Swedish Scientist Turns Garbage into Hydrogen Fuel

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have come up with a relatively easy and useful technique to generate hydrogen gas. Hydrogen, a highly combustible gas is a clean and efficient source of energy that can be used to power every kind of machinery including hydrogen fuel cell powered cars. The technique developed by the researchers involves use of ash formed from burned garbage, which would otherwise end up in landfills.

"The ash can be used as a resource through recovery of hydrogen gas instead of being allowed to be released into the air as at present. Our ash deposits are like a goldmine", Aamir Ilyas, Doctor of Water Resources Engineering at Lund University and the inventor of the technique told DomesticFuel.

The process of extracting hydrogen gas from ash involves storage of the ash in an oxygen free environment where it is dampened with water. Over a period of time hydrogen gas is released, which is then collected and stored. The researcher says 20 billion litres of hydrogen gas can be produced this way, which in turn can generate enough power for 11,000 homes.

The ash used in this process is the grit-like ash that is formed at the bottom of the heap and which is generally used as construction material. The process developed will not only produces hydrogen gas easily and in an inexpensive way, but will also bring down pollution levels around landfills.