Our Power-to-X briefing covering 26 July – 2 August 2026: a reality check for hydrogen in Switzerland — with one notable counter-example on Lake Lucerne — and tangible project progress in Australia, Morocco, France and the United Kingdom.
Switzerland: hydrogen setbacks pile up — but the «Saphir» offers hope
SRF reports on a series of cancelled or stalled hydrogen projects across Switzerland. BLS has opted for battery-electric propulsion instead of hydrogen for its ships on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, planned production plants in Seewen, Brugg and Gerlafingen have been stopped, and Axpo is struggling to find enough offtakers for what would be Switzerland’s largest hydrogen plant in Domat/Ems.
There is a countertrend, however: in a Lucerne shipyard, the «Saphir» is being converted into Switzerland’s first scheduled-service passenger ship with hydrogen propulsion. It is expected to enter service on Lake Lucerne in spring 2027. The industry, meanwhile, is calling on the federal government for more concrete targets for hydrogen.
Source: SRF News, 29 July 2026
Australia: construction progress at New South Wales’ first green hydrogen and ammonia project
Trinasolar will supply the modules for the 27 MW solar plant powering the Good Earth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia (GEGHA) project near Moree. The facility — now under construction — is designed to produce up to 200 tonnes of green hydrogen and around 4,500 tonnes of low-carbon ammonia per year, serving as a pilot for decentralised hydrogen and fertiliser production.
Sources: Trinasolar, 29 July 2026 · SolarQuarter, 30 July 2026 · World Fertilizer, 31 July 2026
USA backs green hydrogen project in Morocco
The US Trade and Development Agency has awarded a USD 5.7 million grant to the Moroccan joint venture ORNX for a study on electrolyser technology — a signal of Morocco’s growing role as a future Power-to-X export hub.
Source: CleanTechnica, 30 July 2026
France: eSAF project H4 Marseille Fos secures its CO₂ supply
The eSAF project developed by Hy2gen France and H2V has entered a partnership with Rhône Décarbonation that secures 50% of its biogenic CO₂ needs long term — according to the partners, France’s first structured CCU value chain. The final investment decision is planned for 2028; from 2032 the project aims to produce 75,000 tonnes of eSAF per year via the methanol-to-jet route, backed by a 10-year nuclear power contract with EDF.
Source: GreenAir News Roundup, 29 July 2026
UK: ETFuels selects Immingham for its methanol-to-jet refinery
ETFuels has chosen the port of Immingham on the Humber as the site for «Project Kings Road Humber» — a refinery that will convert e-methanol (including from the company’s own production in Texas) into eSAF for the British market and for export. The project is expected to create up to 1,000 construction jobs and 400 permanent positions.
Sources: GreenAir News Roundup, 29 July 2026 · ABP Ports
Power-to-X Congress Switzerland 2026
«Reality Check with Net Zero» — 22 September 2026, 10–18h, Kursaal Bern. The Power-to-X Congress Switzerland 2026 is co-organised by energie-cluster.ch and the Swiss Power-to-X Collaborative Innovation Network (SPIN), with Réseau H2 Suisse Romande as partner. Programme and registration →