Cummins Confidential : A Closer Look at Accelera’s New Partner – Tyczka Hydrogen’s Troubled Legacy in the Green Energy Game

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Listen, at the bottom of the bowl of shit soup of the so-called green revolution, where corporations slap shiny labels on their latest ventures to distract from the muck they’ve waded through, we’ve got Cummins’ cash-haemorrhaging zero-emissions arm, Accelera, shaking hands with Tyczka Hydrogen GmbH. Announced just days ago on 26 September 2025, this partnership sees Accelera supplying a 5MW proton exchange membrane electrolyzer system to Tyczka’s new hub at the Port of Schweinfurt in Bavaria. It’s all dressed up as a beacon of progress: green hydrogen from solar and wind, slashing emissions by over 6,000 tonnes a year, backed by a fat €5 million grant from the Bavarian government. Sounds fucking idyllic, doesn’t it? But scratch the surface, and you’re knee-deep in explosions, cartel fines, and whispers of funding dodginess that make you question if Cummins did their homework or just chased the next big subsidy payday.

This isn’t a story about saving the planet. It’s a reminder from us that the hydrogen hype train is powered by companies with baggage heavier than a lorry full of fossil fuels. Tyczka Hydrogen, a fresh-faced subsidiary spun out in 2021 from the century-old Tyczka Group, positions itself as a pioneer in clean energy. Yet, its parent company’s history and its own recent fuck-ups paint a picture of incompetence and corner-cutting that should have any accountability project screaming for answers. For the Cummins Accountability Project, this deal isn’t just business – it’s a glaring red flag waving in the face of corporate greenwashing.

The Glossy Partnership: Green Promises or Greenwashing?

Let’s start with the deal itself. Accelera, the rebranded zero-emissions wing of Cummins Inc., is handing over two HyLYZER 500 electrolyzers to Tyczka Hydrogen. The setup at Schweinfurt promises to churn out 2.2 tonnes of green hydrogen daily, feeding mobility, industry, and R&D in central Germany. Des McMenamin, Accelera’s electrolyzer boss, calls it a step towards a “regional hydrogen value chain.” Jürgen Schmidt from Tyczka echoes the sentiment, praising the tech for safety, quality, and efficiency. And why not? It’s powered by renewables, hooked into the SüdLink grid, and propped up by public money. On paper, it’s a win-win.

But here’s the rub: Cummins, a giant with a history of its own emissions scandals – remember that $2 billion fine for diesel defeat devices? – is now cosying up to a partner whose track record raises more eyebrows than a botched facelift. Tyczka Hydrogen might be new, but it’s tethered to the Tyczka Group, a gas empire that’s no stranger to regulatory slaps. And with hydrogen infrastructure still in its volatile infancy, partnering with a firm that’s already had a station blow up isn’t just risky; it’s downright reckless. What the hell are they thinking, betting on a company that’s proven it can’t keep its shit together without literal fireworks?

The Gersthofen Debacle: When Hydrogen Dreams Go Up in Flames

Fast-forward to June 2024, and Tyczka Hydrogen’s flagship project turns into a cautionary tale faster than you can say “safety protocols.” Their brand-new hydrogen refuelling station in Gersthofen, near Augsburg, had barely cut the ribbon on 17 June when, just days later on 25 June, an explosion ripped through it, sparking a fire that gutted the place. Firefighters doused the blaze with water, no one got hurt, but the station – built with €2 million in public funds – was left a smouldering wreck, closed indefinitely.

Investigations pinned the blame on a damaged compressor, a critical piece of kit that should have been bulletproof. Tyczka Hydrogen, the owner and operator, issued a curt statement confirming the shutdown but offered zilch on accountability or fixes. This wasn’t some freak accident in a mature industry; it happened at a pilot site meant to showcase the future of clean transport. Critics in the hydrogen sector are livid, pointing fingers at rushed deployments and skimped safety measures. How does a company touting “high levels of safety” let a compressor fail so spectacularly? It’s outrageous – public money torched, public trust evaporated, and the green transition set back because someone couldn’t bother with proper checks.

This incident isn’t isolated; it exposes the raw nerves of hydrogen tech. Flammable as hell, prone to leaks, and now, in Tyczka’s hands, a literal explosive liability. Cummins, with its global footprint, should know better than to align with a firm that’s already proven it can turn promise into peril.

Echoes of the Past: The Tyczka Group’s Cartel Shenanigans

Dig deeper, and Tyczka Hydrogen’s woes aren’t just fresh wounds – they’re inherited from a parent company with a rap sheet that stinks of old-school corporate greed. Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Tyczka Group, through its joint venture Tyczka Totalgaz (later rebranded Tyczka Energy after buying out Total’s stake), was neck-deep in Germany’s infamous “Flüssiggas-Kartell.” This was no minor glitch; it was a full-blown price-fixing and market-sharing racket among seven liquefied petroleum gas suppliers, screwing over consumers and businesses from 1997 to 2005.

The German Federal Cartel Office slapped them with fines in 2007, totalling €208 million across the board. But the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court wasn’t done – in 2013, they jacked up the penalties to €244 million for five companies, including Tyczka. It was one of Germany’s biggest cartel busts, a blatant violation of EU competition laws that inflated prices and stifled fair play. Tyczka paid up, but the stain lingers. This predates Tyczka Hydrogen by years and focuses on LPG, not hydrogen, yet the shared DNA – same family-owned group, same gas expertise – begs the question: has the apple fallen far from the tree?

In an industry where trust is currency, hitching your wagon to a group with antitrust skeletons is a bold move, Cummins. Or is it just arrogant? The Tyczka Group’s past antics highlight a culture of corner-cutting for profit, and now they’re pivoting to hydrogen with public subsidies. Bloody brilliant – reward the rule-breakers with green gold.

Funding Fiascos: Nepotism Shadows in Germany’s Hydrogen Push

Then there’s the murky world of subsidies, where Tyczka Hydrogen’s grants intersect with a broader scandal that’s rocked Germany’s clean energy scene. In 2023-2024, the transport ministry was hit with nepotism allegations, leading to the sacking of Klaus Bonhoff, head of hydrogen and fuel cells policy. Bonhoff was accused of funnelling funds to projects linked to his pal Werner Diwald, CEO of the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association. One dodgy grant: €1.4 million to a Diwald-tied initiative. Emails and connections exposed by media like Handelsblatt and Spiegel prompted a ministry-wide freeze on new hydrogen approvals.

Tyczka Hydrogen isn’t directly named in the probe – their €5 million Bavarian grant for Schweinfurt and €3.45 million for infrastructure came from state coffers. But the timing stings: these funds flowed amid a national strategy pumping €9 billion into hydrogen, now tainted by cronyism claims. If the ministry’s review widens, companies like Tyczka, slurping up subsidies, could face awkward questions. It’s infuriating – taxpayers foot the bill for “green” projects while insiders allegedly game the system. Cummins partnering here? It smells like they’re ignoring the rot for a slice of the pie.

The Bigger Picture: Accountability in the Hydrogen Hype

At the end of the day, this partnership isn’t just about tech; it’s about integrity in an industry desperate to prove it’s not another fossil fuel facade. Tyczka Hydrogen’s explosion, its group’s cartel history, and the funding fog should have Cummins pausing, not pressing ahead. Instead, we’re left with a deal that glosses over real risks, potentially endangering the very transition it claims to champion.

For The Cummins Accountability Project, this is a call to arms. Probe these partnerships, all of them, and hold these giants accountable before another station blows or subsidy vanishes into thin air. The green future deserves better than half-arsed alliances built on shaky ground.

Lee Thompson – Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project

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