Let’s look towards hydrogen fuel-cell technology as an alternative

SOUTH AFRICANS were reminded last week of the country’s energy crisis as the dreaded “load shedding” schedule reared its ugly head again.

It is also time to remind ourselves that there are alternative energy sources, such as hydrogen fuel cell technology (HFCT), which is noiseless, clean and effective.

The Hydrogen Systems Centre of Competence SA (HySA Systems) at UWC is doing ground-breaking work in developing sustainable energy.

“With South Africa’s energy crisis we need to look at ways of providing sustainable energy for a growing population and a growing economy.

“At the same time, we need to look at the global picture and consider the impacts of climate change,” said HySA’s acting director Dr Sivakumar Pasupathi. “When it comes to hydrogen power in South Africa, UWC’s HySA Systems is leading the way.

“What makes hydrogen fuel cell technology so great is that it’s reliable, flexible, efficient, noiseless (because there aren’t many moving parts involved) and it’s very environmentally-friendly. When hydrogen is burned, the waste product isn’t carbon dioxide, but good clean water.”

The programme is putting hydrogen fuel cell technology to good use in everyday life and conducts further research to solve society’s power needs.

Some of the interesting initiatives include:

Carting around campus: HySA’s fleet of HFCT-powered golf carts (the first of their kind in SA) allow campus security and staff to zip around with ease (and without pollution, or noise).

Heavy (fork) lifting: HySA, in partnership with Implats and DST, unveiled South Africa’s first prototype hydrogen fuel cell forklift and refuelling station. The forklift has lower noise levels, longer operational times between refuelling, and swifter refuelling times (only seven minutes), ensuring increased productivity. Implats plans to use hydrogen fuel cell technology as its main source of energy for material handling and underground mining equipment.

Taking to the skies: Global demand for air transport is doubling every 15 years, nearly 30 000 new large aircraft will be needed in the next 20 years. But jet fuel is expensive and produces a lot of CO2. HySA Systems, the National Aerospace Centre and Airbus are conducting research into using hydrogen fuel cells to replace the small gas turbines called auxiliary power units, which are used for generating on-board electrical power.

Reserve power: UWC’s Nature Reserve houses some very unique flora and fauna. And HySA’s HFC power generator provides continuous power to the UWC Nature Reserve building and is the first such unit developed in South Africa. The unit uses hydrogen to generate electrical power, producing environmentally-friendly energy.

Other hydrogen fuel cell tech breakthroughs from HySA include: South Africa’s first hydrogen-powered tricycle, first fuel cell backup power systems prototype for the telecommunications market, and a range of groundbreaking national and international partnerships and workshops.

Meanwhile, global and local stakeholders explored the possibilities of hydrogen power at the 30th Steering Committee Meeting of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy in Pretoria (hosted by the Department of Science and Technology last week).

Dr Pasupathi adds: “The HySA Programme provides a way for us to navigate towards a hydrogen and fuel cell infrastructure, one that can change our lives for the better.”