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Norway's Zero team crosses Europe in hydrogen cars without a backup

Donald Melanson — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:42:00 EST

It's not quite a trip around the world, but a trek that Norway's Zero team recently undertook in a pair of hydrogen-fueled cars is certainly an impressive enough feat in its own right. Late last month, they drove two Hyundai Ix35 FCEVs from Oslo to Monte Carlo (admittedly one of the easier ways to technically "cross Europe"), relying solely on the existing hydrogen refueling infrastructure -- that's as opposed to other trips that brought along fuel trucks as backup. As the team explains, the key to the trip was some careful planning at the outset, but they apparently still wound up cutting it close a few times, and were forced to put their hypermiling skills to the test. Not surprisingly, they found that the hydrogen infrastructure still needs to be considerably improved for such trips to become commonplace, but they seem hopeful that things could soon improve.

Norway's Zero team crosses Europe in hydrogen cars without a backup originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 May 2012 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gates Foundation collaborates with Manchester University to develop potable toilet water

Zachary Lutz — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:07:00 EST

It's an unsettling thought, having to drink water from that bowl in your bathroom, but if the need ever arose, wouldn't you be glad to know it was clean and safe? Dr. Sarah Haigh, a researcher into the properties of nanomaterials at Manchester University, is currently pursuing this goal with a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. With the help of nanomaterials and bacteria, Haigh believes that hydrogen can be easily extracted from not only the water, but human waste itself, which could then be processed into clean water. Should the system work effectively, Haigh stands to receive an additional $1,000,000 grant to further her research and develop inexpensive purification systems for use in nations without modern infrastructure. And you thought nothing worthwhile would come from purchasing Microsoft Office.

Gates Foundation collaborates with Manchester University to develop potable toilet water originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Delaware Ph.D. student hopes to solve energy woes with renewable hydrogen production

Zachary Lutz — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:10:00 EST

Hydrogen fuel is a fickle mistress. On one hand, it teases us with the promise of renewable energy and a cleaner tomorrow. On the other hand, it's most often produced with natural gas as the source -- hardly the clean break from fossil fuels that many had envisioned. Fortunately, there are other methods to harness this abundant element, and a doctoral student at the University of Delaware may have created a worthwhile process. Similar to previous research we've seen -- which relies on ceric oxide and energy from the sun -- Eric Koepf has designed a reactor that combines zinc oxide powder, solar rays and water to derive hydrogen as a storable energy source. Most intriguing, it's thought that the zinc oxide byproduct from the reaction will be reusable -- a potential gateway to sustainable energy. Koepf will spend the next six weeks in Zurich at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, where his reactor prototype will be put through its paces to determine its efficiency and effectiveness. If successful, his advisors envision that one day, we may see giant versions of Koepf's reactors producing hydrogen on an industrial scale. We certainly won't fault them for dreaming big.

Delaware Ph.D. student hopes to solve energy woes with renewable hydrogen production originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robot jellyfish feeds on its surroundings, looks for a job in underwater surveillance

Donald Melanson — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:39:00 EST

We've seen plenty of robots inspired by nature, but this robot jellyfish developed by researchers from University of Texas at Dallas and Virginia Tech goes one big step beyond mimicking a jellyfish's movements. It's powered by hydrogen, which means that it could potentially stay underwater for prolonged periods of time and constantly refuel itself from the water around it. That, the researchers say, could make it ideal for underwater surveillance or search and rescue operations, but they still have a fair bit of work to do before that happens -- their next step is to increase its maneuverability. Head on past the break to check it out in its current state.

Continue reading Robot jellyfish feeds on its surroundings, looks for a job in underwater surveillance

Robot jellyfish feeds on its surroundings, looks for a job in underwater surveillance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes slaps sheet of LEDs on the side of an F-Cell, turns car into a chameleon

Michael Gorman — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:12:00 EST

It's not often that folks want to hide the fact that they're driving a Mercedes, what with plenty of them being among of the finest motorcars on the road. However, as part of a marketing plan to call attention to its zero-emissions F-Cell model, the German marque swathed a side of one in LEDs to give it the ultimate in camouflage. You see, in addition to that makeshift display, a Canon 5D Mark II was mounted on the other side of the car so that video of its surroundings could be shown on the LED bodywork -- rendering the car all but invisible to onlookers, as long as they're staring at the left side, of course. Go ahead, head on down to see the magic of digital camo for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading Mercedes slaps sheet of LEDs on the side of an F-Cell, turns car into a chameleon

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SiGNa Chemistry sodium silicide might power your next fuel cell

Dante Cesa — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:08:00 EST

We've been promised portable fuel cells for years, but tech from SiGNa Chemistry might have a real shot at taking the concept mainstream. Instead of the more commonly used methanol, the outfit serves up a sodium silicide mix which it's begun licensing to companies bearing the "SiGNa fueled" logo. One example is PowerTrekk that first went on sale in Europe last December and is now making its way to the US this spring. The special salt concoction comes packaged into 5Wh hockey puck cartridges -- appropriately called Pukks -- to generate power and subsequently juice whatever device you plug into it over USB. It'll ship stateside in May for around $200, replete with an onboard 5Wh lithium-ion battery which acts as a rechargeable buffer, ensuring you'll still have some juice even after you run out of cartridges. Catch the power generating tech in a video after the break.

Gallery: Hands-on with SiGNa Chemistry and PowerTrekk

Continue reading SiGNa Chemistry sodium silicide might power your next fuel cell

SiGNa Chemistry sodium silicide might power your next fuel cell originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy

Amar Toor — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 07:01:00 EST

Back in 2005, Bruce Logan and his team of Penn State researchers developed a microbial fuel cell capable of converting poop into power. Now, Logan has refined his system to the point where it can produce hydrogen from wastewater or biodegradable organic materials without using a drop of grid electricity, and without emitting even a hint of carbon dioxide. His approach, outlined in the September 19th issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involves something known as reverse-electrodialysis (RED) -- a process that harvests energy from the ionic discrepancy between fresh and salt water. Logan's bacterial hydrolysis cell (pictured left) features a so-called RED stack that's comprised of alternating positive and negative ion exchange membranes, which it uses to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Normally, this process would involve about 25 pairs of membranes, but by using RED technology in conjunction with electricity-producing exoelectrogenic bacteria, Penn State's team was able to extract hydrogen with just five membrane pairs. All told, Logan's cells proved to be about 58 to 64 percent energy efficient, while producing between 0.8 to 1.6 cubic meters of hydrogen for every cubic meter of liquid that passed through the system. The researchers' results show that only one percent of that energy was used to pump water through the cells, which are completely carbon neutral, as well. According to Logan, this breakthrough demonstrates that "pure hydrogen gas can efficiently be produced from virtually limitless supplies of seawater and river water and biodegradable organic matter." Somewhere, the US Navy is taking scrupulous notes. Full PR after the break.

[Image courtesy of Penn State / Bruce Logan]

Continue reading Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy

Microbial fuel cell produces hydrogen from wastewater without wasting energy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK gets first hydrogen refueling station, Honda lot graciously plays host

Joseph Volpe — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:11:00 EST

UK-based treehuggers can bust out the internet high fives now. Merry ol' Swindon just got the British isles' first ever commercial hydrogen refueling station. Part of a collaborative effort between industrial gas company BOC (which built and maintains the pumps), the Forward Swindon economic initiative and Honda, owners can roll their clean energy machines into the automaker's manufacturing lot for a fill-up. BOC's hoping the experience, which reportedly looks and functions much like a traditional gas station, will serve as an example of the private - public partnerships required to rollout infrastructure for alternative energy adoption. So, it's good news for the fuel cell-equipped handful of you cruising about Swindon town, or just passing through on a 'round the world tour. Of course, no official word as to whether Tilda Swinton plans to officiate the opening. Official PR after the break.

Continue reading UK gets first hydrogen refueling station, Honda lot graciously plays host

UK gets first hydrogen refueling station, Honda lot graciously plays host originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz F 125! looks like the future, runs on hydrogen

Tim Stevens — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 06:40:00 EST

As expected, the feature concept car being shown by Mercedes-Benz at Frankfurt this year was the F 125! But Merc isn't actually calling it a concept, rather a "research vehicle" that will help the company work toward a gasoline-free future. In this case it's a hydrogen-filled future, with this car running on compressed gas and so giving off only water vapor and oxygen as emissions. But, it's also a plug-in, meaning you can charge this thing up on your garage in addition to topping off the tank at your local H2 filling station -- at some point in the future when you actually have an H2 filling station. Read on for more details.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz F 125! concept

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz F 125! looks like the future, runs on hydrogen

Mercedes-Benz F 125! looks like the future, runs on hydrogen originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz's hydrogen-powered F125! concept slips out ahead of Frankfurt

Donald Melanson — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:04:00 EST

Mercedes-Benz is certainly no stranger to hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, and it looks like the automaker is now about to show off its latest concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. That's dubbed the F125! (apparently pronounced F one twenty FIVE), and it promises a top speed of 137 miles per hour, 0 to 62 in 4.9 seconds, and 100 kilometers on 0.79 kilograms of hydrogen (or 621 miles on a full tank). Apparently, the concept is also intended to demonstrate the design direction for 2025 CL-Class, although there's no indication as of yet that Mercedes-Benz plans to put a hydrogen-powered CL-Class into production. Hit the links below for a few more shots that have leaked out ahead of the show.

Mercedes-Benz's hydrogen-powered F125! concept slips out ahead of Frankfurt originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navy tests bacteria-powered hydrogen fuel cell, could start monitoring your underwater fight club

Darren Murph — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:29:00 EST

Microbial fuel cells aren't exactly new, but microbial fuel cells scouring the ocean floor? Now that's an initiative we can get behind. The Naval Research Laboratory is currently toying around with a so-called Zero Power Ballast Control off the coast of Thailand, presumably looking for treasures dropped from the speedboat of one "Alan Garner." Purportedly, the newfangled hydrogen fuel cell relies on bacteria to provide variable buoyancy, which allows an autonomous ocean sensor to move up and down water columns with little to no effort. Furthermore, it's able to get its energy from microbial metabolism (yeah, we're talking about hot air), and while it's mostly being used to measure things like temperature and pressure, it could be repurposed for more seirous tasks -- like mine detection. There's no clear word yet on when America's Navy will have access to this stuff, but if we had to guess, they've probably be using it behind our backs for the better part of a score.

[Image courtesy of U.S. Navy Reserve / Tom Boyd]

Navy tests bacteria-powered hydrogen fuel cell, could start monitoring your underwater fight club originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz completes hydrogen-powered F-Cell World Drive, but had to bring its own fuel

Jesse Hicks — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:03:00 EST

At January's Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz eagerly showed off its hydrogen-powered F-Cell car, vowing to prove the viability of fuel-cell vehicles by driving three of them around the world. And now, 18,641 total miles later, it's completed that circumnavigation, arriving safely home at the company's Stuttgart headquarters. Does this prove fuel-cells are ready for prime time? Well, the trip took 70 driving days to cover four continents, and the vehicles' range topped out at just over 400 miles -- in Kazahkstan. But M-B admits there are only 200 refilling stations worldwide; in most cases the F-Cells had to rely on a tag-along mobile refueling unit. The company hopes its demonstration will spur development in a refilling-station infrastructure: having a fuel-cell car you can't easily refuel must feel like owning a flying DeLorean in 1885. To get the full breakdown, see the Mercedes-Benz PR after the break.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz completes hydrogen-powered F-Cell World Drive, but had to bring its own fuel

Mercedes-Benz completes hydrogen-powered F-Cell World Drive, but had to bring its own fuel originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shell opens America's first pipelined hydrogen-fueling station in Southern California

Richard Lai — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:44:00 EST

Residents of SoCal's Torrance should consider themselves lucky, as they're now living in America's first-ever city to have a pipelined hydrogen-fueling station. You can thank Shell and Toyota for picking up this government-funded green project. Sure, while the few other hydrogen stations still rely on delivery by supply truck (presumably running on diesel, ironically), this nevertheless marks a new milestone for our squeaky clean fuel, and it's only a matter of time before more stations get piped up to Air Products' hydrogen plants. If there's any indication of a time frame, Wired reminds us that 2015 should see the arrival of many new mass-market hydrogen cars from Toyota, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz. Not long to go now, fellow tree huggers.

Shell opens America's first pipelined hydrogen-fueling station in Southern California originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 May 2011 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA collects proposals for space fueling stations

Brian Heater — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:05:00 EST

Sometimes rocket science is actually, you know, rocket science. Getting to the moon was tough enough, but deep space exploration poses all manner of additional concerns -- like getting back home alive, for one thing. And then there's the issue of fuel, something long distance trips require a lot of -- but stocking up on here on Earth means potential weight problems at launch. One proposal offered up in the past is space-based fueling stations conveniently located in key spots on the way to a distant destinations like the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. NASA is collecting proposals that can demonstrate the validity of such a plan, including the ability to store liquid oxygen and hydrogen, transfer it, and have a ship approach for fueling. If you think you've got your bases covered -- and can keep it under $200 million -- you've got until May 31st at 11:59 PM EST to hand over a proposal.

NASA collects proposals for space fueling stations originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google helps electric car owners find battery charges, peace of mind

Brian Heater — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:21:00 EST

The biggest challenge of owning an electric vehicle aside from having to awkwardly pal around with Ed Begley Jr. all of the time? Finding a place to charge it, of course. The ever-green folks at Google have teamed up with the US Department of Energy and more than 80 companies to form the GeoEVSE Forum, an organization aimed at bringing diverse electric car resources under a single umbrella. Looking for one of those elusive Best Buy charging stations? Use the Google Maps database, helmed by the DOE, which currently offers some 600 alternative fueling stations, including electric charging, hydrogen, and natural gas. Now if only it could help us find a good deal on a Tesla.

Continue reading Google helps electric car owners find battery charges, peace of mind

Google helps electric car owners find battery charges, peace of mind originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RC car runs on soda can rings, Doc Brown approves (video)

Jesse Hicks — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST

Many a future engineer was inspired by Back to the Future's Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, and not just because he proved that unkempt eccentrics could truly change the world. No, he also pioneered Mr. Fusion, the coffee maker/cold fusion reactor that turned garbage into energy. And while we're still waiting for cold fusion and time travel to become a reality, today we're all one step closer to waste-powered cars. A pair of Spanish engineers have recently unveiled the dAlH2Orean (see what they did there?), a R/C car that runs on aluminum. Dropping a few soda can tabs into a tank of sodium hydroxide produces enough hydrogen to power the little speedster for 40 minutes - at almost 20mph. Hit the video above to see it in action, along with your daily helping of the Chemical Brothers. Fitting.

RC car runs on soda can rings, Doc Brown approves (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Berkeley Lab scientists create nanocrystal hydrogen storage matrix, could make for H2 batteries

Tim Stevens — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:33:00 EST

If you could run your celly on hydrogen you'd have power for days and days -- but, you'd also need to lug around a high-pressure tank to store the stuff. That's no fun, and that's why we're still using Li-ion batteries and the like. But, scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory look to have found a way to possibly ditch the tank, creating a gas-barrier polymer matrix out of polymethyl methacrylate, allowing the H2 gas in but keeping oxygen and everything else out. That matrix contains magnesium nanocrystals that react with the hydrogen to form MgH2, enabling safe, (relatively) low-pressure storage. The H2 can then be released again and the magnesium nanocrystals are freed to bond with another batch of H2 when refilled. It sounds a little like the Cella Energy hydrogen storage solution, but a bit more promising if we're honest. Now for the long, painful wait for this to come to production.

Berkeley Lab scientists create nanocrystal hydrogen storage matrix, could make for H2 batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: Brain-shaped bulbs, houses that fly, and hydrogen bolts from the sky

Inhabitat — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 23:30:00 EST

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week Inhabitat showcased several hot new eco vehicles including the world's fastest plug-in hybrid and an insane screwdriver-powered tricycle that sends you flying through the streets headfirst. The field of alternative fuels also advanced by leaps and bounds as the U.S. Department of Energy announced a new breed of cost-effective biofuel and a team of researchers discovered a way to efficiently produce hydrogen from urine.

From flying houses held up by balloons to skyscrapers that harvest energy from bolts of lightning, this week we also showcased some of the world's most incredible buildings. We were wowed by the futuristic finalists of the eVolo skyscraper competition, which included underwater spires made from plastic debris and massive megaprojects that contain entire cities.

This week we also spotted several exciting new examples of green consumer tech - from a clever brain-shaped CFL bulb to ASUS' new line of cardboard computers to a wearable mix tape you can pin on your sleeve. We also celebrated the launch of Apple's latest tablet by rounding up 14 of the best eco-friendly iPad cases, sleeves and bags. Finally, we kicked off a contest where you can win a beautiful recycled leather iPad case from Dewdrop Designs, and we shared 11 chic travel essentials for jet-setters on the go.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: Brain-shaped bulbs, houses that fly, and hydrogen bolts from the sky originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Mar 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Powertrekk charges gadgets over USB, using one fuel cell and one Li-ion battery (video)

Sean Hollister — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:41:00 EST

Portable fuel cell chargers have been around for years, but each seems to have lasered in on a single important quality thus far, such as a reasonable price, an easy refilling scheme, and a decent amount of power -- but never all of the above. Well, it doesn't look like MyFC's Powertrekk is the full package either, but it does have a pretty sweet looking case, which holds not only a disposable sodium silicide container to generate the hydrogen gas (which then gets recombined with oxygen in a proton exchange membrane to produce 1000mAh of usable electricity) but also a 1600mAh lithium-ion battery which can provide up to one amp of juice. This way, you've got a backup battery if you misplace your cans of fairy dust, and a buffer for the fuel cell too, allowing you to keep those volts in powder or electrochemical form instead of carting around combustable hydrogen -- which is always a nice bonus when you think about it. Shame there's no word on price quite yet, but you can see how it all works in a video after the break.

Continue reading Powertrekk charges gadgets over USB, using one fuel cell and one Li-ion battery (video)

Powertrekk charges gadgets over USB, using one fuel cell and one Li-ion battery (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes F-Cell World Drive gets off to an inauspicious start

Tim Stevens — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:51:00 EST

Circling the globe on hydrogen power sounds like a bit of a challenge, what with the lack H2 pumps and all, but Mercedes-Benz set off to show that it could do just that -- with the help of a mobile filling station, natürlich. It's the F-Cell World Drive, and unfortunately, things got off to something of a bad start with two cars running out of fuel on the very first leg of the journey, one with Autoblog's Michael Harley at the wheel, no less. This first leg apparently began with a trip down an unrestricted bit of the Autobahn and, well, it seems the drivers of the cars decided to see what the little green B-Class F-Cells could do. The answer is 110mph, and of course moving along at this rate of speed did little for their range. The two cars came up 20km short of their first planned refueling stop, heavy right feet resulting in consumption of 1.5Kg of hydrogen per 100km distance -- roughly equivalent of 45mpg and way less than the 71mpg equivalent the cars usually manage. We're told day two, when drivers kept the speed to around 70mph, progressed much more smoothly, with both cars covering their expected legs without issue.

Mercedes F-Cell World Drive gets off to an inauspicious start originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai brings hydrogen vehicles to Europe, one free fleet at a time

Sean Hollister — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:04:00 EST

Excited for the rise of hydrogen economies, but can't wait till 2015? If you work for the Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or Icelandic governments, you might get to see the future personally. Hyundai's signed a memorandum of understanding with the aforementioned four countries to deliver a test fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles, and the Nikkei Shimbun is reporting that the company will personally foot the (possibly quite reasonable) bill. Free hydrogen-powered SUV? Don't mind if we do!

Continue reading Hyundai brings hydrogen vehicles to Europe, one free fleet at a time

Hyundai brings hydrogen vehicles to Europe, one free fleet at a time originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daimler says fuel cell vehicles will cost the same as diesel hybrids by 2015

Donald Melanson — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 03:17:00 EST

It may currently you cost you $849 a month to lease a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell (one of the few hyrodgen-fueled vehicles currently available to consumers), but Daimler says that cost will come down considerably in the next few years. Speaking with Automotive News, Daimler's Herbert Kohler said that by 2015 he expects a "fuel cell car will not cost more than a four-cylinder diesel hybrid that meets the Euro 6 emissions standard," which would seemingly place it in a race with Toyota and its promise of a $50,000 hydrogen-powered sedan. What's more, Kohler also said that he expects fuel cell vehicles to actually be cheaper than comparable electric vehicles within the next few years, and he said that Daimler is hoping to bring a "four-digit-number" of fuel cell vehicles to market by 2013 or 2014.

Daimler says fuel cell vehicles will cost the same as diesel hybrids by 2015 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 03:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cella Energy says its hydrogen microbeads could fuel your car, cost $1.50 per gallon

Tim Stevens — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:44:00 EST

Your average hydrogen-powered car is a marvel of modern science -- fuel cell sifting electrons out of pure H2 and emitting nothing but water -- powered by big, heavy, high-pressure tanks of gas. Cella Energy is here to ditch the tank, having first developed a means of storing hydrogen in microfibers that could greatly simplify the design of these vehicles. But, perhaps even more impressive is a "synthetic fuel" the company is working on which is, essentially, pure hydrogen captured into microbeads. You know, like the kind that float in your shampoo and give your hair that extra lustre, but explosive. According to Cella these beads can be poured into the gas tank of a car with an internal combustion engine (presumably suspended in some sort of liquid) and, with no modification, that car will run just fine. Best news is that this concoction costs just $1.50 per gallon -- or will, eventually. Supposedly. Maybe?

Cella Energy says its hydrogen microbeads could fuel your car, cost $1.50 per gallon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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13 Japanese companies join to further fuel cell adoption, also plan to ride bikes together

Tim Stevens — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:16:00 EST

What's going to spin the tires in your car of the future? Will it even have tires? Right now it looks like either hydrogen fuel cells or pure EVs will be dominating the streets in a few decades, and thankfully they share enough technology for us to think they can peacefully co-exist -- just like Apple and Microsoft fanboys and girls have been known to host really great parties together where they engage in long, respectful discussions regarding their differing opinions. However, while EVs are already well on their way, for fuel cells to take off we're going to need more hydrogen filling stations and more cooperation between auto manufacturers. That's happening now in Japan, with 13 companies -- Toyota, Nissan, and Honda along with a number of gas and utilities companies -- joining forces to enable a "smooth domestic launch" of fuel cell vehicles as soon as 2015. They hope to create about 100 hydrogen stations across the country, work to form a broader hydrogen supply network, and also educate people about FCVs in general. We'll give them a head start by letting you know that stands for "Fuel Cell Vehicle," though they're also often called FCEVs, or "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles." Bam! Two items off the to-do list.

Continue reading 13 Japanese companies join to further fuel cell adoption, also plan to ride bikes together

13 Japanese companies join to further fuel cell adoption, also plan to ride bikes together originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes kicks off F-Cell World Drive, circumnavigating the globe on hydrogen

Tim Stevens — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:29:00 EST

Fuel cell-powered cars provide the efficiency and driveability of an electric vehicle while also offering the unlimited range of a traditional gasoline powered car -- assuming you can find a place to top off those hydrogen tanks. Right now that's a bit of a problem, but Mercedes Benz is out to show that it's not nearly as big of a hindrance as everyone makes it out to be. It'll be driving the B-Class F-Cell model around the world, starting in Stuttgart and motoring down to Lisbon, flying over to the US and driving across that, then across Australia before hopping a boat to Shanghai and driving all the way across Asia, ultimately arriving back to Stuttgart facing in the same direction they left. The B-Class F-Cell can cover 400km on a tank and can be refilled in about three minutes. At this point we have no reason to believe that either Ewan McGregor nor Charlie Boorman will be along for the ride, but given how well things went in Log Way Round perhaps that's for the best.

Mercedes kicks off F-Cell World Drive, circumnavigating the globe on hydrogen originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New solar machine could generate hydrogen fuel, food for your future vehicle

Darren Murph — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 02:18:00 EST

We're hesitant to file this one in the folder marked "Awesome Things That'll Never Happen," but it's definitely on the watch list. A new prototype solar device has been concocted to convert sunlight into fuel, much in the same way a plant does. Eco-minded folks will probably understand that conventional photovoltaic panels "must use the electricity they generate in situ," and thus, cannot deliver energy at night; this here device takes a rather unorthodox approach, using the sun's rays along with ceria (a magical, marvelous metal oxide) to "break down carbon dioxide or water into fuels which can be stored and transported." In theory, at least, the device could be used to create hydrogen and / or carbon monoxide, with the former being obviously useful for fueling up hydrogen-based cars of the future. Sadly, the existing prototype is horribly inefficient -- only around 0.7 percent of the solar energy can be converted into fuel -- but researchers are adamant that they can boost that to nearly 20 percent in time. We'll check back in a decade or so to see how things are progressing.

New solar machine could generate hydrogen fuel, food for your future vehicle originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 02:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hornblower Hybrid ferry relies on eco-friendly trifecta: hydrogen, solar and wind power

Darren Murph — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:12:00 EST

Plan on visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island via ferry next year? If so, pay close attention to the vessel you board, as it just might be the world's first to rely on hydrogen, solar and wind power for motorization. Currently, the New York Hornblower Hybrid (not to be confused with the San Francisco Hornblower Hybrid) is under construction in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and if all goes well, it'll reach completion in April. The 600-passenger boat be equipped with Tier 2 diesel engines, hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels and wind turbines, with power coming from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electricity. We're told that the diesel rigs will only kick in to cover "additional energy needs," but it's hard to say how often they'll actually be used. The eventual goal, however, is to do away with emissions altogether in the ferry process, and it seems that the technology is already capable of being scaled for use in other hybrid ferries, hybrid yachts and even hybrid tugs.

Continue reading Hornblower Hybrid ferry relies on eco-friendly trifecta: hydrogen, solar and wind power

Hornblower Hybrid ferry relies on eco-friendly trifecta: hydrogen, solar and wind power originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz's hydrogen-fueled B-Class F-Cell gets priced at $849 a month

Donald Melanson — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:52:00 EST

It's unfortunately not the F800 Style "research vehicle" the company is working on, but those looking to avoid a hybrid or all-electric vehicle in favor of fuel cell technology can now place an order for Mercedes-Benz's new B-Class F-Cell vehicle. Those orders actually first opened up in October, but the automaker has only just recently revealed the actual cost to customers. That will be $849 a month on a lease-only basis, which may seem a tad high but does include both fuel and insurance (alright, so it's still high). As you might expect, however, the car won't exactly be widely available -- Mercedes-Benz says the first few will reach "selected" customers by the end of this year, with "at least 70 more" set to become available in the Los Angeles and San Francisco area by 2012. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz's hydrogen-fueled B-Class F-Cell gets priced at $849 a month

Mercedes-Benz's hydrogen-fueled B-Class F-Cell gets priced at $849 a month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lung-inspired hydrogen fuel cell skimps on platinum, sees efficiency boost

Darren Murph — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:38:00 EST

For as spectacular as hydrogen fuel cells are on paper, they haven't been able to replace combustion engines in vehicles. Or much of anything else, really. But thanks to Signe Kjelstrup at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo, the tried-and-true fuel cell is getting a serious boost. Kjelstrup's crew determined that by using less platinum in a cell, a substantial increase in efficiency and a significant decrease in cost could be achieved. The new design relies on an architecture that's "modeled on the bronchial structure of the lungs to supply hydrogen and oxygen gas to their respective electrodes," which is said to help "spread the gases more uniformly across the catalyst than current channel designs and provides a greater surface area so less platinum is needed." It's still early on in the discovery process, though, and there's certainly no solid word on when this will reach a point where widespread implementation is feasible. Seventh-generation Prius, perhaps?

Lung-inspired hydrogen fuel cell skimps on platinum, sees efficiency boost originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Horizon's Minipak, Hydrofill and Hydrostik fuel cell devices go up for pre-order

Darren Murph — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:28:00 EST

We first learned of Horizon's most recent fuel cell-powered aspirations back at CES, but the company has been radio silent ever since. Well, until today. As of this very moment in time, a trio of alternative energy charging solutions are up for pre-order on the company's site, and while they promised that the family would be available by the end of 2010, it seems as if the first shipments will head out as early as next month. The Minipak -- described as a charging device that integrates a passive air-breathing fuel cell and a 'solid-state' hydrogen storage unit -- is up for pre-order at $99.99, while the monstrous Hydrofill water-to-hydrogen-to-power converter can also be claimed for $499.99. Last (but certainly not least), the Hydrostik can be reserved for a penny under a Hamilton. Go on, give that source link a look -- your angered AAs will peter out before they're able to take up arms, anyway.

[Thanks, Mitchell]

Horizon's Minipak, Hydrofill and Hydrostik fuel cell devices go up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: of mirror cubes and urban icebergs

Inhabitat — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:58:00 EST

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

With summer in full swing, this week Inhabitat watched the mercury rise as the world's largest thermostat burst forth with an array of 72,000 building-mounted LEDs. We also kept things cool with a remarkable plan to transform frozen construction sites into event-hosting urban icebergs. And if you haven't made plans for a summer vacation yet, might we recommend this stunning Swedish "Treehotel" housed within a silvery mirror cube in the sky?

Heartening news rang forth from the renewable energy sector this week as a UN-backed study reported that the building of new renewable energy plants has officially overtaken fossil fuel plants in Europe and the US. We also took a look at two brand new types of power plants -- the world's first hydrogen-driven power plant in Italy and the first hybrid coal-solar power plant in Colorado.

The past week also saw several remarkable advances in clean tech, starting with MIT's latest innovation, a new type of high-tech fiber that can transmit sound, light, and generate electricity. We also paid homage to one of our all-time favorite sources of (surprisingly green) home entertainment - the Roku Box.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: of mirror cubes and urban icebergs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boeing Phantom Eye unmanned spy plane stays aloft four days, sort of bums us out

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:21:00 EST

Sometimes, in the seat of our despair (which almost always corresponds with a viewing of The Real Housewives of New Jersey), we reflect on the sorry state of the world and note that the one thing we don't have to doubt is that history is marching us towards a mechanized slaughter that will make World War I look like Burning Man (the rave, not the actual burning people). Sure, it never occurred to anyone to maybe figure out how to cap an undersea oil well, but at least we are making headway in our development of autonomous, long range aircraft (you know, for shooting people and eavesdropping and whatnot). Our latest example of a world gone mad comes courtesy of Boeing, and it's called Phantom Eye. The unmanned aircraft system looks something like a bowling pin with wings and can spend up to four days at 65,000 feet. Also featured on the craft is a hydrogen propulsion system that promises great fuel economy, and whose only byproduct is water. At the unveiling ceremony in St. Louis, Boeing Phantom Works president Darryl Davis noted that the "capabilities inherent" in its design "will offer game-changing opportunities for our military, civil and commercial customers." Awesome! Look for the device later this summer, when it begins a series of ground and taxi tests in preparation for its first flight early next year.

Continue reading Boeing Phantom Eye unmanned spy plane stays aloft four days, sort of bums us out

Boeing Phantom Eye unmanned spy plane stays aloft four days, sort of bums us out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda shows off conceptual, solar-powered station to refill your conceptual, hydrogen-powered car (video)

Tim Stevens — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:42:00 EST

Hydrogen-powered cars, like Honda's FCX Clarity, face a lot of hurdles, not the least of which being a fuel source requiring more energy to produce than it in turn gives out as energy. Honda is showing one way to mitigate that with its conceptual home-based recharging station. It relies on a six-kilowatt solar array to power an electrolyzer, splitting water molecules into hydrogen atoms. Eight hours of sunlight generates a half-kilogram of hydrogen, enough for the FCX to cover about 30 miles -- your average commute. However, there are some obvious concerns, not the least of which being that massive solar array (shown on the right in the picture above), which is twice the size of car it's powering. Then there's the cost, and while Honda isn't saying how much this might set you back if it ever did come to production, we're guessing it'd make the JFE Engineering's $60k quick charger look like something of a bargain.

Continue reading Honda shows off conceptual, solar-powered station to refill your conceptual, hydrogen-powered car (video)

Honda shows off conceptual, solar-powered station to refill your conceptual, hydrogen-powered car (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai-Kia looking to beat Toyota in the automotive fuel cell price wars

Tim Stevens — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:12:00 EST

When Toyota made clear its aim to release a hydrogen-powered fuel cell auto to the public in 2015 for $50,000, we asked the simple question of whether you'd buy that car for that much. The overwhelming answer was "heck no!" Hyundai-Kia is glad to hear it, and is taking this time to trump up its cheaper fuel cell technology. General Manager Byung Ki Ahn explains that his company's tech does not require an onboard compressor and contains less platinum in the catalysts than Toyota's, in theory meaning reduced cost and complexity. But, will that come at the expense of efficiency? Just what will Hyundai's alternative cost? And, most importantly, will its first fuel cell car look as good as good as the Genesis coupe, or will it just be the boring Borrego prototype above? These questions could be answered as soon as 2012, when the company hopes to get the first early models into the willing driveways of consumers.

Hyundai-Kia looking to beat Toyota in the automotive fuel cell price wars originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Horizon's H-Cell 2.0 hydrogen fuel cell for R/C cars now shipping (video)

Tim Stevens — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:42:00 EST

You may have a hard time buying yourself a full-sized hydrogen-powered auto, but thanks to Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies you can at least get a 1:10 scale version. The company's H-Cell 2.0 fuel cell kit, unveiled back in February, is now shipping to forward-looking enthusiasts and comes with everything you need to mount it on a tiny boat, little plane, or R/C car (like the Tamiya TRF416 shown above). While Horizon indicates the cell will keep that car moving at 45mph for a full hour, an impressive figure, they still haven't told us another very important number: the cost. We do, however, have the full system specs just after the break, along with a demo video of the thing in action. It may not be as fast as your neighbor's nitro-powered beast, but what has he done for the environment lately?

Gallery: Horizon H-Cell 2.0 fuel cell

Continue reading Horizon's H-Cell 2.0 hydrogen fuel cell for R/C cars now shipping (video)

Horizon's H-Cell 2.0 hydrogen fuel cell for R/C cars now shipping (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 May 2010 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Would you buy a hydrogen-powered sedan in 2015 for $50,000?

Tim Stevens — Sun, 09 May 2010 12:04:00 EST

That's the question Toyota is asking, announcing plans to release such a thing in that year for that price. That's more than twice as expensive as the company's current eco-chic offering, the Prius, but for greenies the advantages here are considerable: zero carbon emissions and a renewable fuel source. Toyota has been showing off its hydrogen-powered FCHV (pictured above) for quite some time now, but the initial model to hit dealers will instead be a sedan (presumably a luxury one at that price point) that would have a range comparable to gasoline models. Toyota hopes to actually make a profit on the car thanks to ever-decreasing fuel cell costs, a goal that the company did not achieve when the Prius initially hit the road and was sold at a loss. Of course, if the hydrogen distribution system in the US doesn't improve over the next five years then this thing will surely be a loser too.

Would you buy a hydrogen-powered sedan in 2015 for $50,000? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 May 2010 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Horizon's Hydrofill converts water to hydrogen, hydrogen into juice for your gadgets

Tim Stevens — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:26:00 EST

Could 2010 finally be the year of the fuel cell? Horizon thinks it will be. The company has been teasing us with products for years, and while this latest one is also just a promise at this point, Horizon says it will be for sale by the end of the year. Hydrofill is a "personal hydrogen station" capable of converting water into hydrogen gas, which then gets stored in small cartridges called Hydrostik -- apparently in a crystalline structure to prevent your fanny pack doing a Hindenburg. Those cartridges will be usable in rechargers, like the Minipak, which provides USB output to recharge smaller gadgets on the go. It'll surely be a little more powerful than the toy kit Horizon released back in 2008, but we're bummed this one won't run on vodka like that one did. We tend to have plenty of that lying around this time of the year.

Horizon's Hydrofill converts water to hydrogen, hydrogen into juice for your gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers propose $30 portable fuel cell charger, we don't hold our breath

Tim Stevens — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:29:00 EST

If you believed all the fuel cell talk that's been bandied about in press releases over the years you'd have thrown away your plug-in chargers by now and started squirting alcohol into all your gadgets. Many promises have been broken, so please take this news of a supposed $30 fuel cell charger for cellphones and other mobile devices with a suitably large chunk of salt -- or some sodium-free flavor enhancer if your doctor has imposed such dietary restrictions. Scientists at the Industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan have created a prototype charger that runs on small tubes containing solid-state hydrogen, "plasticized" so that it is only released when mixed with water. The canisters are said to sell for $.30 a pop, leaving one researcher to say: "They could be sold at 7-Eleven." We want to write a skeptical response analyzing the feasibility of to such pricing but instead got distracted researching information about Taiwanese convenience stores. Did you know there are 4,807 7-Eleven franchise locations around Taiwan? Amazing!

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Researchers propose $30 portable fuel cell charger, we don't hold our breath originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrogen-powered Riversimple Urban Car unveiled, makes your hybrid green with envy

Tim Stevens — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:53:00 EST

Smug about your 65 mpg Prius potential? Don't be. A little car from up-start Riversimple looks set to deliver the equivalent of 300 mpg, running on hydrogen and utilizing a network of small fuel cells to power four motors, one per wheel. The recently unveiled prototype manages 240 miles on just 2.2 lbs of hydrogen, has a top speed of 50 mph, seats two (reasonably) comfortably, and looks a little like a smiling, new-age Citroen 2CV -- but will hopefully be a more enjoyable to drive. That considerable range means that the relative lack of hydrogen distribution stations is less of a problem (until you can get one for your garage), and an estimated monthly lease price of just £200 (about $330) makes it potentially affordable. The only question now is availability of the cars themselves, and since nobody's talking about that you needn't worry about delaying that appointment with your local Toyota dealer.

[Via TG Daily]

Filed under: Transportation

Hydrogen-powered Riversimple Urban Car unveiled, makes your hybrid green with envy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint nabs $7.3M grant for hydrogen fuel cells at cell sites

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:47:00 EST

The US Department of Energy is feeling generous with some $41.9 million worth of cold, hard cash in a round of grants aimed at advancing fuel cell tech, and Sprint ended up scoring some $7.3 million of it -- the only carrier to do so. Carriers and hydrogen fuel cells don't seem like a natural fit at first, but it turns out that backup power at cell sites is kind of a big deal, and fuel cells are a perfect fit for a reliable, long-running, zero-emission solution. Interestingly, Sprint has been really into this for a while now -- it's their third awarded grant, and it turns out that they've had fuel cells deployed at sites since way back in 2005 (and they've even got 12 patents under their belt to prove it). Most current sites offer up to 15 hours of power in the event of an emergency using low-pressure hydrogen tanks, and the carrier says that it'll use the latest cash infusion to work with its partners to boost that up to 72 hours. Probably worse ways for the government to spend $7.3 million, when you think about it (say, on no-bid contracts for surplus eraser heads for Number 2 pencils, for instance).

Filed under: Sprint

Sprint nabs $7.3M grant for hydrogen fuel cells at cell sites originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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