A bright idea, a forgotten piece of equipment and a group of keen researchers have created a hydrogenassisted diesel generator which could be the forerunner of viable energy solutions for remote island communities.

Hydro Tasmania is working closely with the University of Tasmania’s Hydrogen and Allied Renewable Technology research group in the development of a diesel engine that uses a mix of diesel and hydrogen.

Adding hydrogen into the fuel mix means that diesel consumption can be cut by 50% without any significant loss of energy. This also leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

While the research group is also trialling a hydrogen engine in a racing car and a postal bike, Hydro Tasmania is developing a more practical application for it – to power remote island communities such as Cape Barren Island, that would otherwise rely heavily on diesel.

Hydro Tasmania is currently proposing a trial on an island off Tasmania. The germination of the idea began in 2003. According to Hydro Tasmania’s Research and Development Coordinator Rob Grant, someone posed the question if hydrogen could be used in diesel generators in the same way as natural gas. “We looked around and found that no one had really done it,” says Grant.“We realised it was an opportunity, so then thought about what we could do next.”

By coincidence, Grant discovered an old unused generator sitting out the back of a power station.  “It was gathering dust so we thought we may as well put it to use,” says Grant. “If we had to spend A$40,000 on one just to do some experiments, then it would have been more difficult.”

The work, headed by Dr Vishy Karri and Dr Hafez from the University of Tasmania, using the old generator, has proven that a hydrogen-assisted diesel generator can work. According to Grant, the next step is to connect the generator to a system which produces hydrogen from excess wind generation. 

“If we use this concept on an island, it’s best to use any wind energy directly for powering homes,” he says. “Any excess wind energy – which may occur, say, overnight when your load is light – can be used to produce hydrogen which can be stored in tanks.  This hydrogen can then be used for power generation when the wind isn’t flowing, or for fuelling vehicles.

” While it’s still a while before this concept becomes a commercial reality, Grant points out that the high cost of diesel is moving them closer to their goal.  If it goes ahead, Grant says it will be a world first.

www.hydro.com.au