Hydrogen power within reach
9 September 2005
Hydrogen power within reach
Researchers at a Danish university unveil an invention that makes it easier to store hydrogen fuel. If successfully developed, the invention could provide a much needed replacement for fossil fuels
Filling up your car with hydrogen fuel at the local filling station might not be too far off in the future, thanks to a team of researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
Researchers at DTU have found a way to store hydrogen in a tablet form, overcoming one of the biggest challenges with using hydrogen: storage.
'The last 20 years, researchers worldwide have tried to find a practical way to store hydrogen. We have found the way,' said Claus Hviid Christensen, professor of chemistry at DTU.
The discovery has the potential to open a new chapter of innovation, similar to the leading position Denmark enjoys in the wind energy sector.
Oil of the future
The DTU team worked for a year and a half to develop a method to store hydrogen, a lighter-than-air, inflammable gas, in a compact, solid form.
'Before, the amount of hydrogen needed to fuel a passenger vehicle for 500km occupied the same space as nine passenger vehicles. With our pill, the same amount of energy can be contained in a normal 50 litre tank,' said Christensen.
Other hydrogen fuel experts said that the innovation was nothing short of a breakthrough.
'Not least because the hydrogen pill doesn't lose energy when it is used,' said Andreas Züttel, a professor of physics with Fribourg University in Switzerland.
The project could represent a watershed for its investors.
'The new hydrogen tablet is a revolutionary invention that can be 'the oil of the future'. I can't say for sure what financial gains will come out of it, but we believe that all of the involved parties will become very wealthy from this,' said Søren Friis, the Investment Manager i SEED Capital Denmark.
Obstacles remain
Hydrogen power could supply batteries in portable computers or mobile phones, according to Ulrich Quaade, a professor at DTU who worked on the project.
'Without putting a precise name on what the exact products will be, we could be making products in three to five years,' said Quaade.
Some technical problems remained, however, he said.
'There is clearly a good ways to go before we can go down to the gas station and fill up with hydrogen,' said Quaade. 'We need some partners. There has to be some focused development projects, and it is unrealistic to believe we can find them within the country's borders.'
He noted that Denmark simply lacked the expertise with regard to mobile phones, portable computers, and automobiles to successfully apply the technology.
Need for investment
Interest in the invention is overwhelming, according to Tue Johannessen, the technical director for Amminex, the company which developed the tablet form for storing hydrogen. A number of multinationals, including a major automobile producer, have shown an interest, Johannessen told financial daily Børsen.
He sought additional funding to bring the project to fruition.
'For 250 million kroner (EUR 33.3 million, ed.), we would be able to take things really far,' said Johannessen.
Johannessen suggested that without additional funding, the project would be sold to the highest bidder.
/ritzau/
denmark.dk
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