Ballard Power, dynaCERT, NEL ASA - will a major event double the hydrogen share?

Green hydrogen protects the environment

The use of hydrogen in mobility faces various challenges, but also opportunities. An infrastructure with nationwide filling stations that keep hydrogen in sufficient quantities is just as important as the origin of the hydrogen itself. If the energy for producing hydrogen has to be obtained from gas or coal, then the causing of pollutant emissions is only shifted.

These problems are already known from the production of electricity for charging battery cars. If the energy for producing hydrogen is obtained from renewable energy sources, such as solar or hydroelectric power, then it is an honest improvement in the environmental balance.

Infrastructure and vehicles are missing

NEL ASA has made a name for itself in the development and construction of plants for the production of hydrogen. The company can play an important role as a supplier for the construction of a hydrogen filling station network. In Germany there are more than 14,000 filling stations for gasoline and diesel. A similar number is needed if hydrogen cars are to gain a large market share. Ballard Power is focused on the development of fuel cells. The hydrogen is converted into electricity by the fuel cells and this energy can then supply the electric motors.

However, before this can happen, the automotive industry must provide affordable vehicles. A classic chicken/egg situation. The market only buys hydrogen cars if there is a filling station network with hydrogen. Filling station operators need customers, otherwise the investment is not worthwhile.

Hydrogen solution for now and today

The hydrogen technology from dynaCERT, on the other hand, is retrofitted to diesel engines and does not require any new infrastructure. This is a significant advantage, because the existing vehicles and filling stations can continue to be used. The innovation of dynaCERT produces hydrogen from commercially available distilled water as needed and then adds this hydrogen to the combustion in the diesel engine.

Combustion becomes more efficient and consumption is reduced. In addition, fewer pollutants are emitted. The customers of dynaCERT therefore save money and protect the environment.

Leading fair of the mining industry

From March 01 to 04, 2020, dynaCERT will exhibit at the PDAC in Toronto, the largest mining exhibition in the world. The mining industry has high energy requirements. In addition to diesel generators to generate electricity, large trucks and excavators are used, which can consume several million litres of diesel per month, depending on the size of the company.

If this consumption can be reduced by up to 20%, then dynaCERT's technology offers a real economic advantage and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Canadian investor Eric Sprott has also seen this significance for the mining industry and bought about 9% of dynaCERT's shares. Sprott is a billionaire and earned his money in mining.

Investments in the future

As is well known, the future is traded on the stock exchange. In this context, a comparison of the market capitalization of these hydrogen companies is particularly interesting. Even if the business models and areas differ from each other, it becomes clear in which relation there could still be the most price potential. Ballard Power is already valued at EUR 2.45 billion on the stock exchange, followed by NEL ASA with EUR 1.52 billion.

With EUR 216 million, dynaCERT is currently the company with the lowest value and probably still the highest price potential, because it offers hydrogen technology that can already be used in a scalable way.