Hydrogen

Norway to trial Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE

By Noel McKeegan

18:25 October 15, 2008 PDT

Mazda has announced that its RX-8 Hydrogen RE (Rotary Engine) vehicle will undergo assessment in Norway, the first time the car has graced public roads outside Japan. The joint project between Mazda and the Hydrogen Road of Norway (HyNor) project will use a single vehicle to assess the RE’s driving performance as well as promoting the technology through appearances at public events. Read More

New material promises fuel-cell design breakthrough

By Darren Quick

20:25 October 12, 2008 PDT

A team of scientists from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) has designed a new "super-lattice" material with incredibly high ion conductivity properties that could lead to the development of more efficient fuel cells capable of operating at room temperature. Read More

HiPER nuclear fusion project underway

By Darren Quick

00:32 October 9, 2008 PDT

Nuclear fusion has long been the holy grail of energy production. It is the process going on inside the sun, it is clean, and it has the potential to provide practically limitless power. Up until now nuclear fusion reactions have only been replicated inside hydrogen bombs due to the huge amount of power needed to start the reaction and keep it running, but scientists in Britain are hoping to change all that. Britain’s Telegraph newspaper is reporting that British scientists believe they are on the verge of achieving controlled fusion in a laboratory for the first time and will begin work this week to create a nuclear fusion reactor. Read More

Artificial Photosynthesis provides clean, cheap Hydrogen

By Kyle Sherer

12:43 August 24, 2008 PDT

An international team of researchers led by Monash University has used manganese, a chemical involved in photosynthesis, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using only sunlight and an electrical potential of 1.2 volts. Scientists claim the process could provide a clean, cheap method of producing hydrogen for fuel cells and energy generation. Read More

Carbon Capture: a bridging technology too far?

By Kyle Sherer

06:56 August 7, 2008 PDT

Carbon capture and storage is a climate change mitigation technology characterized by sporadic and unreliable government support and plagued with accusations that it will worsen the environmental disaster it seeks to address. Yet, despite the negative stigma, CCS has been labeled by the IPCC and the Stern Report as an essential measure in reducing the impact of fossil fuels. Gizmag's Kyle Sherer takes a closer look. Read More

Pangaea - the world's largest, cleanest expeditionary sailing ship

By Kyle Sherer

15:46 July 6, 2008 PDT

The 35-meter two master PANGAEA is the largest and most flexible polar expedition sailboat ever built. It can navigate through tropics and rivers as easily as it can through polar regions, and will travel to five continents, including the North and South Pole. Read More

Hydrogen storage breakthrough

By Mike Hanlon

14:56 June 23, 2008 PDT

Hydrogen offers many benefits as a renewable and sustainable fuel of the future as its combustion emits only water. The main problem to now is that it must be stored as a gas, which is potentially dangerous for everyday use, and it can only be stored as a liquid under cryogenic conditions. Now there may be another alternative. Chemists in the US have developed a simple reaction to make ammonia borane (AB) – a powder more hydrogen-dense than even liquid hydrogen. AB is a stable white powder which releases hydrogen gas upon heating. Its use as a hydrogen storage material has been hampered by difficulties in making the powder in reasonable yield, but the new research further increases its promise. Read More

Hydrogen burning Scorpion sportscar unveiled

By Noel McKeegan

20:27 June 3, 2008 PDT

Texas based Ronn Motor Company has lifted the wraps on a new environmentally friendly hybrid vehicle that features an in-built hydrogen on demand system. Currently in pre-production and due for release before the end of the year, the sporty “Scorpion” runs on a 30-40 ratio blend of hydrogen and gasoline, promising reduced emissions and 40 mpg plus efficiency. Read More

London’s iconic black cabs to go green

By Darren Quick

20:54 May 22, 2008 PDT

May 23, 2008 While improvements in engine technology have led to a marked improvement in fuel efficiency and carbon emissions in vehicles running on internal combustion engines in recent years, even greater cuts in emissions need to be made to tackle the global environmental problems associated with them. We’ve seen commercial airlines turning to biofuels, trucks running on liquefied natural gas and buses using ethanol engines. One of the most promising solutions for the humble car of the future could is hydrogen fuel cell systems, with a number of car manufacturers investing heavily in development. Read More

Collaboration aims to kick-start hydrogen vehicles in the U.K.

By Kyle Sherer

23:10 April 1, 2008 PDT

April 2, 2008 Fifty million metric tons of hydrogen were produced in 2004, and the hydrogen production industry grows at an estimated 10% per year. But for hydrogen-powered cars to emerge as a serious competitor to fossil-fuel-powered transport there still needs to be substantial development of infrastructure. The latest push towards this goal in the U.K has seen ITM Power Plc and Roush Technologies Ltd sign a co-operative agreement that not only aims to put hydrogen-fueled commercial vehicles on the market within months, but also encompasses the development of hydrogen refueling station infrastructure that will enable vehicle operators to generate their own hydrogen supplies. Read More

Georgia Tech proposes carbon capture concept for automobiles

By Kyle Sherer

14:53 February 17, 2008 PST

February 18, 2008 Carbon capture and storage has been touted as a method for slashing carbon emissions in power plants – now researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology say it can be used to combat one of the most widespread greenhouse gas offenders: the automobile. Georgia Tech has outlined a concept system where carbon is isolated from fossil fuels, disposed of at a refueling station, and eventually recycled into new fuel. Not only is the closed-loop cycle carbon emission free, it is also renewable and efficient. Read More

Corgi International announces H2GO fuel cell powered toy car

By Noel McKeegan

19:15 February 6, 2008 PST

February 7, 2008 The automotive market is set to undergo momentous change over the next decade as the impetus of low-emissions, alternative fuel designs that have recently dominated the Concept offerings from major auto manufacturers continues to grow and prototypes move towards commercialization. But at the other end of the scale - literally - the application of hydrogen fuel cell technology in particular is already making its mark. The latest example comes from toy-maker Corgi International, which has unveiled a new hydrogen fuel cell powered radio controlled toy car at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair in Germany. Called the H2GO, the new RC car uses a propulsion system based on Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies' pioneering H-Racer. Read More

Energy Island: unlocking the potential of the ocean as a renewable power source

By Kyle Sherer

15:23 January 28, 2008 PST

January 29, 2008 Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion uses the temperature difference between surface and deep-sea water to generate electricity – and though it has an efficiency of just 1-3% - researchers believe an OTEC power plant could deliver up to 250MW of clean power, equivalent to one eighth of a large nuclear power plant, or one quarter of an average fossil fuel power plant. Architect and engineer Dominic Michaelis and his son Alex, along with Trevor Cooper-Chadwick of Southampton University are developing the concept with plans of putting the theory to the test on an unprecedented scale by building a floating, hexagonal Energy Island that will harness energy from OTEC, as well as from winds, sea currents, waves, and the sun. Read More

Honda set to release hydrogen fuel cell car – and home fuelling station

By Loz Blain

02:04 November 22, 2007 PST

It seems Honda is gearing up to be the one of the first major companies to bring a hydrogen fuel cell car to market – their FCX Clarity is set to go to production in 2008, in a move they’re hoping will break the catch-22 dilemma stopping motor companies from producing cars because there’s no hydrogen distribution, and stopping fuel companies from distributing hydrogen because there’s no cars that use it. To nurse consumers through the infancy of the hydrogen economy, Honda’s also attempting to decentralize the production of hydrogen through their Home Energy Station unit, which sits outside your house and reforms natural gas to produce enough Hydrogen to power both the car and the home’s energy needs at around 50% of the normal cost and with a 30% emissions reduction. Read More

Boeing tests hydrogen propulsion system for high-altitude UAV

By Noel McKeegan

22:39 October 29, 2007 PDT

October 30, 2007 The Boeing Company has achieved a milestone in the development of its High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft by successfully testing a hydrogen propulsion system in simulated conditions of 65,000 feet. The test, conducted over more than three days using a Ford Motor Company-developed hydrogen engine (a gasoline version of which can be found in the Ford Fusion and Escape Hybrid) is a further step towards the realization of a UAV designed to remain airborne for more than seven days and carry multi-sensor payloads of up to 2,000 pounds. Read More

Suzuki’s hydrogen-powered Crosscage motorcycle

By Loz Blain

01:23 October 25, 2007 PDT

Here’s one of the more radical concept motorcycles we’ve seen in a while – Suzuki’s Crosscage concept is a fuel-cell powered electric bike with single-sided suspension front AND rear. The brushless electric motor’s mounted inline with the rear wheel, and looks-wise it’s so far out there that it’s on its way back again. Seems like Bridgestone’s even developed a special futuristic-looking tyre to match the bike’s oddly tesselated discs. We’ve just encountered the amazing concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, where our heads are still spinning from all the ground-breaking technology on show. Read More

GM debuts fourth-generation Hydrogen fuel cell car

By Loz Blain

14:28 September 13, 2007 PDT

September 14, 2007 General Motors have released details on stage four of their HydroGen fuel cell vehicle development program. Over the next 18 months, over 100 fuel-cell powered HydroGen4 vehicles will be tested internationally in a range of driving environments and conditions. The question remains though, is Hydrogen likely to become a viable alternative to petrol? Read More

Hydrogen based power offers green alternative for homes

By Noel McKeegan

18:14 September 6, 2007 PDT

September 7, 2007 In a development that marks another step towards the vision of a sustainable, clean future for home power generation, UK company ITM Power has announced the upcoming release of a device which can generate hydrogen in the home to fuel central heating boilers and cookers while drastically cutting CO2 emissions. Set to go into production next year, the ITM electrolyser is designed to utilize off-peak or renewable electricity sources to create its own hydrogen fuel which can then be stored and used as a conventional gas to burn in central heating boilers as well as a fuel for cooking. Read More

World's first hydrogen-powered racecar to debut this weekend

By Loz Blain

July 15, 2007 Alternative engine technologies face several challenges in the battle to be viewed as a serious alternative to the internal combustion engine - and a key hurdle is the perception that they can't deliver enough power and performance to compete with their fossil-fuel burning counterparts. How better to dispel such fears than to race a hydrogen-powered car against petrol-powered competitors? The first hydrogen-powered race car will take to the track this weekend in the worldwide Formula Student category, and if the notion of green car racing catches on, we can look forward to watching the ingenuity of the racing community making some significant contributions to the development of emission-free consumer cars in the near future. Read More

E-Flex Hydrogen Fuel Cell continues move toward electric drive automobiles

By Mike Hanlon

April 21, 2007 The number of significant announcements coming out of the Shanghai Motor Show underlines the growing importance of the Chinese Auto market on the world stage, and fittingly, given that the Chinese Government seems far more committed to sustainable personal transport than its American equivalent, the star of the show in technological terms was the next iteration of the General Motors’ E-Flex electric architecture, configured with the company’s newest, most efficient hydrogen fuel cell system to date. This second variant of the E-Flex system uses GM's new fifth-generation fuel cell propulsion technology and a lithium-ion battery to provide up to 300 miles (483 km) of electric driving. The fuel cell E-Flex is a true Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and operates all-electric from both hydrogen fuel cell-generated electricity and grid electricity. It is plug-in capable, adding up to 20 additional miles (34 km) each time it is charged, further reducing trips to the refueling station. Read More

Hydrogen-powered motorsport on the horizon

By Mike Hanlon

January 15, 2007 In what could turn out to be an historic occasion for international motor sport, a new racing entity announced its formation at the closing of the NAIAS in Detroit last week. The Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation (HERF) is a new racing organization dedicated to helping the world's leading automobile manufacturers accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicles through sanctioned competition. The concept is to provide a competitive arena in which manufacturers can push the envelope of hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicle technology, enabling racing to take its rightful place again as the principal conduit for the transference of advanced technologies and innovations directly to our future production vehicles. The first on-track competition for electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells will be in the United States in 2009, with international events in 2010 and 2011. Read More

Safe Hydrogen storage at room temperature

By Mike Hanlon

December 7, 2006 Hydrogen-powered cars that do not pollute the environment are a step closer thanks to a new discovery which promises to solve the main problem holding back the technology. Whilst hydrogen is thought to be an ideal fuel for vehicles, producing only water on combustion, its widespread use has been limited by the lack of a safe, efficient system for onboard storage. Scientists have experimented with ways of storing hydrogen by locking the gas into metal lattices, but metal hydrides only work at temperatures above 300°C and metal organic framework materials only work at liquid nitrogen temperatures (-198°C). Now scientists at the University of Bath have invented a material which stores and releases hydrogen at room temperature, at the flick of a switch, and promises to help make hydrogen power a viable clean technology for the future. Read More

World’s first Hydrogen Luxury Performance Automobile – the BMW Hydrogen 7

By Mike Hanlon

December 3, 2006 The world’s first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile – the BMW Hydrogen 7 – celebrated its world premiere at the Los Angeles International Auto Show with the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, congratulating the hydrogen initiative. The Hydrogen 7, which has fulfilled all of the criteria of BMW’s rigorous product development process, will be built in a limited series and for selected users during 2007. Based on the familiar 7 Series model, it is equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running either on hydrogen or on petrol. Read More

BMW Hydrogen 7 - production-ready, hydrogen-gasoline V12 Saloon

By Mike Hanlon

September 12, 2006 BMW has become the first auto maker to present a hydrogen-drive car which has successfully completed the process of series development: The BMW Hydrogen 7 with its hydrogen combustion engine is the result of a consistent development strategy now rendering this trendsetting concept of sustained mobility fully suitable for regular use in today’s world. The Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 191 kW twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 9.5 seconds with a top speed limited electronically to 230 km/h. Ingeniously, the dual-mode power unit switches quickly and conveniently to conventional premium gasoline providing an overall range of more than 700 kilometres. The integration of hydrogen drive in an existing vehicle concept which has already proven its merits in the market paves the way for an alternative to conventional drive concepts fully accepted in the market and with all the assets the customer is looking for in practice. Read More

GM builds the Sequel advanced hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle

By Mike Hanlon

August 28, 2006 Way back at the start of 2005, the world’s largest automotive manufacturer, General Motors, showed the Sequel advanced hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle at the 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), billing it as the culmination of US$1 billion of intensive research it had conducted into fuel cell technology. Like most show cars, the Sequel was not a working model, but now General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner has gone on record as saying “the most technologically advanced car GM has ever built” has actually been built, has an operating range of 300 miles, and will be made available to journalists in the near future. The Sequel is a truly remarkable vehicle, having superseded the AUTOnomy and Hy-wire as GM’s primary showcase of future fuel cell vehicles. See the extensive technical diagrams and photographic library we have assembled here, and read on for all the available detail. Read More