The natural gas we use to cook and heat our homes is responsible for over 30 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions so in an attempt to reduce that impact on the environment, two show homes where all the appliances are powered entirely by hydrogen are being built in Gateshead.
As part of the government’s drive to phase out the use of fossil fuels, the show homes will demonstrate how hydrogen powered appliances compare with those run on natural gas. Hydrogen’s only by-product at the point of use is water.
Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said of the project: “From running a hot bath and cooking our evening meals to turning on the heating, most of us use natural gas every day.”
“However, to tackle climate change, we need to find alternatives to fossil fuels and move towards making clean energy the norm.
“While these new houses in Gateshead will look like any other, they will showcase how low carbon hydrogen can transform the way we power our homes.”
Hydrogen – Powering homes and cars
The Riversimple Rasa is a hydrogen car that aims to radically change the way we think of personal transport; an affordable, hassle free, fun-to-drive eco car. Under the French plan, those without the means to buy a clean vehicle will receive a grant, but the Rasa is never owned outright. Instead, it is leased like a mobile phone.
Tabula Rasa means ‘clean slate’ in Latin. It’s an apt name for the new Riversimple car, a vehicle that redefines personal transport in our age of increasing population and diminishing natural resources. Every aspect of the Rasa has been created for simplicity, efficiency, lightness, strength, affordability, safety and sustainability.
In some respects, the Rasa can be likened to the Citroen 2CV, the iconic workhorse of post-war France. The two cars share a purpose of design, top speed of 60 mph and a weight of around 580 kg, but the Rasa is very much a car for today. Its chassis is a monocoque made from very stiff carbon fibre composites and yet weighs less than 40kg.
Weight distribution is even thanks to four electric motors, one in each wheel. The motors double up as brakes – recovering over 50% of kinetic energy when braking. Super-capacitors store this energy and provide most of the power for acceleration.
The production prototype should do the equivalent of 250 mpg with a range of 300 miles. Emissions are zero at tailpipe and around 40 gCO2/km if the hydrogen comes from natural gas.
Very few mobile phone users buy their handset upfront. Most of us spread the cost over the term of the contract. It’s a model that the makers of the Rasa aim to apply to motorists wanting to use a hydrogen car; they will retain ownership of the cars and sell mobility as a service.
Rather than buying the hydrogen car outright or having to set up a hire purchase agreement, a simple pricing structure enables customers to pay a single monthly fee that covers everything – the car, the maintenance, the insurance, the fuel. The rationale is that customers have all the pleasure but none of the hassle of ownership. From the manufacturer’s perspective, it pays to make a car that lasts as long, and runs as well, as possible.
More at riversimple.com
How does a hydrogen car work?
Hydrogen can be used as a fuel for electric cars thereby doing away with the need for a battery – the car does not have an engine in the conventional sense as it uses instead a fuel cell stack, a device that uses an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity to power a motor. These so-called fuel cell vehicles can travel longer distances than electric vehicles that need to be re-charged directly from a mains supply.
At an early stage, the Riversimple venture was backed by Sebastian Piech, a great-grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, who in 1898 worked on the Lohner Electric Chaise – one of the world’s earliest electric cars. The Lohner car had a top speed of 31 mph and a maximum range of 30 miles.
ETA: Ethical breakdown cover
Established over 30 years ago, and with over 5,000 recovery trucks on call 24/7, the ETA has a proven track record of providing efficient, reliable breakdown cover. We handpick only the best local mechanics and garages around Britain to send out if you break down. We believe this way of working is efficient, environmentally friendly and helps support local communities and economies, too.
Not only are we judged to be Britain’s most ethical provider by The Good Shopping Guide, we campaign for sustainable transport. Supporting this work is easy – you simply have to take out insurance with us. We provide cycle insurance, breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance – all while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
Peter Chisnall
Hydrogen, a bit like nuclear fission the fuel of the future and always will be!
Green Hydrogen is made by electrolysing sea water using offshore wind turbines, why not use the electricity directly much more efficient.
Blue Hydrogen i.e. dirty, is made from natural gas and th Carbon dioxide created has to be captured and stored, only at R&D stage at the moment.
It seems you are pushing the existing energy companies’ agendas, they have a vested interest in using hydrogen.
Only good use in the future may be heavy goods vehicle fuels!
Joel
Hydrogen for homes and cars makes no sense as the hydrogen has to come from renewable electricity to be clean so why not use the electricity directly (it probably has uses for long distance remote travel).
Doug M
The production of Hydrogen for use in fuel cells requires electrical energy, still mainly produced using fossil fuels. So, until the bulk of our energy is produced by other means, such as solar or wind power, fuel cells cannot be considered particularly green. The manufacture of solar cells also requires energy and non-renewable materials.