We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE ARAN ISLANDS is being used to study the feasibility of using hydrogen as fuel in a multi-million euro project that focuses on isolated areas.
The €3.5 million Seafuel project aims to demonstrate the value of using renewable energies, with no carbon footprint, to fuel transportation networks in remote Atlantic regions.
The NUI Galway led project is targeting regions where 30% of fuel consumption comes from local transportation. It is also being piloted in the Canary Islands and Madeira in Portugal.
Dr Pau Farràs Costa, who is leading the research, said it’s hoped that hydrogen can be used across the Atlantic region to power transportation and support a shift towards a low-carbon economy.
Seafuel proposes a sustainable way to power local transportation in isolated regions using renewable resources such as sun, wind and seawater, considering the inherent intermittency of such solar and wind energy.
A series of workshops and on site surveys will take place on the Aran Islands. On the island of Tenerife hydrogen will be used to power a fleet of government vans.
Dr Farràs Costa said it would not be practical to roll out the vehicles on the Aran Islands because they would not offer any advantage over electric vehicles. This is because range is not an issue due to the size of the islands.
The project is co-financed by the Interreg Atlantic Area 2014-2020 programme.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Lads they’ve already covered concluded that Hydrogen is pointless for the Aran island scenario as pure electric would be the right option. So presumably no such trial rollout of hydrogen powered vans is envisaged..
This article contradicts itself so much..
Can the author or editor clarify..
Are they going to use the Power in the Houses or WHAT……..that article is as clear as the Islands on a not very clear day .
Don’t get the person that wrote this to do the work it would be dangerous .
Em… pretty sure that hydrogen can be used as fuel..
@PutinBot 5000: Yep…but the Hindenburg found out that it needs to be handled carefully.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: if it goes wrong a boat won’t be needed to transport the locals to the main land
@PutinBot 5000: I assume the study involves producing the hydrogen using renewable energy locally, thereby showcasing a self-sustaining model.
@FlopFlipU: The hydrogen in the tank is at 10,000 psi….
@PutinBot 5000: pretty sure it’s pretty explosive too
@Owen M: Most things are, given the right conditions.
@Watchful Axe: Doubt it – my guess is its shipped in from abroad.
Pointless exercise if they have all ready concluded its not the most suitable fuel for the islands transport needs… Should have done it in Galway itself.
“Dr Farràs Costa said it would not be practical to roll out the vehicles on the Aran Islands because they would not offer any advantage over electric vehicles.”
@Anthony Clark: It’s hard to beat electric, if they could easily remove and recondition batteries and solve the quick charge problem.
This is a good news story. The islands are a forgotten community. Any investment or initiative is worthwhile
@@TJPPK: not in the summer. I’m sure winter can be bleak
Hydrogen would be an ideal energy carrier as it has a huge amount of energy per kg. There are two major issues with hydrogen at the minute, the first is storage. It takes roughly 1-2 cubic metres to store 1 kg of hydrogen. The second issue is that hydrogen is explosesive when mixed with oxygen. This issue can easily be addressed with proper safety and production measures. There is a stigma around hydrogen due to the Hindenburg disaster however technology has improved leaps and bounds since.
@John: Another issue is production of the hydrogen itself. Say they use the easiest method of production, simple electrolysis of water to break it down into its constituent parts, you can only get out of it what you put in. Meaning, if you put 100w of energy into hydrogen production, you can only get 100w of energy back, minus efficiency loses, so at 80% efficiency you only get 80w of energy back, for your 100w input. Hydrogen production is energy conversion, rather than energy “production”. Why go to all that hassle when you can get much higher efficiencies, less complicated designs and safer handling, from batteries and electric motors. It’s a-no-a-make-a sense.
That’s old news read about this 2 weeks in another newspaper
@Mike Reynolds: so?
@Bridget O’Hanlon: this is the journal reporting old news again
Hydrogen is explosive, not near as safe as petrol or diesel
@Owen M: Petrol and diesel are also explosive. That is what makes internal combustion engines run, lots of little explosions. Plain old flour and pretty much any dust is explosive, if mixed with air (see lycopodium bomb from junior cert science :-) )
@Owen M: If your fuel wasn’t explosive, you wouldn’t go very far.
The problem with Hydrogen is that it is too expensive to produce and if produced through steam methane reforming can leave a carbon footprint. Hydrogen can also be produced by taking it directly out of water via electrolysis – another expensive process and hardly worth the hassle. One man Evan Johnson, seems have to overcome these problems and it just could be a game changer https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/2/16/16926950/hydrogen-fuel-technology-economy-hytech-storage
Driving around in mini hydrogen bombs. Sure what could possibly go wrong ?
The trouble with hydrogen vehicles is in a crash they can cause a huge explosion. However it is definitely one way forward.
have your say