This is how technology to partly fuel vehicles on water could tackle Cornwall's pollution problem
By
HannahCL | Posted: February 28, 2017
New technology that will see vehicles partly fueled by water will be trialled in Cornwall in a bid to improve air quality after it was reported that residents may be forced to sell their homes in pollution hotspots.
Innovative new 'autonomous electrolysers' will be fitted to a number of vehicles in Cornwall as part of a new trial project to reduce emissions and improve air quality as the council continues to battle pollution problems.
The electrolysers created by Water Fuel Engineering Ltd, work by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, using the hydrogen as fuel alongside fossil fuels to help reduce emissions.
The electrolysers need to be used alongside conventional fuels such as diesel or petrol, so although you can't count on running your car on tap water any time soon the pioneering new technology means we are one step closer to it becoming a reality in the future.
Cornwall Council has secured a grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of £236,650 to trial the new technology.
A total of ten vehicles from Cornwall Council and CORMAC including road sweepers, tippers, vans and lorry mounted cranes will be fitted with the electrolysers.
Phil Davies, Water Fuel Engineering's marketing director, said: "We're delighted to have the opportunity to work with Cornwall Council on this ambitious and pioneering project.
"Poor air quality is a concern in the UK and reducing or eliminating the emissions from essential utility vehicles is the driving force behind our HydroGen electrolysers."
Last month the council were focused on a Clean Air for Cornwall Strategy policy to look at various ways of dealing with pollution with some drastic suggestions including compulsory purchase of homes in the worse affected areas, although this would have to be subject to further talks.
At the time, Cornwall Council said: "Although the air in Cornwall is generally very clean, a few areas have poorer air quality mainly due to road traffic."
It is now hoped that the trial will see electrolysers reduce emissions of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and carbon, and emissions of the vehicles will be monitored throughout the trial.
Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for communities, said: "This grant funded trial is excellent news for Cornwall. Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter play a role in many of the UK's health challenges, so anything that helps to reduce these pollutants is very welcome.
"If the trial is successful, this technology has the potential to be widely used to convert cars and lorries and reduce emissions from many of the older vehicles on our roads, which could make a big difference to air quality in Cornwall's seven Air Quality Management Areas."
http://www.cornwalllive.com/this-is...-air-quality/story-30165787-detail/story.html