Councils covering St George and Shire show interest in hydrogen technology

The Hydrogen Hybrid Engine Upgrade of Heavy Vehicle and Heavy Machinery Engines technology is said to provide fuel savings of up to 40 per cent and a reduction in negative greenhouse gas emissions of up to 45 per cent, depending on the age of the engine.

Caringbah company Hydrogen2Power (H2P) is distributing the system, which was developed in Australia and has patent protection globally.

H2P director Jo Brown said the technology could help provide "a cleaner more sustainable future while giving businesses a crucial cost saving on their fuel overheads".

Ms Brown said a hydrogen cylinder was fitted to engines and mixed with diesel fuel.

"A mechanical kit is added to existing / in-use engines and involves no design change or functional change to an engine," she said.

"The kit consists of a cylinder, bracket and hose. You just swamp over the cylinder like you do on your barbecue."

Ms Brown said, while mixing hydrogen with fuel was not new, "the trade secret is that every engine is different, and it's getting the right mix of hydrogen and diesel".

"It works more on older engines because newer machines have become better as they have come along."

Ms Brown said Sutherland Shire Council was very interested, but as its fleet was newer, there was less need.

"However, Bayside Council is looking at trialling the technology on a street sweeper," she said.

Ms Brown said it took 10 years to develop the technology, meet strict regulations and have the patent approved.

"The coach industry has been using it for two years and a Hino truck user in the excavating industry has been benefiting from it for two years," she said.

Ms Brown said if 2500 heavy vehicles / machinery were to be upgraded through the technology over five years, $128 million would be injected back into the economy from operators, there would be a saving of 561,500 tonnes of CO2 and generation of 1250 work days.

Colin Johnsen, the owner of FJP Manufacturing in Caringbah, joined H2P as an investor and director, and his firm will manufacture some of the kit component.

Mr Johnsen said when Elaine Johns, the inventor of the technology, told him they needed an investor, "I put my hand up straight away".

"This is one I want to keep in Australia," he said.

Mr Johnsen said the demonstrations were "about bringing people in to see the engine as a tangible thing".

"They can touch an engine that has hydrogen on it and not just read it from a brochure," he said.

"It can help all councils go green by putting hydrogen on to their older garbage trucks and any of the vehicles they are using.

"It's a simple process that will save the council money and it's going to make the area a greener and happier place.

"A simple explanation of hydrogen power would be an additive to a normal internal combustion engine and that can be petrol or diesel. The reason we look at diesel is that it's the bigger pollutant.

"It's adding a gaseous hydrogen into the pre-mix of the engine. It's not affecting the engine in any other way other than mixing with the gases and producing more power out of the engine with less emissions."

Ms Johns said, "Hydrogen engines are the future".

"We need the missing link, we need hydrogen hybrids," she said.

"We can work with agriculture, mining, locomotives and, into the future. shipping and aviation.

"The bus and coach industry, depending on driver and load, are achieving 20-25 per cent fuel savings."