Oil & Fuel New Holland's Hydgrogen fuel cell tractor is here, almost.

[nate_m]

New Holland's fuel cell tractor

I grew up with the sounds and smells of diesel engines around the farm and still enjoy today.

BUT, I think I could get used to the peace and quiet of a virtualy silent tractor also.

Pretty cool technology even if it will probably never be affordable within the next 20 years or more.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

wow that's impressive....

i really wish we could come up with some- like this or whatever- that would take away the need for fossil fuels...i really hate being dependant on someone else......

 

[Scooby074]

Cool rig.
There is another thread on TBN that links to the video of the tractor. Its strange to see with no noise. This really is the way of the future. A machine like this could lead to a completely self sufficient modern farm.... I guess the more you think about it its a return to the old ways.

I love the LED lights on the cab!!

Heres the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsak409wGuM&feature=channel_page

 

[kenstrac]

Cool rig.
There is another thread on TBN that links to the video of the tractor. Its strange to see with no noise. This really is the way of the future. A machine like this could lead to a completely self sufficient modern farm.... I guess the more you think about it its a return to the old ways.
I love the LED lights on the cab!!

Heres the video YouTube - New Hollands NH2 fuel cell tractor

Do you mean 1959 Allis Chambers fuel cell tractor 20 HP 3000lb drawbar pull

 

[Redneck in training]

wow that's impressive....

i really wish we could come up with some- like this or whatever- that would take away the need for fossil fuels...i really hate being dependant on someone else......

The issue here is the source of hydrogen. At this point hydrogen manufacturing is still very dirty and poluting process. If you would have a wind mill or solar cells on your farm and make your own H2 from water that would be another story altogether.

 

[Scooby074]

Do you mean 1959 Allis Chambers fuel cell tractor 20 HP 3000lb drawbar pull

I wasnt aware of that Allis. Back in '59 it would have been away ahead of its time. Its hard to imagine how our society would have changed if development of fuel cell technology would have continued since that time.

In my post, I was referring to what Redneck was getting at. Essentially using methane or wind to generate hydrogen for fuel. Kind of how horses were fed from very ground that they worked. Sort of the complete circle idea of self sufficiency.

 

[Predator]

This technology is nothing new. In fact, this is the sort of fuel cell that was used on the Apollo spacecrafts when we went to the moon. The problem with using hydrogen for fuel is the expense of the fuel. Hydrogen can be produced from water, by breaking water into hydrogen and oxygen, but it requires more energy to produce the hydrogen than would be produced by the fuel cell it would be powering. The only way hydrogen as a fuel cell would be practical is if you had a cheap source of electricity, such as hydroelectric or wind power. Using fossil fuels to produce hydrogen fuel is going in reverse.

Also, the catalysts used in these fuel cells is expensive. Unless gas and diesel gets a lot more expensive, we'll be using good old fossil fuels on the farm for quite a while.