Hydrogen, an uncertain solution for mobility

The massive hydrogen-powered tractor strikes slowly by means of the massive hangar, then all of a sudden accelerates, earlier than stopping, sending a shiver by means of the gang of officers. On the wheel, proud of its impact, the Minister Delegate accountable for transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, accomplished, on March 12, an specific go to to Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, ending with Héricourt (Haute-Saône), seat of the Gaussin firm, specialist in port and airport equipment. An hour earlier, Mr. Djebbari was in Belfort, already driving a hydrogen automobile – a postman’s cart – dashing by means of the winding alleys of the prefecture. The minister was getting ready, within the presence of an meeting of elected officers, to offer a verify for 800,000 euros to the Mauboussin firm, designer of small airplanes… with hydrogen.

Like a mantra, the phrase is out: hydrogen. In authorities communication, as in that of corporations, this fuel (H₂, in accordance with the chemical abbreviation) is offered as an answer adorned with all of the virtues for the mobility of tomorrow. Whereas many promising initiatives are underway, the street continues to be lengthy and the outcomes unsure. Mixed with a gasoline cell, hydrogen makes it doable to provide electrical energy and rejects water. In a automotive or truck, it’s rather more sensible than a battery: the automobile is electrical, however the person fills it up in a couple of minutes like at a gasoline pump. After which the useful resource is inexhaustible. Hydrogen will be extracted in every single place, by electrolysis, by passing present produced by a wind turbine and photo voltaic panels by means of water.

Above all, hydrogen has change into the brand new financial sesame for entrepreneurs, elected officers and French politicians of all ranges, from all sides and from all corners of France. It’s even to a rare flowering of mobility initiatives H₂ that we’ve got been witnessing for a number of months in France, stimulated by the impetus of the State and its Hydrogen plan of seven.2 billion euros over ten years, offered in September 2020.

Abundance of initiatives

For mobility alone, the Ministry of Transport lists 28 main hydrogen ecosystem initiatives supported by the State launched for lower than two years throughout the nation. There a fleet of buses, right here dumpsters, taxis or scooters, elsewhere river shuttles, or the well-known Alstom hydrogen trains purchased by 4 areas. And that is with out counting the handfuls of extra modest initiatives (stations, captive fleets, academic demonstrators) that are popping up in every single place. The Vig’Hy hydrogen observatory identifies greater than 150 in France.

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