Hydrogen Future Industries plc [AQSE:HFI], a developer of proprietary wind and water-based green hydrogen production systems, has announced the commencement of prototype testing of the wind element of the company’s hydrogen production system 1 metre diameter prototype in Montana, USA.
“The testing HFI is undertaking in Montana will hopefully confirm the efficiency of the key elements of our wind energy system,” said David Omerod, Executive Director of HFI. “Additionally, given the considerable efficiency gains we believe our turbine will offer compared to existing open rotor wind turbines in use today, the commercial applications for the HFI turbine may not be limited to hydrogen and could be applied to the wider wind energy sector.”
According to the Hydrogen Council, the international hydrogen market could be worth up to $2.5 trillion by 2050, meeting 18% of global energy demand. As environmental, social and governance (ESG) becomes increasingly central to investors and companies, investments in hydrogen are likely to rise.
Why hydrogen, why now?
Hydrogen Future Industries says it will invest in and develop assets across the hydrogen economy, from supply and storage to distribution and application. The company’s strategy is to invest in hydrogen focused assets in developed markets.
Hydrogen is a clean-burning molecule that could become a zero-carbon substitute for fossil fuels in hard-to-abate sectors of the economy. The ‘hydrogen economy’ refers to the vision of using hydrogen as a clean, low-carbon energy resource to meet the world’s energy needs, replacing traditional fossil fuels and forming a substantial part of a clean energy portfolio. It is being driven by several factors including the Paris Agreement, the Net Zero challenge and the urban air quality agenda.
A key element of the prototype is its proprietary wind turbine, which has been designed with notably distinct features which allow the turbines to be more efficient than current open rotor turbines due to modified aerodynamics, with cowling directing air flow across the rotor blades to create a multiple factor increase in wind speed.
What is special about the new prototype from HFI?
The new prototype’s cowling directs the flow of wind out and away from the rear of the turbine, reducing the potential for still air to block the flow through the turbines. Management at HFI believes the increased efficiency of the turbine could in turn increase the efficiency and ultimately lower the cost of hydrogen production.
The prototype is being tested in an area selected for its consistent wind speeds and regulatory support for wind turbine development and wind farm placement. HFI has a local development facility where the turbines have been fabricated and mounted onto towers for testing in local wind speeds.
The power output from the turbines will be compared to predicted results. The cowling and rotor blades are a product of aerodynamic development and have been 3D printed on site.
The first stage of the outdoor test programme – a 20-hour live test – has been successfully completed, confirming the aerodynamics align to the wind direction as planned, there is no distinguishing noise from the rotor blades, and there is no fouling of the blades with the cowling.
Hydrogen Future Industries is a micro-cap listed company with a market cap of £1.74m. It is listed on London’s Aquis Exchange.
