A group of robot engineers at the University of California Santa Barbara has designed and built a robot that mimics the way roots and vines move toward moisture sources. They describe their approach and robot prototype in a paper uploaded to the arXiv preprint server.

Hynamics, the hydrogen subsidiary of EDF group, has signed an agreement to collaborate with ABB and test the ABB Ability OPTIMAX for Green Hydrogen energy management system (EMS), which was launched to market in November 2022, across Hynamics’ plants to help optimize electrical costs of hydrogen production by up to 16%, according to ABB modeling.

In order to optimize production costs for low carbon and renewable hydrogen, the performance of the electrolyzer process can be improved. ABB’s OPTIMAX supports this by serving every aspect of a green hydrogen plant lifecycle, from simulation at design and engineering phases to real-time visualization and monitoring when in operation.

The software measures bi-directional energy flows providing data which operators can use to determine optimal energy consumption levels required to support plant processes and minimize waste.

The transparency offered by the solution can also be applied to increase the efficiency and safety of each electrolyzer module being operated within the plant, regulating each module’s load, and ensuring it is only used as and when required.

The system provides data which can help determine optimal energy consumption levels required to produce hydrogen and minimize waste. The tool considers, among other things, the variability of electricity prices, asset availability and other associated factors.

The companies have agreed to share respective resources to determine the compatibility of their solutions. ABB Ability OPTIMAX for Green Hydrogen EMS will be deployed at Auxerre, Hynamics’ first production and distribution site in Northern Burgundy, approximately 170 km southeast of Paris. The 1 MW hydrogen station for the urban community will supply five buses of the Leo network (Transdev), as well as light commercial vehicles and trucks, removing 2,200 tons of CO2 emissions from the road each year.

The scope of the agreement also includes the deployment of the cloud for the EMS at the Hynamics operation control center, potential performance and reliability tests carried out by EDF and deployment on further Hynamics production sites in 2023.