Plasma Recycling, Hydrogen Ferry, Scotland’s Transition & BMW’s 2028 Hydrogen Car

In today’s episode of The Hydrogen Podcast, we explore four transformative hydrogen stories shaping technology, transport, and energy markets worldwide:

♻️ Korea’s Plasma Torch Breakthrough

• Hydrogen-powered plasma torch hits 2,000°C
• Converts unsorted plastic into ethylene & benzene
• 70–90% yields with 99% purity, almost no emissions
• Potential game-changer for chemical recycling by 2026

⛴ San Francisco’s Hydrogen Ferry “Sea Change”

• 75-passenger fuel cell catamaran debuts in the Bay
• Zero-emission propulsion, only water vapor exhaust
• Public-private partnership (Chevron, SWITCH Maritime, United Airlines)
• Sets precedent for scaling hydrogen ferries in U.S. waters

🏭 Scotland’s Grangemouth Transition

• Refinery closure pivots to hydrogen hub
• £1.5M feasibility study: Project Willow
• Ineos blue hydrogen + RWE’s 200–600 MW green plant
• Anchors jobs, skills, and Scotland’s net-zero energy strategy

🚙 BMW Confirms Hydrogen EVs for 2028

• Series production of hydrogen-powered X5
• Third-gen Toyota-BMW fuel cell stack (25% smaller, more power dense)
• Refueling in minutes, less reliant on critical minerals
• Key step toward mainstream hydrogen EV adoption

⚖️ Key Takeaway
Hydrogen is no longer hype—it’s being deployed across recycling, shipping, industrial regions, and automotive markets. Whether it’s cleaning up waste, replacing diesel ferries, transforming oil hubs, or redefining passenger vehicles, hydrogen is proving its scalability and impact.

Transcript

 Today, we’ll dissect four transformative hydrogen stories from Korea, California, Scotland, and Germany: world-first hydrogen plasma recycling for plastics; the debut of San Francisco’s hydrogen-powered ferry; Grangemouth’s journey from oil refining to hydrogen; and BMW’s confirmation of hydrogen fuel cell EV production for 2028. Let’s uncover the technology, economics, and societal impacts driving these headlines. All of this on todays hydrogen podcast

The Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) has unveiled a breakthrough plasma torch powered by hydrogen, capable of decimating unsorted mixed plastic waste in under 0.01 seconds—ten times faster than a blink. Unlike conventional pyrolysis, which produces a hundred often-useless byproducts at lower temperatures, KIMM’s torch operates near 2,000°C with remarkable selectivity. It’s fueled entirely by hydrogen, which eliminates carbon soot formation and enables continuous, stable operation at ultra-high temperatures. 

This plasma technology converts plastic waste directly into ethylene and benzene—chemical staples used to make new plastics—achieving a 70–90% yield with purity above 99% after purification. Compared to pyrolysis (which leaves behind waxy residues and limited recyclables), plasma torches create almost no carbon emissions, require no sorting, and fit the accelerating push for “chemical recycling.” Economic pilots in Korea show feasibility for full-scale commercial adoption in 2026.

The process’s speed and efficiency mean industrial-scale facilities can address the persistent problem that only ~9% of global plastics are recycled. By using hydrogen as both the energy and reduction agent, the torch not only creates valuable raw materials, but does so with minimal climate impact and potential energy circularity. If validated globally, this innovation could shift the conversation from sorting and incineration to direct conversion—potentially making “zero-sorting” plastic waste a reality.

San Francisco Bay has launched “Sea Change,” the first-of-its-kind U.S. hydrogen fuel cell ferry. This 75-passenger catamaran features a 360 kW PEM fuel cell propulsion system, 100 kWh li-ion battery buffer, and 600 kW motors, demonstrating zero-emission marine transport with a novel twist: the ferry’s only emissions are water vapor, which is remineralized and used for an onboard drinking fountain—passengers can literally “drink” the vessel’s emissions. 

Sea Change was delivered through a private-public partnership involving SWITCH Maritime, Chevron New Energies, United Airlines, and funding from the California Air Resources Board. The vessel will run a six-month trial on the San Francisco Bay Ferry network, connecting Pier 41 and downtown terminals, after which the public will help decide whether it replaces existing diesel ferries in permanent service.

Hydrogen brings key advantages to urban marine transit: fast refueling, high energy density, and absolute zero tailpipe pollution—a vital factor in air-quality challenged urban docks and channels. Like the Norwegian car ferry MF Hydra, Sea Change showcases practical, scalable fuel cell technology in real-world conditions and offers lessons for expansion into other U.S. and international routes. Investment in hydrogen ferries is growing, as operators and governments seek to decarbonize port and passenger services while proving hydrogen’s functionality for medium-haul mobility.

Grangemouth, Scotland’s industrial heartland, is redefining itself through the lens of hydrogen. With the closure of Petroineos’s crude oil processing at the refinery in April 2025—a move that affected 430 jobs out of a 2,000-strong workforce—the region is pivoting toward low-carbon energy, supported by both the U.K. and Scottish governments. 

A £1.5 million feasibility study, dubbed Project Willow, has mapped Grangemouth’s transformation into a hydrogen hub. Ineos’s site already hosts plans for a blue hydrogen project utilizing carbon capture and storage, and RWE is developing a 200 MW green hydrogen plant scheduled for operation by 2029, expandable to 600 MW. The green facility—powered by electrolyzers—could produce up to 3.6 tonnes of hydrogen per hour and supply adjacent industrial operations while augmenting regional efforts to store and distribute hydrogen.

Expert hearings at the Scottish Parliament (with sector leaders from Hydrogen Scotland, Strathclyde, Glasgow, and Oxford) have concluded that hydrogen can both reduce curtailment of renewable energy and anchor new jobs and skills. Grangemouth’s shift isn’t just technical; it’s systemic, aiming to retrain workers, foster supply chain resilience, and position Scotland as a leader in the U.K.’s hydrogen strategy. The plan leverages Grangemouth’s existing chemical and energy assets—a “just transition” away from refining that mirrors similar moves in Germany’s Ruhr, the U.S. Gulf Coast, and Japan’s Kawasaki.

BMW has formally announced series production of a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle—starting with the X5 Hydrogen—for 2028. Developed in partnership with Toyota, this marks the industry’s most serious foray into mainstream passenger hydrogen cars since the Toyota Mirai and Honda Clarity. BMW’s third-generation fuel cell stack is 25% smaller and notably more power dense, integrating efficiently with the company’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) to offer promising range and performance. 

Not only will the hydrogen X5 roll out alongside petrol, diesel, hybrid, and fully electric variants, but BMW plans to use the advanced fuel cell across future models—showcasing a commitment to drivetrain agnosticism. Components for the stack will be produced in the company’s plants in Austria and Germany, with extensive testing planned for 2027.

BMW’s move reflects strategic bets on hydrogen as a practical solution for markets where charging speed, raw material supply, and refueling infrastructure limit full EV adoption. Hydrogen EVs can be refueled in minutes, are less vulnerable to rare earth supply bottlenecks, and may be favored in regions prioritizing energy diversity and grid stability. The combination of greater efficiency, reduced size, and proven design paves the way for future integration in SUVs, luxury vehicles, and urban fleets—provided hydrogen refueling stations expand in parallel.

Each segment underscores a central theme: Hydrogen’s importance is moving decisively from hype to actionable, scalable technology. The plasma torch’s ability to eliminate plastic sorting and recover valuable feedstocks from waste is a leap for chemical recycling and global climate ambitions. The Sea Change ferry signals hydrogen’s arrival as practical propulsion in urban transport, meeting immediate air quality and sustainability goals. Grangemouth’s regional shift shows how hydrogen can anchor economic transformation and safeguard jobs post-fossils, while BMW’s commitment signals the maturing of hydrogen vehicles beyond concept into mainstream market readiness.

Across all stories, government and public-private investment remain essential, but the sector emphasis is now on proof, performance, and commercial viability—where hydrogen not only complements, but sometimes outperforms, alternatives in speed, scalability, and societal impact.

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