You don't hear much about tiny Iceland in the news every day, but it looks like isolation has its benefits, creating a "let's just do it" island mentality. Iceland is on the leading edge of a number of emerging smart technologies including energy alternatives.
Previous successful hydrogen demonstration projects in Iceland have inspired VistOrka (the largest shareholder of Icelandic New Energy) to allocate at least $3,5 million US to take the next steps into a hydrogen future based entirely on renewable energy. The SMART-H2 (Sustainable Marine and Road Transport,- Hydrogen in Iceland), is a supported market introduction where different companies impose various demands on the hydrogen technology in mixed customer niches. SMART-H2 involves hydrogen cars, operation of a fitted fuel cell system on board a boat, further development of hydrogen distribution, as well as research.
VistOrka's role in SMART-H2 is to form the steering committee for the project, finance its management, subsidise hydrogen vehicles, fully finance all equipment for an auxiliary power unit (APU) on board a boat and partially support the research to follow up all parts of the project.
Many Icelandic and international partners participate in SMART-H2. Whereas the Icelandic partners in VistOrka are public companies this undertaking shows the devotion of the Icelandic community to hydrogen development. The organisation of this diverse and comprehensive project will be described as the project unfolds along with the partners in each phase. The first steps are to introduce in July two A-Class fuel cell vehicles (from DaimlerChrysler) and ten retrofitted (by Quantum) Toyota Prius hydrogen vehicles in September. Customers select the type of car that fit their service fleets and buy or lease them, and technical support is included. The first customers are energy companies, investment funds and the Herz car rental service. Then up to 30 cars will be provided according to demand and availability in 2008 and 2009. The type will depend on availability and the customer's selection, preferably fuel cell cars.
The Auxiliary Power Unit (10-15 kW hybrid system) based on fuel cells and gaseous hydrogen will be designed in Iceland and installed on a 150 passengers' whale watching vessel that operates from Reykjavik. The SMART-H2 and the hydrogen economy concept will be outlined in a showroom onboard.
Data from the performance of the equipment will be collected extensively and used in research and supportive studies which is a large part of the SMART-H2. Research institutes, universities, Master and PhD students have been appointed in order to follow up the outcomes, not the least on economic terms.
ETA: Now
The SMART-H2 will be one of the largest H2 demonstrations in the world, the implementation phase starts in July 2007 and ends by 2010.
From end of April 2008 people in Iceland can rent a hydrogen car for an environmentally friendly sightseeing tour in Reykjavik and experience a memorable whale watching trip on a hydrogen-powered excursion at sea.
Source: Certificate program in Entrepreneurship & Innovation; University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, St George Campus. and the Marine Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association
Walter Derzko -"Changing the world, one idea at a time"©
Walter Derzko teaches at the Certificate Program on Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, which starts in the Fall of 2007
Expert, Consultant and Keynote Speaker on Emerging Smart Technologies, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Foresight, Business Development, Lateral Creative Thinking and author of an upcoming book on the Smart Economy "
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Posted by: Kim | June 29, 2007 at 09:59 AM