ITM Power showed off its converted Ford Focus to Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg MP and Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP last week at ITM’s Sheffield factory. The MPs drove the car and visited ITM’s home hydrogen demonstration suite “where everything from a cooker to a television runs on power produced cleanly from hydrogen.” At another event they showed off the ITM/Roush Ford Transit van to UK government officials.

Over a year ago, ITM said it had reached a bi-fuel “breakthrough.” The idea, as we described at the time is to use an electrolizer to make hydrogen from energy (renewable, when available) and water. The hydrogen is then fed to the appliances, the car and to make electricity in fuel cells.

The MPs also saw ITM’s Home Refuelling Station which allows householders to produce hydrogen, which in turn can be used to produce clean electricity, and be self-sufficient and independent of the national grid. Hydrogen produces no harmful emissions when burnt and ITM Power has recently started pilot production of the stations at its factory in Sheffield.

Nick Clegg MP said: “We have seen some remarkable technology today, and it’s great that a British company is doing it. ITM Power would appear to have some of the answers to help us address both climate change and our dependence on fossil fuels.”

Jim Heathcote, ITM Power’s CEO, said: “We are pleased that these very busy politicians took the time to see what we are doing and they showed a genuine interest.

“Only a few days ago the Government announced higher targets to cut greenhouse gases by 2050. What we have developed is a series of practical products that will significantly help to reduce greenhouse emissions and could help the Government realise these tougher targets.”

The latest example to come from Roush Technologies is based on a Ford Transit van and is being shown at the Cenex-hosted UK National Low Carbon Vehicle event at Millbrook Proving Ground. The Transit features a 2.3-liter Ford engine that is capable of running on gasoline or hydrogen and features a supercharger and intercooler that help the vehicle make enough power when running on the compressed gas. That hydrogen is stored in a 5000psi tank, which holds enough of the gas to run the vehicle for up to 135 miles.

Roush Technologies has also been working with Britain’s ITM Power on hydrogen refueling stations. The resulting filling units use electrolysis technology to generate hydrogen from water on-site. The two companies point out that the necessary infrastructures for water and electricity are already in place and the hydrogen generators can use any form of electricity – including renewables – to operate and that hydrogen emits zero carbon dioxide as it burns.

via ITM Power