Hydrogen fuel becomes a practical reality

[nationalize the fed]

November 03, 2014 by Peter MacLeod

ITV Presenter Rebecca Broxton walks through Honda's new SolarPark in Swindon, UK

The launch of the UK’s first commercial-scale hydrogen production and refuelling facility powered by solar energy heralds the dawn of an era of true carbon-free fuel.

The gas will be generated at Honda UK's manufacturing plant in Swindon at the rate of 20 tonnes per year using a process called solar hydrolysis, whereby Hydrogen will be produced from water using the heat of the sun, and used initially to power a pair of forklifts, a fleet of commercial vehicles, and an education centre situated alongside the filling station.

With the generating and dispensing infrastructure now in place to ensure commercial-scale volumes of liquid Hydrogen on tap, one of the partners in the venture, Briggs Equipment UK, has developed the technology to run a pair of Hydrogen fuel cell-powered 2.5t Yale 80v trucks at the automotive manufacturer's site.

The forklifts are Lithium-Ion/Hydrogen hybrids, whereby a Hydrogen-powered IC engine sits alongside the electric motor. The trucks operate similar in manner to regular LPG-powered trucks, with no discernible difference in performance. Using tried-and-tested technology similar to the 'KERS' energy-capturing devices that are a feature of modern Formula One race cars, kinetic energy from braking and the lowering of the mast is stored in the Li-Ion battery and deployed to reduce Hydrogen use...SNIP
MORE: http://www.shdlogistics.com/news/view/hydrogen-fuel-becomes-a-practical-reality

ITV Video: Honda Solarpark in Swindon, UK
http://www.itv.com/news/west/story/2014-09-03/solar-farm-opens-in-swindon/

Institute of Mechanical Engineers: First green hydrogen refuelling station opens
Solar-powered hydrogen available to drivers at Honda's Swindon factory
http://www.imeche.org/news/engineering/first-green-hydrogen-refuelling-station-opens