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2009-03-30

Truckers Choose Hydrogen Power!

Truckers Choose Hydrogen Power
Stephen Leahy Email 11.15.05



Hundreds of semitrailer trucks zipping along North American highways are now powered in part by hydrogen. These 18-wheelers make hydrogen as they go, eliminating the need for high-pressure, cryogenic storage tanks or hydrogen filling stations, which, by the way, don't yet exist.

These truckers aren't just do-gooders. They like Canadian Hydrogen Energy's Hydrogen Fuel Injection, or HFI, system because it lets them save fuel, get more horsepower and, as a bonus, cause less pollution.

"We're saving $700 a month per truck on fuel," said Sherwin Fast, president of Great Plains Trucking in Salina, Kansas. The company tried the HFI system on four trucks and has ordered 25 more.

"Drivers like the increased power and noticed there is a lot less black smoke coming out of the stacks," said Fast.

HFI is a bolt-on, aftermarket part that injects small amounts of hydrogen into the engine air intake, said Canadian Hydrogen Energy's Steve Gilchrist. Fuel efficiency and horsepower are improved because hydrogen burns faster and hotter than diesel, dramatically boosting combustion efficiency.

"You get more work from the same amount of fuel," said Gilchrist.

This is not a new idea. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology published research on the uses of hydrogen as a combustion-enhancing agent in the early 1970s. But the ability to make hydrogen on the go is novel.

The sticking point for hydrogen has always been getting it. Unlike crude oil, natural gas, wind or solar energy, hydrogen doesn't exist freely in nature. It costs $5 a gallon to make hydrogen from natural gas.

But the HFI system uses electricity from an engine's alternator to power the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen as needed from small amounts of distilled water.

"That's a big advantage and a bit of a novelty," said Venki Raman, an expert on hydrogen-energy applications who started Protium Energy Technologies.

HFI's manufacturer guarantees 10 percent fuel savings, which likely won't interest car companies or consumers, Raman said. But a reduction of pollution emissions could spur broader use.

Trucks with the HFI system produce half the amount of particulates -- microscopic, unburned bits of diesel. The system also reduces nitrogen-oxide emissions, which are major contributors to harmful air pollution, by up to 14 percent, according to Canada's Environmental Technology Verification Program.

The HFI units are relatively small and cost between $4,000 and $14,000, depending on the size of the vehicle.

"It looks like a good transition technology to hydrogen fuel cells, which are still at least 15 years away from commercialization," said Raman.

It will take at least until 2040 before fuel cells begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the National Hydrogen Association, Gilchrist pointed out.

"We vehemently disagree with governments picking the fuel cell as the single path to a cleaner environment," he said.

Gilchrist recently argued just this point in meetings with California officials, who are considering buying prototype fuel-cell vehicles that will cost more than $1 million each. That money could buy many HFI systems, which would provide "300 times" the air-pollution reductions of one fuel-cell vehicle, he said.

2009-03-20

Governor stung by an HHO Scorpion


Gov. Schwarzenegger Test Drives Ronn Scorpion and May Buy One
Posted on March 12th, 2009 by admin

Schwarzenegger Scorpion California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has put the pedal to the metal on a Ronn Scorpion eco exotic car that partly runs on hydrogen. In fact, the “Governator” is so fond of the Scorpion that how he is considering buying one.

Now, I’ve talked about the Ronn Scorpion many times in the past including the H2GO hydrogen on demand unit inside that electrolyzes water and feeds the resulting hydrogen through the intake to supplement and catalyze the gasoline in the cylinders.

Governor Schwarzenegger is of course the author of California’s Hydrogen Highway program, which over the past 6 years has spawned 26 public hydrogen refueling stations in the state, with a few being added each year.

In October 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger drove his modified H2H Hummer to the opening of California’s first public hydrogen fueling station at the Los Angeles International Airport.

Governor Schwarzenegger contacted the Scorpion’s CEO Ronn Maxwell about the hydrogen gas saving exotic car after reading an article in the high profile Men’s Journal which proclaimed the Scorpion to be “God’s Own Supercar.”

The Ronn Scorpion has supercar speed with 0 to 60 mph acceleration in under 4 seconds and a top end of over 200 mph. The mainly gasoline-powered and partially hydrogen-powered exotic car also gets around 40 mpg as well.

Ronn Maxwell drove the Scorpion upon the sidewalk leading up to the steps of the Capital building in Sacramento for a photo op with Governor Schwarzenegger. The Governor is enthusiastic about small boutique alternative car companies creating jobs and giving consumers options in the marketplace where the Big 3 automakers have yet to come up to speed in this area.

I wrote Governor Schwarzenegger last year to tell him about this emerging hydrogen gas saver technology and in specific the device being used inside the Ronn Scorpion. That could have helped place a bug in his ear when deciding to take the Scorpion out for a test drive recently.

With an endorsement from one of the largest names in the hydrogen car movement, Governor Schwarzenegger gives this emerging hydrogen on demand technology a shot of credibility today that will hopefully lead to cleaner air and less dependence upon foreign oil tomorrow.

And many thanks for Paul Faulstich of the Hydrogen Energy Center for alerting me to this important news event yesterday.

Filed under: Hydrogen Gas Savers | No Comments »

2009-03-17

Prince Charles Plea for humanity to save the planet



We have 100 months to save the planet... Have you done your part?

2009-03-15

Vespa with HHO MC take off

No smoke!... Vespa 2 stroke - benefits from Hydroxy enhancement. Strong acceleration and Speed!... but most of - all ... Significantly and Relatively - Cleaner emission.

No doubt about it.

A SOLUTION to Prince Charles' Speech

A 50cc scooter, "turbocharged" with the Gadgeteers' onboard hydrogen fuel cell, produces approximately 25% more power and visibly less smoke, according to this CTV news report. With such a small motor, the carbon "footprint" is correspondingly much less, in fact, tiny, tiny, tiny, compared to a typical 6000cc 8-cylinder vehicle.

Please check out the Gadgeteers' other video clips on this Hydrogen Hybrid Kymco scooter.

Like the news reporter says, the cost of this onboard fuel cell is only $200 -- a very small price to save this planet, isn't it?

Of course, an electric scooter is also a good, if not better solution, albeit the speed of an electric scooter is restricted to 32KPH in some jurisdictions.

Thanks, Prince Charles, for your "100 months left to save this planet" speech to 200 business leaders

The Hydrogen Hybrid scooter is Gadgeteer Rob's last gadgeteering project.

2009-03-04

Hydrogen Assisted Nissan Skyline

Race Freaks, listen. So you thought HHO is just for low performance cars wanting to get an extra juice out f their efficiency equation?... well, think again.

Here's a guy from Japan that made his own hho project and installed it in his Nissan Skyline.

He also makes actual Mileage Runs and logs them.

He claims 30% mileage gains... this is a lot already... naysayers will always say - "ONLY 30%???!!! why not 50%? or 100%?...." - typical line of people you dont want to waste time talking with. Hell, they can't even get an extra 10% gain with hypermiling.

At any rate, there are detractors, debunkers or black propagandist... These people will have to be typecasted as the "Enemy of the Earth". Normally, these people are paid well to provide disinformation and or desensitization to the populace.

I am not selling here anything... I am merely presenting the proofs of concepts in this blog and to my other blogs.

In other words... WAKE UP people! There's a quick fix and it's not going to cost you an arm and a leg.

Start saving this planet... and you can start... NOW.

2009-03-01

Road Test, Hydrogen Hybrid Firebird

Another Proof of concept on the run! A Pontiac Firebird - Hydrogen Hybrid!... Enjoy it.

Smoke on the water

"First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they fight with you, then you win." -- Ghandi

HHydrO Super 7 Now!

Off the Grid Technology

CR4 - Forum: Automotive