Content by The Buzz Business
7 Mobility
Is the future hydrogen ?
As the world evolves toward a low-carbon economy , major corporations across a range of industries are planning to join forces to foster the use of hydrogen as the missing link in the energy transition .
Fuel cell and storage technologies are getting ready to enable completely carbon-free production of the gas , adding to its environmental appeal as a source of heat and electricity and as a fuel . Electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells produce only water as a byproduct , with no carbon emissions from their exhaust pipes . Furthermore , hydrogen vehicles are not constrained by range anxiety or need to change consumer habits , giving them a significant advantage over today ’ s generation of other alternatives .
A platinum-hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle
In Davos this week , for the first time global leaders from key energy-related sectors are coming together to launch an initiative to foster global use of hydrogen . Indeed , if the world is to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement and transition to a lowcarbon economy , members of the initiative believe there will have to be a major role for hydrogen .
Always a front-runner in new technologies , the state of California is taking the global lead in supporting alternative-fuel vehicles . Its Zero Emission Vehicle program sets quotas for manufacturers to
PHOTO : ANGLO AMERICAN make cars that do not produce emissions , including fuel cell electric vehicles ( FCEVs ). At the same time , the state is developing the hydrogen infrastructure required to support the rapid growth of the market .
Meanwhile , in Germany , a public-private joint venture , H2 Mobility , is planning to deploy a nationwide network of 400 hydrogen stations by 2023 . In Asia , Japan , South Korea and China have all made it clear that hydrogen will have a major part to play in their transition to low-carbon economies . The Tokyo 2020 Olympics could be a fortuitous game-changer for the future of hydrogen energy . A holistic vision for a cleaner and quieter Tokyo includes extending hydrogen as a major source of power across the city in the next four years .
With zero emission innovation from the industry on the one hand , and the public sector supporting the rollout of hydrogen infrastructure on the other , consumers are beginning to take to the technology . There are now close to 3,000 hydrogen-powered cars on the roads , up from just a couple hundred in 2015 , and the hydrogen energy market is set for exponential growth .
The initiative to be unveiled this week gathers companies from the oil and gas , energy , automotive , industrial gas , equipment and primary industry sectors . As a unified voice they are determined to send a message to leaders at the WEF 2017 annual meeting about hydrogen as the fuel for the future .
Mobility Goes Further
very active area for innovation in today ’ s car industry A is the development of mobility services for long-suffering city commuters .
Ford has created a new business unit , Ford City Solutions , focused entirely on helping people move more easily through cities . “ We know that every city is unique , with different needs and different transportation challenges ,” says Mark Fields , president and CEO of Ford . “ Instead of taking a ‘ one size fits all ’ approach , we are working with cities directly to help develop solutions that are tailored to each location .”
One of the company ’ s most promising offerings is Chariot , an appbased , crowdsourced shuttle service that complements mass
transit for city residents . Ford estimates that urban congestion could be reduced by up to 25 vehicles for every shuttle that is placed into service during peak times . The service has already launched in San Francisco and Austin , Texas , with plans to work with at least four more cities over the course of the coming months .
“ Because Ford Transit vans are perfect for this application , it ’ s a great example of how our core business is supporting new , emerging opportunities in mobility services ,” Fields says .