{"id":10487,"date":"2015-10-20T14:13:41","date_gmt":"2015-10-20T21:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=10487"},"modified":"2015-10-20T14:13:41","modified_gmt":"2015-10-20T21:13:41","slug":"the-hy4-will-be-part-of-a-bigger-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/the-hy4-will-be-part-of-a-bigger-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"The HY4 Will Be Part of a Bigger Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of a planned network of hydrogen-fueled Air Taxis, DLR\u2019s HY4 four-seat airplane will initially land at one of 60 fields in Germany outfitted to supply its unique needs. \u00a0These fields will have hydrogen storage and fueling systems for ground transportation, making for a large web of clean transportation by air and land.<\/p>\n

With various car manufacturers promoting their hydrogen vehicles, it would be easy to see hydrogen aircraft landing, passengers departing in H2-powered cars, and even hardy explorers pedaling to and from the airport on their H2 bikes.\u00a0 One bicycle maker<\/a> is planning to be part of the 60-airport plan.<\/p>\n

\"Linde's<\/a>

Linde’s H2 bike with its 34-gram fuel tank in front of the frame member and small fuel cell just behind<\/p><\/div>\n

The Linde Group showed off its innovative pedelec (\u201cpedal electric cycle\u201d) this week.\u00a0 Instead of a battery, it gets power assistance from a compact fuel cell which generates electric power from hydrogen and oxygen taken from the surrounding air. \u00a0The \u201chighly efficient and zero-emissions drive system supports assisted pedaling over a range in excess of 100 kilometers with a single, 34-gram cylinder of hydrogen\u201d according to Electric Cars Report<\/a>.\u00a0 After traveling the claimed 62 miles, the rider can refill the cylinder in less than six minutes.<\/p>\n

Since most such announcements come with the mandatory, \u201cExpect commercial production in five to ten years\u201d verbiage, the alacrity with which Linde engineers accomplished this is heartening.\u00a0 \u201cIt took\u00a0Linde<\/a>\u00a0engineers less than three months to develop the project from the initial idea to a functioning prototype. Under the motto \u2018I run on hydrogen\u2019, the Linde H2 bike proves that there is a viable alternative to conventional batteries in electric bikes, thus further increasing the appeal of what is already viewed as an environmentally friendly mode of transport.\u201d<\/p>\n

A consortium including Linde, Daimler, Air Liquide, OMV, Shell and Total<\/a> have a plan to expand the current 15 H2 filling stations now in Germany to 400 by 2023.\u00a0<\/a> The partners intend on deploying 100 such stations over the next four years.\u00a0 \u00a0They also intend to expand this network to not just urban areas, but to rural sites, probably including airfields. \u00a0 OMV, one of the partners, provides the following primer on the fuel.<\/p>\n