Even Cummins Inc., A Diesel Engine Giant Pushes Batteries And Hydrogen At COP26 To Combat Climate Crisis

Forbes ^ | 11/13/2021 | Alan OhnsmanF

[SeekAndFind]

Cummins Inc., a century-old maker of truck engines powered by diesel and other fossil fuels, may not seem like the most likely attendee at the UN Climate Conference COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, but CEO Tom Linebarger was there this week telling industrial partners and customers the company is working to help them shift to low- and no-carbon vehicles powered by batteries and hydrogen.

As battery-electric passenger models gain market share in the U.S., Europe and China, attention is shifting to electrifying larger, dirtier commercial vehicles including semi-trucks, construction and mining vehicles, as well as trains, ships and aircraft. Currently, no single type of electric power train can easily scale to handle light and heavy-duty vehicle categories, so it’s necessary to use both, Linebarger tells Forbes.

“If you’re flogging one thing and you trash the other, it's not a good plan for meeting the challenge of climate change,” he said from Glasgow. “Climate change is the existential crisis of our time. It’s just not a good idea to argue about whether batteries are better than fuel cells.”

Shifting away from carbon-based fuels was a key topic for negotiators at COP26 and appeared to have made historic breakthrough with first-draft agreement calling for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies. But a second draft appeared to soften the wording as major oil and gas producers fight to save subsidies.

Rather than storing electricity as batteries do, fuel cells make it as needed in an electrochemical process involving hydrogen and oxygen that emits only water as a by-product. Columbus, Indiana-based Cummins is far from alone in pushing hydrogen to power heavy-duty vehicles. Toyota, Hino, Hyundai Motor, Volvo, Daimler, Nikola, General Motors and Navistar have their own hydrogen-fueled plans. They say the technology is better suited for heavy trucks that drive hundreds of miles

[The Great RJ]

When will we see battery powered tractors, combines and large trucks needed to plant and harvest food crops? Where do you charge your tractor or combine in the middle of a field?

[_Jim]

re: “On topic, the article was about Cummins diesel and their support of Hydrogen power. I pointed out the why.”

Futile and pointless going forward; NONE of that will come to fruition. A word to the wise.

[D Rider]

Write Cummins and explain that to them. I am impartial.

[willyd]

water vapor is the most responsible for global warming due to the greenhouse effect. Why would they be okay with hydrogen as a fuel source unless.. it isn’t about global warming at all.