Hydrogen Fuel

The National Research Council of Canada's Biotechnology Research Institute has begun research and development of a process that will extract hydrogen from organic waste materials like fermentable feedstock and manure. The materials are processed to hydrogen by dark and photofermentation. The goal is to "come up with biosystems that could be grouped into a multiple-stage process to capture almost all the hydrogen from the primary feedstock". One dairy farm in Ontario is already producing power from manure using an anaerobic digester. 2 Comments

Several companies in the past have showcased their plans to use hydrogen fuel cell technology to power a bicycle. Recently, Chinese company Pearl Hydrogen became the latest company to showcase the idea, at a recent technology convention in Shanghaimart. The 20" wheel prototype weighs 32kg and is powered by a PEM fuel cell and brushless electric motor. The top speed is 25km/hour and the 600L twin cylinder fuel cells have a maximum range of 100km. Some trial orders have already been placed for 20,000 Yuan (about US$2,650). The company is optimistic that their hydrogen bike will be successful enough to begin mass producing bikes for the mainstream Chinese market, for a more affordable 4,000 Yuan (US$530). There are no current plans to ship the fuel cell bicycles overseas. 3 Comments

BMW has announced the start of production of the new BMW Hydrogen 7, the world's first hydrogen-powered luxury saloon car. Destined to make its first public appearance on 28 November at the Los Angeles Motor Show, the Hydrogen 7 will be built in limited numbers and offered to selected users in 2007. The BMW Hydrogen 7 is based on the existing 7 Series and comes equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running on liquid hydrogen or petrol. In hydrogen mode the car emits nothing more than water vapor. Powered by a 260hp 12-cylinder engine, the Hydrogen 7 accelerates from zero to 62mph in 9.5 seconds before going on to an electronically limited 143mph top speed. 13 Comments

A Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) has been proposed by 48 leading industry stakeholders on the eve of the European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform (HFP) annual assembly and exhibition in Brussels. It is hoped that this new initiative will produce new advances in the development and implementation of hydrogen fuel cell technology in Europe. $5 Billion Euros is being proposed as an investment effort to increase national energy security, the environment, and Europe's market competitiveness. The initiative is designed for the funding of hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure, hydrogen energy supplies, fuel cells for hea, power and the technology markets. 1 Comment

Popular Mechanics magazine has awarded GE Global Research (of the General Electric Company) its 2006 Breakthrough Award. The award was given in recognition of GE's development of an advanced hydrogen electrolyzer. The Electrolyzer has the potential to lower the cost of producing hydrogen energy through the water electrolysis process. High-tech plastic parts are used in place of metal parts to lower the cost of producing high performance electrodes, which improves the technology's market competitiveness. This technology has the potential to build a better future by improving lives and expanding knowledge. 2 Comments

Forget ethanol or biodiesel. The next big thing in automotive fuel may very well be hydrogen. Automakers rapidly are closing in on making hydrogen fuel cell vehicles an everyday fact of life, with several test models set to debut over the next few years. Hydrogen fuel cells to power vehicles is desirable, experts say, because hydrogen is a renewable fuel that can be used to create electricity to run cars. A chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen produces the electric power, and when pure hydrogen is used, the only emission from the tailpipe is harmless water vapor. 2 Comments

According to a recent report by the UK Energy Research Centre, Britain faces an energy generating capacity shortfall of 7-16 gigawatts by 2015. We are not alone: the American shortfall between projected energy supply and demand by 2020 will be nearly 50 percent. Meanwhile, climate change is a real and present danger and a decline in oil production is on the horizon. No Comments

Winnipeg is showcasing it's latest technology innovation, an energy-efficient hydrogen powered bus. Unfortunately this vehicle cost too much money to make it practical for use in the short-term future. The only emissions produced by the bus are water. The bus is worth between $1 and $2 million, according to Manitoba's hydrogen specialist Bob Parsons, and is a big improvement on earlier versions of the hybrid. "It's the only one of its kind that exists in the world at this time," said Parsons. 1 Comment