Hydrogen
World’s First Hydrogen UAV
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July 4, 2005 AeroVironment (AV) has successfully completed the world’s first liquid hydrogen powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight tests. In doing so, the fifty-foot wingspan prototype Global Observer aircraft accomplished a major milestone in AV’s unmanned High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) development and continued the life work of one of the greatest inventors the world has ever known – Paul MacCready. MacCready founded AeroVironment after achieving the world’s first human powered flight and the world’s first solar powered flight more than a quarter of a century ago. The prototype flight was the last major milestone in the company’s HALE UAV technology development and demonstrates the practicality and operational robustness of the Global Observer system. AV’s Global Observer HALE platform will be able to operate at 65,000 feet altitude for a week at a time with a payload of up to 1,000 pounds. Using only two aircraft in rotation, this will provide seamless communication relay and remote sensing systems at breakthrough affordability. Some of the applications for the new system include persistent, global, near-space loitering capability for defence, low-cost, rapidly-deployable telecommunications infrastructure, hurricane/storm tracking, weather monitoring, environmental monitoring, agriculture optimisation and aerial imaging/mapping capabilities. Read More
Microbial fuel cell promises high yield hydrogen source and wastewater cleaner
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April 29, 2005 The hydrogen economy is looming, and it seems a weekly occurance to see additional announcements of technology adding to the momentum. This week from Penn State University comes the news of an electrically-assisted microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not require oxygen and uses bacteria to coax four times as much hydrogen directly out of biomass than can be generated typically by fermentation alone. Read More
Hydrogen-powered Forklift
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February 9, 2005 While the availability and infrastructure required for the mass adoption of hydrogen powered automobiles is slowly but surely moving into place, it's still some way off before the average person will be able to purchase a road going vehicle that produces no harmful emissions. But commercially viable hydrogen-powered industrial vehicles are closer to the market than many people think and one of the most likely to succeed in short order is the forklift. Read More
Honda/Plug Power test home hydrogen refuelling unit
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November 24, 2004 Honda R&D Americas and Plug Power have announced the successful operation of the second-generation Home Energy Station (HES II), a home-based hydrogen refueling solution for fuel cell vehicles that furthers the development of a hydrogen infrastructure, and in turn, a sustainable energy future. HES II is the further evolution of a joint development effort by Honda and Plug Power to produce a home refuelling unit that provides hydrogen from natural gas for vehicle refuelling, heat for domestic hot water use and electricity for the home. Testing of the HES II system will be done in conjunction with demonstration of Honda's 2005 FCX fuel cell car on public roads in the Northeastern U.S. Read More
Hydrogen transportation boosts portable fuel cells
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November 15, 2004 Voller Energy Limited, the world's first developer of fuel cell technology portable generators and battery chargers has announced that the new VE100 v2 portable fuel cell system can use metal hydride canisters which have been approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to transport hydrogen for portable applications. Read More
H2H: The Hydrogen-Powered HUMMER
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October 29, 2004 General Motors has adapted a HUMMER H2 SUT to run on hydrogen, and will share it with the office of the Governor of California (aka Arnold Schwarzenegger). The HUMMER H2H will assist efforts to learn more about hydrogen storage and refueling infrastructure development.
"The H2H is a bold experiment that along with the Hydrogen Highway Network will help California demonstrate the economic and technical viability of hydrogen," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Californians invent the future and the H2H shows that a vehicle of today can run on the fuel of tomorrow." Read More
BMW Sets Speed Records with Hydrogen fuelled V12
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Hydrogen propulsion moved from rockets to racers this week as BMW set nine new speed records for hydrogen powered automobiles. The record attempt was conducted at the high-speed Miramas Proving Grounds in France, where the 210kW hydrogen prototype proved BMW's point that hydrogen can replace conventional fuel without a performance compromise. The H2R Record Car uses a six-litre 12 cylinder power unit and accelerates to 100 km/h in approximately 6 seconds with a top speed of 302.4 km/h (185,52 mph). Based on the 760i power unit, the main modifications involved the fuel injection system being adapted to the special requirements of hydrogen. Read More
Hydrogen-powered zero-emission Scooter
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It acts like a 50cc two-stroke scooter in every respect but that of emissions - instead of producing mass hydrocarbons, it produces water. One of the most interesting new transportion initiatives in years, the German Aqwon is not what you'd expect - instead of being powered by electricity derived from a hydrogen fuel cell, the Aqwon burns hydrogen as its fuel. Read More
Mazda to debut Sports Concept, Hydrogen Rotary Engine
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Tuesday October 21, 2003: Mazda will debut two new concepts at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show including the two-seat Ibuki concept - an open-top, lightweight sports car that hints at a possible design direction of a future Mazda Roadster - and a hydrogen version of the RENESIS rotary engine. Read More
Hydrogen engines to out perform gasoline
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The hydrogen-powered combustion engine is superior in its power and performance potential to a current gasoline engine. This is the conclusion outlined recently by BMW's Dr. Burkhard G'schel... Read More
