Hydrogen Economy

Shell is part of a consortium planning to enable Iceland to become the first country in the world to replace traditional fossil fuels with hydrogen.

Fuel cells turn hydrogen into electricity. As their only emission is water, they are being considered as potential for clean replacements for the internal combustion engine. Fuel cell technology, although well established for specialist uses such as space travel, is only now being applied to vehicles.

There is a need for hydrogen production and distribution systems to support them. The consortium, which includes the automotive group DaimlerChrysler and Norsk Hydro, will work with the Icelandic authorities to test the technologies and distribution systems. The hydrogen will be made by electrolysing water using electricity generated from renewable energy.

Three hydrogen buses will be introduced in 2003 and tested in the capital, Reykjavik. Re-fuelling will be at a Shell station, using a hydrogen fuel plant supplied by Norsk Hydro. If the trial is successful, other buses will be converted and eventually all Iceland’s transport systems, including its large fishing fleet, could use hydrogen. The programme is funded by consortium partners, the Icelandic government and the European Union.