Last weekend we were present at Técnico Taguspark Open Day in celebrations of their anniversary! In our stand we were doing some demonstrations on how hydrogen can be produced - by electrolyzing water molecules we can separate the oxygen from the hydrogen. And then, using the hydrogen to produce energy again with a fuel cell! Thank you @tecnicotaguspark for the invitation and many congratulations for your 22nd anniversary! 🎉 Thank you to everyone that visited our stand and talked to us! Did you catch us there? 👀 #hydrogen #green #power #sustainability #future #mobility #shellecomarathon #hydrogenfuelcell #fuelcell

E da Shell Eco-Marathon, já ouviste falar? 🚗💨 Hoje o nosso Team Leader, Duarte Soares (@duartelsoares), vem explicar-te o que é e como funciona. 🌱 Este clip é um excerto da NEECTalk "Técnico Fuel Cell e o Futuro da Mobilidade a Hidrogénio", um podcast promovido pelo @neecist. Ainda não os segues? Não sabes o que estás a perder! *** Gostarias de falar connosco? Usa quaisquer um dos nossos canais através do link na bio. Estamos a recrutar! 📢 Vem juntar-te a nós. #hydrogen #green #power #sustainability #future #mobility #shellecomarathon

Existe melhor forma de começar o fim de semana do que com uma espreitadela ao sistema de direção do nosso carro? Nós também não conhecemos nenhuma! Portanto, aqui está. Diz-nos o que achaste! Gostarias de falar connosco? Usa quaisquer um dos nossos canais através do: https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle (link na bio do perfil). Estamos à tua espera! #hydrogen #green #power #sustainability #future #mobility

Hidrogénio ou baterias de ião lítio, qual é melhor?! A TFC está a recrutar! Segue o link na nossa bio para te candidatares. Esperamos por ti! #energia #renovável #sustentabilidade #hidrogenio #bateria #futuro #mobilidade #transporte #verde #descarbonização

Sentes que precisas de aplicar o que aprendes nas aulas de forma prática e criativa? O Técnico Fuel Cell está a fazer um Carro a Hidrogénio e TU podes ajudar! O RECRUTAMENTO para este semestre está oficialmente ABERTO para todos os departamentos e podes candidatar-te até 5 DE JUNHO! Para isso, basta seguires o LINK NA BIO! Ficamos à tua espera! - A equipa do TFC. (3 de 3) #carro #hidrogénio #futuro #mobilidade #transporte #sustentabilidade #fazeracontecer

Round TWO: team photos & a great time! Our new t-shirts look smooooth 👌🏼 tell us what you think! New updates coming soon. #sustainability #hydrogen #greenhydrogen #future #transportation #mobility #fuelcell

F stands for Fuel! And WE… (someone in the audience screams “HYDROGEN!”) *Crickets sound* Ok, well, who are we fooling. It is pretty clear by now that our car will run on hydrogen. BUT, did you know there are three different kinds? Actually, there are more; but for the sake of simplicity, let’s stick with these. Based on its production process, hydrogen may be labeled as: 1. Grey hydrogen: it is the most common form and is generated from natural gas, or methane, in a process called “steam reforming”. Essentially, a hydrocarbon reacts with water resulting in hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The hydrogen is grey when the carbon dioxide (CO2) byproduct is released into the atmosphere; 2. Blue hydrogen: the same exact process as before however – and this is a big “IF” – the CO2 is captured and stored. Sometimes, blue hydrogen is referred to as “carbon neutral”, although that is not entirely true. In a best-case scenario, a blue hydrogen facility manages to capture 90% of the carbon dioxide; 3. Green hydrogen: everything you have ever dreamed off; a clean, carbon-free, marvelous piece of bottled energy. Green hydrogen is produced when the electric current generated by a renewable source (e.g., solar photovoltaic panel or wind turbine) runs through water breaking the bonds between hydrogen and oxygen (electrolysis). So, why don’t we use only green hydrogen for energy production? For one, there is price. Fossil fuels are still abundant and marketed comparatively at very low prices. Green hydrogen requires great amounts of scarce renewable electricity together with electrolyzers which are only now reaching commercial-scale sizes. And, to be honest, how do you grow supply when demand is not growing? Or vice-versa [1, 2]. But as governments around the world start investing, this might start to change. Green hydrogen is expected to beat blue hydrogen’s cost by 2030 and natural gas’ by 2050. It should be quick enough. And while you wait, feel free to check all our channels at https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle (link in the bio). We look forward to hearing from you!

Photoshoot day 📸 at @tecnico_lisboa's historical Pavilhão Central #sustainability #hydrogen #greenhydrogen #hydrogen #mobility #ShellEcoMarathon #FuelCell #FCEV @ren.pt @altairengineering @emetres_m3 @santanderpt @ipdj_ip

This was meant to be one of our regular posts. However, the current circumstances present us all with more pressing matters. It is unfortunate that living in the 21st century, we are simultaneously engaging exhilarating conversations about space travel and artificial intelligence and are continually forced to watch wars unfold – whether in Ukraine, the Middle East, Africa, … In fact, it is not unfortunate. It is sad. It is sad because time and time again the good of the whole can be disturbed by the evil of the few. News from Ukraine show us courageous people, willing to die for their country. But in war, everybody loses. Some will lose their lives; many will lose their health. Plenty will forever lose their mental rest. This publication reflects TFC’s unhappiness with the recent developments in Ukraine. Hoping that a wave of public dissatisfaction may pressure policymakers to enact any and all measures likely to end the conflict. Our thoughts lie with all Ukrainians, fighting a war that they did not ask. And with Russian people, fighting a war that it is not theirs. Keep up with our channels at https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle (link in the bio). And stay safe. #ukraine #democracy #freedom #makelovenotwar

Going through 2022 and your life is still depending on fossil fuels?! 🦖 Well, actually… Ours too. But we are working to change that for good! Did you know that fossil fuels are called that way because they are made from decomposing plants and animals from a very distant past, being heated and compressed over millions of years within the Earth’s crust? Fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy source because it would require waiting millions of years for them to form again. And that is not a realistic option! Whenever we consume all of the fossil fuels currently available to us, they are gone forever. According to [1] (as of data from 2016), we have around 50-year reserves’ worth of oil and natural gas consumption, and 114 years left of coal. Fossil fuels have been responsible for almost three-fourths of the pollutant gas emissions from human activities in the last 20 years [2]. However, investment in renewable energy sources has also been increasing! As citizens, industry and governments become aware of the disastrous impact that overproduction of greenhouse gases is having on ecosystem degradation, quality of life, as well as the future of human activity itself, the first – essential – steps towards decarbonization are undergoing. Come and join a fossil fuel free world! The environment will thank you. And so will Dino! (His real name is Rocky, but he does not like to be called that way shhhh 🤫. It reminds him of his rather stiff… you know, current condition.) CURIOSITY: fossil fuels are also employed in a whole array of goods that are totally unrelated with energy production. From the very device you are reading on right now to medicine, recreational sporting items and cosmetics, the applications are plentiful! You want to reach out to us? Feel free to do so through any of our channels at https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle (link in the bio). We look forward to hearing from you!

C stands for Cell! But C is also for Christmas. Or carbon, atomic number 6! (And we know it has been almost two months since Christmas but… bear with us!) In the cosmos, only hydrogen, helium, oxygen, neon and nitrogen are atomically more abundant than carbon. Within the Earth’s crust, however, carbon is not particularly plentiful – it makes up about 0.025%, placing 19th in order of elemental abundance. And yet, it forms more chemical compounds than all other elements combined [1]! The problem arises when carbon gets high up in the air, in its carbon dioxide (CO2) compound form. In fact, let us rephrase it: the problem is not carbon dioxide itself, but rather its excessive presence due to human activity. CO2 is actually one of the most important gases on our planet because plants use it to produce carbohydrates in a process called photosynthesis. Since humans and animals depend on plants for food, photosynthesis is crucial for the survival of life on Earth [2]! But as CO2 builds up in the atmosphere – mostly from burning fossil fuels –, it absorbs sun’s heat and keeps releasing it over time. Much like bricks in an extinguished fireplace. To the group of gases holding such characteristic we call “greenhouse gases”. Now, without a natural greenhouse effect, Earth’s annual average temperature would be a not-so-comfortable below freezing degrees (instead of the current 15ºC) [3]. So… should you crank up your engines in a heroic attempt to save Earth from a chilly death? Not so fast! We have plenty of it on the atmosphere already. But thanks! Besides, it is not the only greenhouse gas out there. So… why have you probably seen fingers pointed at CO2 for global warming and not methane or nitrous oxide, for instance? That is because CO2 is the most important of Earth’s long-lived greenhouse gases. Despite absorbing less heat per molecule than the latter, it is more abundant and it stays in the atmosphere much longer [3]. SO ABUNDANT, that we should be working towards decarbonisation! Never heard of the term? In that case, stay tuned! You read this far? Thanks for your support, it is massive! Leave us a comment and you will be up for a late Christmas treat.

Most of you may have heard about the @cop26uk, which took place during the first two weeks of November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. But what was it about and which were its outcomes? First things first, COP26 stands for “Conference of the Parties”. It is a conference that has taken place annually since 1995 – this year was the 26th gathering. And at its core, in the words of the unitednation Foundation: “it is a negotiating session for countries to advance their climate commitments and actions, but it has also become an important forum for a wide variety of stakeholders from around the world to gather and discuss the climate crisis and solutions”. Back in 2015, COP21 reached the Paris Agreement. For the first time, almost all the world’s nations were united on cutting greenhouse gas emissions from human activities to the same levels that trees, soil and ocean can absorb naturally – also known as net-zero – between 2050 and 2100. One of the key points of the agreement set the participants in pursuing efforts to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C. This target, however, seems presently off-track (see chart in slide 2; source: [1]). “The average global temperature has already risen by about 1.1C, and scientists say action must be stepped up if we are to have any chance of curbing dangerous climate change”. Current pledges, if met, will only limit global warming to about 2.4C within the referred period. Thus, COP26 was the summit where countries revisited the climate pledges made under the 2015 Paris Agreement. The result: Glasgow Climate Pact; a new agreement aiming to reduce the worst impacts of climate change. This is not a legally binding contract, nevertheless. Leaving some leaders and campaigners saying the pact does not go far enough. Next year’s summit COP27 is in Egypt. We will keep you updated! Do you want to reach out to us? Feel free to do so through any of our channels at https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle. We look forward to hearing from you! #sustainability #greenHydrogen #mobility #ShellEcoMarathon #FuelCell Article based on: [1] H. Briggs, "Why is the Paris climate agreement important for COP26?," 25 October 2021.

We were more than happy to be part of @festival_fic.a – Festival Internacional de Ciência! This festival, dedicated to affirming the importance of embedding science in society, people’s consciousness and day to day life, was truly a celebration of science and knowledge. Participants were able to enjoy countless activities and events, regardless of their age! During a two-day period TFC was able to present its project to a handful of curious elementary and high school students. Questions ranged from the simplest “what is hydrogen?” all the way to the most technical aspects and discussions about hydrogen as a fuel, commercialization prospects and companies already investing in the technology. It was an honor we hope that we will be able to repeat next year. See you there! You want to reach out to us? Feel free to do so through any of our channels at https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle (link in the bio) We look forward to hearing from you! #sustainability #greenHydrogen #hydrogen #mobility #ShellEcoMarathon #FuelCell #FCEV

Está novamente aberto o recrutamento do TFC! Procuramos colegas futuros engenheiros para integrarem a nossa equipa num dos nossos vários departamentos. Se tens interesse em inovação e sustentabilidade e vontade de pôr mãos à obra o nosso projeto é perfeito para ti! Junta-te à nossa equipa jovem e ambiciosa e ajuda-nos a desenvolver o primeiro protótipo de carro movido 100% a hidrogénio do técnico. Não percas a oportunidade de melhorares as tuas competências e habilidades práticas nesta equipa multidisciplinar, bem como estabeleceres contacto direto com este conceito tecnológico, empresas e centros de investigação que trabalham no futuro da engenharia. Candidata-te já através do link e fica a conhecer o trabalho de cada um dos nossos departamentos no nosso site: https://linktr.ee/tfc.vehicle . Para mais informações não hesites em consultar o nosso site, as nossas redes sociais ou envia-nos um email: geral@tfcell.tecnico.ulisboa . Mantém-te atento para saberes mais sobre o nosso dia aberto!