pleul | picture alliance | Getty Images

So-called “green” hydrogen production using onshore wind turbines could achieve price parity with fossil-based hydrogen by the year 2030, according to a white paper from Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.

In a statement on Wednesday the firm — a major player in wind turbines — also said that green hydrogen produced using wind from the offshore sector could achieve price parity by 2035.

The above scenarios were dependent on having “appropriate policy frameworks and market mechanisms in place,” the statement said.

Siemens Gamesa’s white paper outlines four key areas to help drive costs down: increasing renewable energy capacity; creating “a cost-effective demand-side market for green hydrogen”; the development of a supply chain; and support for infrastructure.

“It took three decades for wind and solar to reach grid parity with fossil fuels, and we cannot afford to wait that long for green hydrogen to reach price parity with fossil-based hydrogen,” Andreas Nauen, the company’s CEO, said.

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

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 the process comes from a renewable source, such as wind or solar, then some call it “green” or “renewable” hydrogen.

Currently, however, the vast majority of hydrogen generation is based on fossil fuels, and green hydrogen is expensive to produce.

In recent times, a number of major industrial firms have announced plans to integrate green hydrogen into their operations.

In addition, major economies such as the European Union have laid out plans to install at least 40 gigawatts of renewable hydrogen electrolyzers by 2030.

Efforts are also being made to drive costs down. On Monday the U.S. Department of Energy launched its Energy Earthshots Initiative and said the first of these would focus on cutting the cost of “clean” hydrogen to $1 per kilogram (2.2 lbs) in a decade.

According to the DOE, hydrogen from renewables is priced at around $5 a kilogram today. “Clean hydrogen is a game-changer,” U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said Monday, adding that it would help to “decarbonize high-polluting heavy-duty and industrial sectors.”

On Wednesday Ben Gallagher, who is lead analyst for emerging technologies at research group Wood Mackenzie, sought to highlight how the environment surrounding green hydrogen appeared to be changing.

“An increasingly dynamic low-carbon hydrogen market has seen a deluge of government support, corporate commitments, announced projects and even bystander intrigue over the past 18 months,” he said.

“We believe this activity amounts to a paradigm shift which will see green hydrogen — hydrogen created from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy — emerge as a key element of the energy transition,” he added.

Environment

Florida rangers are now patrolling on electric bikes

Published

3 hours ago

August 15, 2025

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Florida rangers are now patrolling on electric bikes

Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.

The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.

These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.

According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”

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These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.

Electrek’s Take

I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.

We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.

I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!

Via: WCJB

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Environment

Meet the Lucid Gravity X: The electric SUV turned all-terrain beast

Published

4 hours ago

August 15, 2025

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Meet the Lucid Gravity X: The electric SUV turned all-terrain beast

Lucid’s most adventurous vehicle has just arrived. The Lucid Gravity can drive 450 miles on a single charge, comfortably fits seven, and is faster than the average sports car. Lucid promises the new X concept takes the electric family hauler to a new level.

Meet the Lucid Gravity X adventure-ready EV SUV

Lucid has been hyping the new model as “a bold new concept of electric exploration,” describing it as its most adventurous vehicle to date.

At Monterey Car Week on Friday, we finally got our first look at Lucid’s stunning new Gravity X concept. Based on the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring, which features an impressive up to 450 miles of EPA-estimated range, AWD, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 secs, the X is designed to take you even further.

As Lucid put it, the X “advances this exceptional foundation, exploring what it would be like to push the limits further.

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The concept features a new look, lifted ride height, and added off-road elements for all on and off-road adventures. Lucid fine-tuned the front and rear ends to improve approach and departure angles. It also slapped all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks on it, just in case.

Like we first saw in the teaser, the X concept is equipped with an integrated crossbar with LED lights and a roof box.

Lucid says every detail on the new concept was intentional, from the Astral Drift satin paint to the topographical references to Big Spur and Death Valley on the hood.

The interior features upgrades, including premium leather seats, high-performance floor mats, and a microsuede steering wheel.

According to Lucid, the Gravity X, pronounced Gravity Cross, is “ready to go anywhere. Take on everything. And compromise nothing.”

Although it’s just a concept for now, the X gives us a glimpse into a future off-road Gravity trim. As we mentioned earlier this week, Lucid could be preparing to introduce a rugged new variant to compete with Rivian’s California Dune Edition R1S and R1T models.

What do you think of the rugged Gravity X Concept? Should Lucid bring it to life? It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new variant hit the market soon.

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Environment

Wheel-E Podcast: Bafang automatic shifting motor, 50 MPH scooter, more

Published

5 hours ago

August 15, 2025

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Wheel-E Podcast: Bafang automatic shifting motor, 50 MPH scooter, more

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Heybike, the Priority Skyline launch, Segway’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, a Bafang hub motor with automatic shifting, and more.

The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

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We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):

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