Now available: Videos of IPMI’s “Precious Metals and Mobility” Symposium

Posted on by Bodo Albrecht

In case you missed this event, there is now a convenient and inexpensive way to watch most presentations and the podium discussions of our “Precious Metals and Mobility” Symposium which took place in New Brunswick, NJ, a little over a month ago.

Kitco News provided news coverage for the event, and created the recordings for IPMI free of charge. All proceedings will benefit the IPMI, a charitable organization. Please follow this link to get to Kitco’s event page:

https://insider.kitco.com/product/ipmi-symposium-ticket-pass/

And if that’s not enough, please check out my interview with Daniela Cambone on YouTube:

IPMI Symposium Update

Posted on by Bodo Albrecht

Hi everyone,

It’s finally happening! Tonight, we’ll kick off the “Precious Metals and Mobility” Symposium in New Brunswick, New Jersey. A few updates:

We know several of you are not having fun traveling today with the storm going on in our area. So please note that the Welcome Reception tonight has been moved to 7pm (was 6pm), and we’ll save you a drink.

Also, please view or download the final version of the event program here. Note the times, rooms, and the one speaker change on Tuesday.

We look forward to seeing everyone at The Heldrich tonight.

Reuters Interview / Q&A on the impact of Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles on Platinum

Posted on by Bodo Albrecht

Reuters BannerFuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) vs. battery electric vehicles (BEV) – the precious metals industry is rightfully concerned about this battle. While FCEVs will utilize platinum in their fuel cells, BEVs need none, and each electric vehicle sold of either kind means that one less standard emission control catalyst has been sold. Reason for Reuters to inquire about the scale of the potential effects.

I sometimes feel like a doomsday prophet when I’m just tallying up statements and facts from people and governments in charge, that inevitably lead to one conclusion: electrification is near, and there is no sufficient hydrogen supply infrastructure to counter the expansion of electric charging.

Better to deal with the issue now than staring into an abyss a decade down the road. Precious metals, combined with rare earth elements and other “strategic” metals, are indispensable in making a sustainable planet a reality. So let’s focus on a vision for this world in 2040, and start working towards it.

To read a transcript of the Q&A session please click here.

Update: I just discovered the direct link to Reuter’s summary: click here to read.

Metallic Hydrogen – a new Era in Fuel Storage?

Posted on by Bodo Albrecht

Since the Hindenburg disaster, hydrogen has been known more for its risks than its uses as a fuel component. In its liquid form it has of course been used as rocket fuel, and more recently it has made an entrance as a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries in cars. Not only is lithium-ion not free from hazards itself, the batteries also add more weight and volume to a device than a tank full of H2. Setting up a supply infrastructure remains an issue, and storage risks make people uncomfortable.

Diamond Anvil

What if hydrogen could be produced in its metallic form? A metal, easy and safe to transport and store? What if this metal could be readily re-converted to its liquid state as needed to be used in fuel cells? A vision of a distant future, perhaps, but professor Isaac Silvera of Harvard University claims to have just taken the first step, the creation of metallic hydrogen. I had a very interesting conversation with him, the product of which was just published on Kitco News. Here is the link: http://www.kitco.com/commentaries/2017-03-21/Metallic-Hydrogen-a-New-Area-in-Hydrogen-Storage.html

 

Hydrogen is here – my interview with Trevor Milton of Nikola Motors

Posted on by Bodo Albrecht

Nikola – Mr. Tesla’s first name, chosen not by chance, I suppose, as the name for the “other” electric car company completely focused on heavy duty trucks. Interestingly, although the canikola_one_10-87a4458ec7068a27e4fb41f4f9f91d4f9137d5ce938b9b917021f02663db242frs are – strictly speaking – battery powered, Trevor Milton and his team chose to add a hydrogen fuel cell for clean charging, and range extension.

And it doesn’t stop there – Nikola Motors wants the hydrogen to be produced in sustainable ways, too, and is therefore building a network of solar farms across the country to do so.

Click here to read my interview with Trevor Milton, CEO of Nikola Motors, on Kitco News.

Unlikely Apple or Google will enter the Auto Market – Carlos Ghosn

Posted on by Bodo Albrecht

IMG_5356Carlos Ghosn, CEO of both Renault and Nissan, shared some very relevant insights on why electric vehicles are unstoppable, and why he does not see any of the tech companies enter the automotive market as a producer. Ghosn gave a speech at the opening ceremony and press breakfast of this year’s New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).  My Kitco report (click here to read) focuses on the key aspects, but there was a lot more:

  • Autonomous drive, in his view, is only a milestone since it still requires a driver to hold the wheel, and watch the road. Driver-less cars are the goal the industry is aiming at. The Renault Nissan Alliance will have at least 10 models on the road with “significant” autonomous drive capabilities by 2020.
  • Battery-electric and hydrogen electric are just two sides of the same coin to him. In both cases, infrastructure is lacking, and creating the required infrastructure is the most important role governments and industry will have to play in years to come.
  • The industry is in a complex period of transformation where electronics force car makers into much faster innovation cycles while maintaining safety and quality standards. The focus of the new generation of drivers obtaining their licenses just now will shift from performance to features and convenience.

It was interesting to see how the various manufacturers interpreted the theme at NYIAS, each in their own way. I will put some facts and images together over the weekend to illustrate the scene.