by guest blogger, Stan Thompson The Twelfth International Hydrail Conference next week (27-28 June 2017) in Graz, Austria, will be very different from the first of its kind in Charlotte NC, back in 2005. To begin with, our secondary objective now is to integrate the efforts of companies like Alstom Transport and China Railway Rolling-stock • Read More »
Archives: Fuel Cells
12th International Hydrail Conference: 27-28 June, 2017
May 17, 2017 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on 12th International Hydrail Conference: 27-28 June, 2017 | Filed in: Conferences, Fuel Cells, Hydrogen Economy, Hyrail, Infrastructure, News.Graz, Austria — 27-28 June, 2017 by guest blogger, Stan Thompson It’s been a dozen years since former Mooresville, NC, USA, Mayor Bill Thunberg, Appalachian State University Research Anaylst, Jason W. Hoyle and I first undertook to midwife hydrogen fuel cell based railway traction into being. Our goal was mostly environmental but we also had a • Read More »
Hydrail’s “Golden Spike” moment: Berlin, 2016
October 12, 2016 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on Hydrail’s “Golden Spike” moment: Berlin, 2016 | Filed in: Conferences, Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Jobs, Hydrogen Economy, Infrastructure, Political Issues.by guest blogger, Stan Thompson Hydrail is the term of art for electrifying railways wirelessly by storing electrical energy onboard as hydrogen and reconverting it, via fuel cells, as needed to power electric traction motors. In Berlin, Germany, around noon on September 20, 2016, hydrail had its moment in history, reminiscent of May 10, 1869, at Promontory Point, • Read More »
3D Printing Meets Fuel Cell Tech – the Future is Now
August 19, 2016 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on 3D Printing Meets Fuel Cell Tech – the Future is Now | Filed in: Fuel Cells.Lowering costs and time to market are imperative if fuel cells are to succeed. With the advent of 3D printing, the production of fuel cells seems like a natural fit. In May 2014, I had talked about how DTU Energy Conversion had modified a HP 1000 ink jet printer to print fuel cells rapidly • Read More »
HYDRAIL: FROM RESOLVE TO RAILS IN 11 YEARS
June 2, 2016 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on HYDRAIL: FROM RESOLVE TO RAILS IN 11 YEARS | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen Economy, Infrastructure.By guest blogger Stan Thompson In 2005 in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the benefit of society a handful of citizens, companies and agencies set about changing the railroad traction paradigm for the first time since 1925 when diesel began replacing steam. The societal benefits being pursued were climate change mitigation; air pollution reduction; and the • Read More »
Yes, Google, there is a hydrail
June 12, 2015 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on Yes, Google, there is a hydrail | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen Economy, Hydrogen Vehicles, Infrastructure, News.by guest blogger Stan Thompson Dear Google: “hydrail” is really a word, and has been since at least February of 2004 when it appeared in an invited article in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (volume 29, issue 4, page 438). It was used as early as 2003 in an invited presentation at the US DOT’s • Read More »
Hydrail commercializing: the 2015 Mooresville conference
June 4, 2015 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on Hydrail commercializing: the 2015 Mooresville conference | Filed in: Conferences, Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen Organizations, Infrastructure, News.by guest blogger Stan Thompson For ten years now, the Appalachian State University and Mooresville NC originators of the International Hydrail Conference series have predicted, explained and advocated hydrogen railway traction. Now, like a teenager suddenly outgrowing all her clothes, hydrail is coming of age—commercially and with a vengeance! This is the theme of 10-IHC, • Read More »
Platinum Companies Don’t Want Kodak Moment for Fuel Cells
May 30, 2015 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on Platinum Companies Don’t Want Kodak Moment for Fuel Cells | Filed in: Fuel Cells.According to an article in Reuters, Platinum companies have been investing heavily in fuel cells for the past few years hoping that hydrogen fuel cell cars will take off, increasing demand for the rare metal. The companies are worried that gasoline and diesel hybrids and battery electric cars may thwart the demand for fuel cell • Read More »
Hydrail in Germany: another welcome first
February 28, 2015 | By Stan Thompson | Comments Off on Hydrail in Germany: another welcome first | Filed in: Fuel Cells, Hydrail, Hydrogen Vehicles, Hyrail, Infrastructure.by guest blogger Stan Thompson About 12 years ago, when I first became interested in what’s now called hydrail (hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and battery railway traction), I caught a glimmer of the idea online from Germany in the State of Schleswig-Holstein. Someone there had seen that wireless electric trains could be powered by wind turbines via hydrogen • Read More »
France Fuel Cell Businesses Face Off with Japanese Market
February 10, 2015 | By Hydro Kevin Kantola | Comments Off on France Fuel Cell Businesses Face Off with Japanese Market | Filed in: Fuel Cells.The French say “in your face” when it comes to introducing fuel cells to the Japanese market. Last month I had talked about 5 plug-in hybrid fuel cell Renault Kangoo ZE vehicles with Symbio FCell Range-Extenders rolling out in France. This month, 3 French fuel cell companies, McPhy, PaxiTech and Atawey (which a way?) will • Read More »