Hydrogen ferry trial considered for Bristol Harbour

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

A plan to use a hydrogen-powered ferry in Bristol Harbour is being considered by the city council.
The authority is inviting companies to design and develop a hydrogen-fuelled boat, in partnership with a local ferry operator.
It wants to "kick-start a hydrogen economy in Bristol" and attract new environmentally-friendly innovators.
A council spokeswoman said the trial was due to run for between three and six months, starting in the summer.
The project would be funded by the council once a successful bid is chosen, and the ferry is expected to run for 42 hours in a six-day week, she added. She said advantages to the public would include less noise and smells and reduced air pollution.
Hydrogen has been touted as an alternative energy source to carbon-rich fossil fuels.
Councillor Jon Rogers, executive member for transport and sustainability, said the council was looking at alternative environmentally-friendly technology for all transport in the city.
"We want to show that Bristol is a place to try out new environmental technologies, creating new jobs while combating climate change, peak oil and other environmental concerns. We are hopeful that the ferry will also reveal other hydrogen-based opportunities, maybe including the next generation of rapid transit."

[moonrakerz]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

A council spokeswoman said ................advantages to the public would include less noise and smells and reduced air pollution.

The same old silly, misguided statements !
Making and transporting the hydrogen produces as much pollution as a conventional boat engine would.
All they are doing is moving the pollution to someone else's back yard !

[welshman]

And there's the "grenade" factor! 

As I understand it, storage requires pressures of several hundred bar -  a couple of thousand lbs/sq in in old money.   The latest experimental hybrid cars are using pressures of 600 bar or more for their hydrogen tanks.

I don't think I'd want that under the seat.  Especially not in 30 feet of cold Floating Harbour water.

I have mixed memories of a sub-zero November evening pub crawl by barge round Bristol a few years ago.

[moonrakerz]

I don't think I'd want that under the seat.  Especially not in 30 feet of cold Floating Harbour water.

If it did go "bang", I don't think you would be too worried about the temperature or depth of the water !