1st commercial-scale production of 5-HMF, 1st hydrogen-based residential area, largest fuel cell system ever on major ship, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of February 20th

#9 First hydrogen-based residential area in the Netherlands to be built by Arcadis, LiveFree, and the Municipality of Hoogeveen

In the Netherlands, a collaboration in the Municipality of Hoogeveen seeks to develop the first hydrogen-based residential area in the Netherlands. 16 homes will have solar panels, low-temperature heating, and buffer tanks. The houses will also be equipped with a “micropower plant,” where during the summer months excess solar energy will be fed into an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen which is then stored until winter. During the winter months, this surplus energy is converted back into electricity and heat. The plan includes the utilization of the existing natural gas pipelines to transport hydrogen, as well as replacing the existing central heating boiler with a hydrogen variant.
More on the story, here.