Companies unite to promote hydrogen future

Two British firms have joined forces to provide sustainably-produced hydrogen for use as a car fuel

ITM Power sells technology that enables electricity generated from renewable sources to be converted into hydrogen, and researchers from its new partner Revolve claim to have developed a conversion mechanism that enables the average internal combustion engine to operate on hydrogen.

ITM Power chief executive Dr Graham Cooley said: “The combination of our refueller unit and Revolve’s elegant solution for hydrogen internal combustion engines provides a very pragmatic way to introduce low carbon vehicles which can be implemented immediately.”

Hydrogen car technology is over 100 years old

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “The idea of running the internal combustion engine on hydrogen is far from new – the cost of engine modifications is one of the main hurdles.”

The first internal combustion engine to run on hydrogen was built in 1807.

In 1970 a patent was filed for a modification to internal combustion engines to allow a petrol engine to run on hydrogen

The power output of a direct injected hydrogen engine vehicle is 20% more than for a petrol engine vehicle, so modifications to a conventional engine usually include hardened valves, stronger connecting rods, modified spark plugs and fuel injectors designed for a gas instead of a liquid.

Why power cars with hydrogen?

Hydrogen produces only water when it is burned, and whilst its production currently requires significant amounts of energy, if these are from a sustainable source, the fuel makes sense for use in cars since it produces no harmful emissions at point of use.

• Hydrogen fuel stations in Britain