by guest blogger Stan Thompson About 12 years ago, when I first became interested in what’s now called hydrail (hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and battery railway traction), I caught a glimmer of the idea online from Germany in the State of Schleswig-Holstein. Someone there had seen that wireless electric trains could be powered by wind turbines via hydrogen • Read More »
Archives: Fuel Cells
France Fuel Cell Businesses Face Off with Japanese Market
February 10, 2015 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on France Fuel Cell Businesses Face Off with Japanese Market | Filed in: Fuel Cells.The French say “in your face” when it comes to introducing fuel cells to the Japanese market. Last month I had talked about 5 plug-in hybrid fuel cell Renault Kangoo ZE vehicles with Symbio FCell Range-Extenders rolling out in France. This month, 3 French fuel cell companies, McPhy, PaxiTech and Atawey (which a way?) will • Read More »
President Putin prods hydrail ahead
October 18, 2014 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on President Putin prods hydrail ahead | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Infrastructure, News.by guest blogger Stan Thompson By fiddling with his oil faucets and natural gas valves, Vladimir Putin may be having the same unintended acceleration effect on Europe’s diesel-to-hydrail transition that John L. Lewis had on the coal-to-diesel transition in the USA during the last century. Recently I’ve heard two ambassadors from European countries explaining to American audiences what • Read More »
Graphene Quantum Dots Better Than Platinum in Fuel Cells
October 1, 2014 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on Graphene Quantum Dots Better Than Platinum in Fuel Cells | Filed in: Fuel Cells.Researchers at Rice University have discovered that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) serve as better catalysts in fuel cells than does platinum. And the quantum nanodots are made from (cover your eyes fossil fuel rejectionists) coal. According to Rice, “The Rice lab of chemist James Tour created dots known as GQDs from coal last year and • Read More »
Forty Alstom hydrail trainsets for Germany !
September 25, 2014 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on Forty Alstom hydrail trainsets for Germany ! | Filed in: Conferences, Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Infrastructure, Political Issues.by guest blogger Stan Thompson Since you’re reading this, you already know how indebted the hydrogen community is to Kevin—the originator of this blog—for his role in keeping us up to date with the biggest news about the littlest atom. Today, though, I’m more grateful than ever; Kevin just tipped me off about an article in • Read More »
United Hydrail Nations
September 17, 2014 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on United Hydrail Nations | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen Economy, Hydrogen Education, Hydrogen Organizations, Hydrogen Vehicles, Hyrail, Infrastructure.by guest blogger Stan Thompson This update follows much farther behind the wonderfully successful 9th International Hydrail Conference in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany (June 2014) than I had intended. The reason is one I can’t regret: the cast of international players on the hydrail stage has grown so large, and there are so many intertwining plots, that I can hardly keep up • Read More »
Fuel Cells or Hydrogen Batteries – What’s In a Name
June 18, 2014 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on Fuel Cells or Hydrogen Batteries – What’s In a Name | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Uncategorized.Bengt Halvorson of Green Car Reports published an article yesterday called, “Should Fuel Cells Have Been Called ‘Hydrogen Batteries’ Instead?” This article begs the question as to whether the name ‘hydrogen fuel cells’ is holding back the technology from being readily accepted by consumers. One person who thinks so is former General Motors executive Larry • Read More »
Hydroxide Exchange Membranes May Be the Future of Fuel Cells
June 3, 2014 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on Hydroxide Exchange Membranes May Be the Future of Fuel Cells | Filed in: Fuel Cells.Researchers at the University of Delaware have discovered that nano-scale nickel spheres may be the key to cheap and abundant hydrogen via electrolysis of water. Platinum, ruthenium and iridium rare metals often found in fuel cells or electrolyzers and the goal is the replace these elements with something that is cheaper and more abundant. According • Read More »
Neumünster, Germany, Hosts 9th International Hydrail Conference
May 22, 2014 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on Neumünster, Germany, Hosts 9th International Hydrail Conference | Filed in: Conferences, Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen Vehicles, Hyrail, Infrastructure, News.by guest blogger Stan Thompson Neumünster, in the Northern German State of Schleswig-Holstein, will host the Ninth International Hydrail Conference (“9IHC”) on 16-18 June this year (2014). This year’s registration details, presenters and agenda information appear on the Appalachian State University hydrail web site, http://www.hydrail.org. German support for the Hydrail Conference has proved so strong that, for the • Read More »
Bimetallic Nanocages Boost Performance for Fuel Cells and H2 Production
April 30, 2014 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on Bimetallic Nanocages Boost Performance for Fuel Cells and H2 Production | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Hydrogen Fuel Production.Researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) have developed a bimetallic nanocage that can reduce the amount of platinum used in fuel cells and electrolyzers. These 3D nanoframes made of platinum and nickel, far exceed the performance of traditional platinum-only catalysts. According to SAE International, “The order-of-magnitude jump • Read More »