- 4 months ago
Chile’s first hydrogen train, massive floating solar plants in Thailand, and geothermal energy on the rise — despite setbacks, the global push for green is gaining momentum. And on a local level: a ferry operator likewise performing essential services.
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00:00Are hydrogen trains the solution for future rail travel?
00:06The H2 hype has been growing for years, not just in Europe, but now in Latin America too,
00:12where Chile wants to become a world leader in hydrogen production.
00:17While some sectors have been celebrating progress,
00:20German rail companies are reporting problems with the technology.
00:24So is hydrogen on track to power the trains of tomorrow, or is it all just hot air?
00:30Also unmade this week, Thailand, a bright future driven by solar energy.
00:37Geothermal energy, the deeper you go, the hotter it gets.
00:42Watery tails, a day in the life of a ferry operator.
00:46Chile is by far the world's biggest copper producer with a global market share of around a quarter.
01:02In the coastal town of Antofagasta in Chile's far north, a tiny piece of tech history is about to be made.
01:09The logistics company, FCAB, is owned by one of Chile's biggest copper producers.
01:14It started transporting minerals using coal-powered steam trains a century ago.
01:19Today, the train fleet runs on climate-damaging diesel.
01:24But this train is about to kick off a change.
01:27Hi, I'm José Luis Adame, chief engineer of Antofagasta Railways, Bolivia.
01:32Here's the first hydrogen-powered locomotive in Chile and South America.
01:37The train is brand new and was recently shipped in from China.
01:41Final preparations are being made for the first tests.
01:46Here you can see part of the tanks with their valves, which feed the fuel cell.
01:55It's equipped with 20 cylinders of hydrogen.
01:59Depending on the route and the section of track where this locomotive is going to travel,
02:05it could have a range of 166 kilometers.
02:10With a more favorable route, we can start to talk about a greater autonomy.
02:19The train is initially tested on a shorter route between the port and the company's warehouse a few kilometers outside of town.
02:28It will later cover longer distances between the port, Bolivia and the copper mines.
02:33FCA-B transports around 7 million tons of copper and other materials every year.
02:39The oars are extracted from mines in northern Chile, Argentina and Bolivia
02:44and transported via a 700-kilometer railway network through mountains and deserts
02:49on route to further processing.
02:54Decarbonizing the rail network is key to achieving the company's sustainability goals.
03:00One of the goals is to reduce emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
03:07And if we look at the characteristics of the railroad, most emissions come from the locomotives.
03:12The hydrogen still needs to be delivered from Brazil and is currently produced using biomass.
03:19This is much more expensive than diesel, according to FCA-B.
03:23However, the company believes that this could soon change.
03:27Chile's ambitions for hydrogen are huge.
03:31The first pilot projects are underway and the necessary infrastructure will be built in the south of the country.
03:37The aim is to be number one in the world for cheap hydrogen.
03:41The country is ramping up its wind power generation and hydrogen production capacity.
03:46There are areas in Patagonia where the wind is blowing roughly two to four times more than it is in Germany, for instance.
03:56So hydrogen can be very cheap there and could supply hydrogen trains.
04:03The World Bank believes that with its vast potential,
04:07Latin America could meet up to a third of global demand for clean hydrogen by 2030
04:12and become a strong competitor to Africa and Australia.
04:16The most important thing is the costs of hydrogen delivered.
04:21Those costs are today roughly ten times the cost of natural gas.
04:28It gives you an impression of the challenges of those first projects.
04:33According to UCAT, around one trillion dollars need to be invested globally in ongoing or planned hydrogen projects by 2030
04:41to reduce costs worldwide as quickly as possible.
04:45A mammoth task.
04:48Looking at global patent applications, the picture becomes clearer.
04:52Data from the International Energy Agency shows that most innovation and patenting around hydrogen
04:59is happening for the automotive, aviation and the steel sector, as well as for the shipping industry.
05:06In recent years, only 13 patents have been registered for the rail sector.
05:13The vast potential boils down to those sectors specifically where you don't have other options.
05:20These include the steel and cement industries, but to some extent also the railway sector.
05:26Freight transport still relies heavily on diesel in South America and all around the world,
05:31just like the trains from FCAB in Chile still do.
05:34This is where hydrogen comes into play.
05:37Electrification is not always the best or cheapest option.
05:41Currently, the railroad geography is more than 700 kilometers of track in highly demanding conditions.
05:49We are talking about very steep desert slopes where you have to travel long distances between your place of departure and destination,
05:56where the cost of electrification is very high considering all these characteristics.
06:07On the other hand, hydrogen requires an entire infrastructure to deliver its potential.
06:12It's about an entire ecosystem. It's not only the train that uses the hydrogen, it's also about the production and the fueling of the trains.
06:25In Canada, Japan, India and China, and also in several European countries such as Austria, Italy, Spain and Germany,
06:32hydrogen trains are being tested or already in use on a small-scale basis.
06:37For the operators of the hydrogen-powered Taunosbahn railway in western Germany,
06:42disillusion has set in after the initial excitement.
06:45Since its launch a few years ago, the railway has been plagued by breakdowns, says Kai Daubatshäuser from the Rhein-Main Transport Association.
06:57The initial technical problems began shortly after the first batch of trains were brought into service.
07:03We had a problem with the tank systems, which often end up leaking.
07:09The success of hydrogen trains, at least in Germany, is looking shaky.
07:13Due to the many technical problems on the railway in western Germany,
07:16the trains will be replaced by diesel trains again, at least for 2025.
07:22We have to be very careful with hydrogen expectations.
07:25So I see that hydrogen will be more focused on those sectors that don't have alternatives,
07:32because they have the willingness to pay for it in the end, because they don't have an alternative.
07:38The demand for hydrogen in rail transportation is not yet very big.
07:43Innovation, lower costs and a massive expansion of infrastructure will decide if hydrogen trains remain an exotic luxury
07:50or are indeed the better choice.
07:53Especially in areas where electrification is not possible or affordable, such as on long-distance routes in remote areas,
08:01hydrogen trains could become a real alternative.
08:11Thailand has set its sights on a greener future.
08:14By 2036, it's aiming to source 30% of its total energy needs from renewable sources,
08:20with solar power expected to deliver 6,000 megawatts.
08:24For now, Chinese imports are fueling the boom.
08:28But domestic production is also set to ramp up to make Thailand more independent.
08:35Bright prospects indeed for green energy in Thailand.
08:39Soaking up the sun.
08:45This floating power plant generates enough electricity to power 36,000 households a year.
08:51The solar farm on Sirindhorn Dam in northeastern Thailand is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
08:58Thanom Mungphia has been running the operation here, and so far it's all smooth sailing since the plant went online a few years ago.
09:08On this island alone, there are 20,000 solar panels, covering an area 140 meters wide and 500 meters long.
09:22In total, there are seven of these islands, making for a grand total of approximately 144,420 panels.
09:32The set-up is designed to be low maintenance.
09:38Rain does the cleaning, and the panels even help reduce water loss from the dam.
09:43Thailand has worked hard to become a renewable energy leader in Southeast Asia.
09:49Tax breaks, incentives, and small solar lights like these are popping up everywhere.
09:55Even roadside street lights are going solar now.
10:01For businesses in the solar game, keeping up with new tech is a constant race.
10:06You don't sell fast enough, you got that in stock.
10:10And the new models come out.
10:12Just like a cell phone, the new model comes out.
10:14It's more interesting, right?
10:15And the old model, nobody's gonna buy it.
10:17It's the same thing.
10:18If you can't sell it fast enough, the old model is stuck in your stock.
10:22And it's just like that, every single water.
10:26Like the panels floating on the solar lake, most panels sold in Thailand are still imported from China
10:32or made by Chinese companies operating here.
10:35It helps Thailand because prices keep falling.
10:38But it also puts local producers like PPM Solar right in the crossfire.
10:43After getting hit by U.S. tariffs last year, they're now bracing for more as Donald Trump ramps up efforts to target China.
10:52Many Chinese companies come to Thailand, open the factory.
10:55They didn't make the panel here.
10:57They import from China.
10:58And then they say the panel is out from this factory.
11:01It's made from this factory, export to the U.S.
11:03So the U.S. government see this thing happen and they come to inspect.
11:09And then they verify that this company is doing that.
11:12So they put the tariffs, but they don't put it to a specific company.
11:15They put it to the whole country.
11:18To stay competitive, PPM Solar is refining its strategy.
11:22They're hunting for Thai partners, from TV makers to fridge manufacturers,
11:26to build a truly local supply chain.
11:29Still, 70% of their raw materials right now comes from China.
11:34In the future, it's not about the part is made in China or the supply chain from China or not.
11:40It's going to be who owns the company.
11:42What is the supply chain of that company?
11:45So if we can verify and be sure that the Thai producer,
11:50the Thai supply chain can match the qualities,
11:53can match the quantities that we need,
11:56this one will be applicable on the tax reduction for sure.
12:00The current tariff system, however, is not very efficient.
12:03It's damaging for many companies in Thailand that play by the rules.
12:07And broad tariffs backfire, this expert says,
12:10hurting the U.S. economy more than they help.
12:16Because what will happen is once you have a very high tariff barrier,
12:20it will create a kind of a situation within the domestic market
12:24where those companies believe that they are protected
12:27and they don't have to invest on more technology
12:30or to become more competitive in the global market.
12:33So I don't think this is...
12:35It is going to help the American companies,
12:38maybe in the early stages,
12:40but in the midterm and the longer term,
12:41it will be very difficult for them.
12:43For now, PPM Solar is turning its focus inward,
12:47polishing their strategy at home.
12:49These panels will soon be powering homes and businesses right here.
12:54The future of Thailand's solar industry looks bright,
12:57but to win over local buyers,
12:59people actually need to trust that these panels will last
13:03and save them money in the long run.
13:05One group already convinced are Thai farmers.
13:09These solar-powered water pumps
13:11that replace pricey diesel generators
13:13are selling like hotcakes
13:15and are supposed to last decades.
13:17Thailand plans to double its solar capacity
13:20over the next 10 years
13:22and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
13:25A lot will depend on how much sun
13:27the kingdom will be able to capture until then.
13:31Do you know where most of the Earth's natural heat is?
13:40Right beneath your feet.
13:42Well, not directly beneath.
13:46If you drill down far enough,
13:48eventually you'll reach the next generation
13:51of geothermal energy deep in the Earth's core.
13:55After rising to the surface,
13:57it's sometimes released in spectacular fashion
14:00via volcanoes.
14:02A new drilling technique could tap into the energy
14:05while leaving oil and gas in the ground.
14:07But is that really possible?
14:12Can we harness the energy of the Earth's core?
14:14Iceland already has.
14:16Two-thirds of its primary energy
14:18comes from a unique renewable source, geothermal.
14:21They are tapping gigantic hot water reservoirs underground
14:24to generate heat and electricity 24-7.
14:27Around the world, other countries want to replicate the success story.
14:30Geothermal power.
14:31Geothermal power.
14:32Geothermal power plants.
14:33The geothermal power industry.
14:35But there is a catch.
14:36You can only do it in places with hot water reserves underground.
14:40And frankly, there aren't very many of them.
14:42But there is a new kid on the block.
14:45Or should I say, in the rock.
14:47A new generation of geothermal technologies
14:49promises to make energy from the Earth's core
14:51available pretty much everywhere.
14:54It's even available in downtown Paris
14:57that you can just simply, if you can drill,
14:59you can access to it.
15:01Even Google is betting on new geothermal
15:03to power its data centers.
15:05Time to explore how we can drill into a new energy era
15:08and who stands to profit.
15:10But first, the basics.
15:12This is how deep a conventional geothermal operation runs.
15:15It varies, but they're roughly located a few hundred to three thousand meters deep,
15:20where hot water reservoirs usually sit.
15:25The water is pumped up for district heating or power stations.
15:29For reference, oil and gas wells often run deeper,
15:32up to a depth of four thousand meters.
15:36Geothermal 2.0 can go way deeper than that
15:40and doesn't need a hot water reservoir.
15:43If you want this heat to be everywhere in the world,
15:47you go beyond four thousand.
15:49Between four thousand and seven thousand,
15:51it's basically, it's like a wind resource,
15:53or a solar resource, right?
15:55So, it's everywhere.
15:57On average, the temperature increases
15:59by 25 to 30 degrees Celsius per kilometer you go down.
16:03So the deeper you drill, the more energy you can potentially harvest.
16:07Look at these maps.
16:09Those are promising locations for geothermal at 2,000 meters below the surface,
16:14where the Earth itself is 150 degrees or more.
16:18This is considered warm enough for heat and electricity generation.
16:22This is how many you'll find at 4,000 and at 7,000 meters.
16:27All these sites combined could unlock energy to provide 150 times our annual global electricity demand.
16:34But just drilling deeper won't bring up the energy.
16:37So how can we do that?
16:39One way is currently being explored in this quaint village in Bavaria, Germany.
16:45The Canadian company Ever is planning to open their first commercial geothermal power plant here in 2026.
16:53We can drill many different wells out of one mother well, so we can fan them out.
16:59We can drill them very, very long, beyond 8,000 meters length.
17:04And then we can interconnect them, seal them, and build this large subsurface radiator.
17:10They call this Everloop, a closed-loop system.
17:13The key point?
17:14It works without a hot water reservoir underground as it extracts heat from dry rocks.
17:19I reconstructed the process for you.
17:22Two wells are drilled 5,000 meters vertically into the Earth.
17:26From there, several lateral wellbores fan out and intersect the two main wells.
17:32Cold water is then pumped through the tubes.
17:35As it flows through the hot rock, it absorbs the heat and brings it back to the surface.
17:41There it can be used to keep houses warm via district heating systems,
17:45or turned into electricity using a steam turbine.
17:49Ever is investing 350 million euros in geothermal and has several patents on their technologies.
17:56But Ever isn't the only company going deep underground.
18:00Enter Google.
18:02They need renewable energy, a lot of it, to power their data centers.
18:07That's why in 2021, they made a deal with startup Fervo Energy to build a new type of geothermal plant in the Nevada desert.
18:15Their approach involves creating an artificial hot water reservoir.
18:20In order to do this, Fervo drilled two wells of about 2,500 meters.
18:25After that, they turned the bore heads and kept drilling horizontally.
18:30The idea being that horizontal drilling makes the heat transfer process more efficient and boosts water throughput.
18:37Once they reach the ideal position, a fluid, usually water, gets pumped into the ground under huge pressure, fracturing stones and rocks.
18:46Water is then pumped into the wells, flows through the cracks in the rocks, heats up and is pushed to the surface.
18:55If this all sounds familiar, that's because the same approach is used in fracking to extract oil and gas.
19:04But Fervo seems to have taken it to the next level.
19:11In the short period of time, they were able to reduce the cost by 50%, drilling time by 70%.
19:17And now they are basically drilling for a 370 or almost 400 megawatt project in Utah.
19:25This is where the excitement is coming from.
19:28But amid all the hype, there is an important side effect.
19:31Earthquakes.
19:34A magnitude 5.4 earthquake in Pohang injures dozens and 1,700 people had to move into emergency housing.
19:53It was caused by enhanced geothermal exploration.
19:56The risk of earthquakes has led to public opposition and bans in some areas.
20:01Fervo says its operation has been safe and is monitored throughout the process.
20:06As with almost all cool breakthrough technologies, the biggest factor that's holding back next-gen geothermal is money.
20:13The IEA expects that without subsidies, electricity from new geothermal would be several times more expensive than solar and wind.
20:22Digging to depths of 4, 5 or even 10,000 meters lets you harvest more energy, but at a much higher cost.
20:29To keep that cost down, this clean renewable energy could join forces with and give a boost to an unlikely ally.
20:39Big oil and gas.
20:41Candidly, from a climate perspective, we need that size of player in order to meet our expectations of climate.
20:52They are the ones that can move this fastest.
20:55Drilling, cementing, finishing, closing the wells.
20:59If you spend $100, 80%, $80 of this is basically oil and gas industry's bread and butter.
21:08Today at Fervo, 90% of the work time is covered by oil and gas workers, but so far the fossil fuel industry has only invested $140 million in new geothermal development.
21:20They are waiting and trying to see whether an innovation breakthrough is going to happen for geothermal as well.
21:27Which leads to a bit of a stalemate, because that innovation breakthrough won't happen without lots of investment.
21:34Better regulation is also needed or any at all.
21:37Some countries also provide grants in the form of debt or insurance schemes to mitigate risks and high initial costs.
21:44Next generation geothermal technology is developing quickly and could bolster electricity security by substituting coal or complementing solar and wind in Europe.
21:56If the technology keeps developing, stays safe and costs come down even more, it could deliver at least 15% of global electricity demand by 2050.
22:07And it could throw big oil and gas a lifeline, a new renewable business model that still lets them do what they do best.
22:15Drill baby drill, but leaving fossil fuels in the ground.
22:25Ah, the romance of the sea and dreams of exploring the wider world.
22:30Although not every skipper sets out for distant shores, of course.
22:34Some simply ferry commuters, school children or people who just enjoy being out on the water and having a little fun while they're at it.
22:46I really enjoy my job.
22:55And I really can't imagine ever doing anything else.
22:58I'll definitely keep working on the water, likely until I retire.
23:02Quite often people just ride along with us for the fun of it.
23:18That means they get on board, I take them to the other side, and then they just stay on board and ride right back.
23:24Just so that they can say they took the ferry.
23:27And that's fine.
23:36The job's called Inland Boatman.
23:38It's an interesting job with lots of variety.
23:40Different customers every day.
23:42New ones and regulars.
23:44Every morning, I'm lucky enough to take the ferry.
23:56It does take some getting used to, like when you get there and the ferry has just left.
24:01But then you just unwind and chill.
24:11Darn it. What's going on?
24:13The job may not be physically demanding, but it is mentally taxing.
24:21If I'm working nine hours, that means I need to be focused for nine hours.
24:26Yeah, this actually happens sometimes.
24:28More often in winter, not so much in the summer.
24:31And this will get you going again.
24:48There you go.
24:49What do I owe you?
24:50Nothing at all.
24:51Something for the coffee kitty.
24:52No, please just move along and enjoy your day.
24:55Thanks.
24:56I'm responsible for the school children who cross here and for all the other passengers.
25:03For the cars, for my crew.
25:05I must keep an eye on everything.
25:14As you can see, the weather's beautiful and the people are in a good mood.
25:18It's just interesting and nice to see what goes on here.
25:26That's it for this journey on MADE.
25:47Taking in hydrogen trains in Chile, solar energy in Thailand, and global geothermal energy.
25:53Green technologies showing the way ahead.
25:56See you next time and take care.
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