Scandinavian fuel cells could reduce CO2 emission from heavy goods vehicles

Four Scandinavian industrial companies have collaborated with SINTEF to create a “mini power-station” for heavy goods vehicles like fork-lift trucks. Most of the times the vehicles are left in neutral with the engine running to power the heating, cooling, AC or TV, while the drivers make the required halt. This alone could generate 1.1 million tones of CO2 a year, more than the total emissions produced by all Norwegian road transport. This is certain to harm the environment and after understanding this, Volvo Technology AB, StatoilHydro ASA, the Danish company H2 Logic AS, Powercell Sweden AB and SINTEF have joined forces to develop a new hydrogen-driven fuel-cell system, called fuel cells that will be an important aspect of efforts to greatly reduce CO2 emissions of this sort.

The only waste product produced by these fuel cells is water and they can even operate flawlessly at sub-zero temperature. These mini power stations can easily power the heating, cooling and other equipments on the vehicle and could eliminate running in neutral at night during obligatory rest periods. In fork-lift trucks it would completely replace the use of diesel fuel. This will help curb the emission of CO2 in the atmosphere and save the planet from its degrading effects.
[Sciencedaily]