This project is significant because it brings cost-effective green hydrogen closer to commercial reality, with Ceres still targeting a production cost of USD 1.5/kg by 2025.

This investment signals a major investment in electrified transportation solutions. Shell’s technology centre will test supplier agnostic charging systems to ensure the systems are safe and robust in extreme conditions before roll-out.

The aim is to target a module level of efficiency of less than 36kWh/kg and drive down the price, making it much more competitive as an alternative fuel/energy option in sectors such as heavy transportation.

The agreement provides for a series of initiatives, including the construction of electric charging hubs with the Shell Recharge solution in eight Brazilian state capital cities over the next three years starting this year (2024).

The third-generation demo truck, powered by a Cummins ‘X15N’ engine with renewable natural gas, hauled a fully loaded trailer on an 840-mile round trip in California to collect performance data.

At ACT Expo in May, T&BB spoke to Dr Selda Gunsel – President of Shell Global Solutions and VP Fuels and Lubricants and Technology – who likened the 'Starship 3.0' to "a scientific paper on wheels", bringing together the best fuel-saving technologies available today.

SBRS currently services public transport operators, municipalities and logistics companies in cities including Brussels, Vienna and Cologne.

Ceres will be piloting a solid oxide electrolyser - which uses a ceramic as the electrolyte in the process of splitting water molecules to produce hydrogen gas - at Shell's R&D centre in Bangalore.

The 200 MW electrolyser, called ‘Holland Hydrogen I’, will be constructed on the Tweede Maasvlakte in the port of Rotterdam and will produce up to 60,000 kg of renewable hydrogen per day.

Shell plc, now headquartered in London, UK, and BYD Auto Co Ltd of Shenzhen, China, have signed a cooperation agreement focusing on the supply of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Europe and China. As part of the agreement, the two firms will also establish a joint venture to develop EV charging networks in China.

The new facility in Rotterdam will produce 820,000 tonnes of biofuels (such as renewable diesel) for applications including heavy-duty transport per year.

The results come from two journeys which took the Starship 2.0 between California and Florida and on a shorter trip in North Carolina.