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New alternative combustion solutions and energy alternatives are being developed by major global
manufacturing brands. Chris Goggin of Rinnai offers insight into the direction these new fuels,
energies and technologies are taking.
Global economies and major manufacturing brands are actively seeking out and employing
decarbonising fuels and appliances for purchase and consumption with new technologies and energy
options being announced into the international marketplace. Huge product manufacturing brands are
collaborating and undertaking solo projects to deliver products capable of operating without fossil-
based fuels, including hydrogen cartridges and water-powered cars.
Hydrogen has been demonised by sections of the mainstream UK media, yet is the subject of optimism
elsewhere across the world. In July 2023, the Dutch village of Stad aan‘t Haringvliet voted to nullify gas
usage in seven years and will switch to hydrogen for heating homes and buildings.
Mallorca inaugurated Spain’s first hydrogen pipeline in September this year. The 3.2km pipeline
infrastructure will deliver green hydrogen to the island’s main gas distribution hub. The Green Hysland
project will power 115,000 homes and 2,000 businesses. This could be replicated in other island regions
such as Madeira, Tenerife, Chile and Morocco.
Japanese manufacturing giant Toyota has developed a portable hydrogen cartridge with the aim to
provide power to the company’s next generation hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. The hydrogen cartridge is
light and compact and would allow vehicle owners to simply swap cartridges once hydrogen levels
decrease. This concept has been widened further to potentially include providing power to homes and
household appliances. Toyota believes that, due to the compact size of hydrogen cartridges, they could
also be used as a source of electricity.
Rinnai and Toyota have collaborated with each other to produce a prototype of a domestic cooking
stove that can be powered by a hydrogen cartridge designed originally for a car. The collaboration has
demonstrated that a car’s hydrogen cartridge can be removed from the car and be used to power household appliances.
Another Toyota engine is under development that uses water as its main source of power. A sealed tank
housing water situated inside the car with electrodes will use electrolysis to separate water into the
basic elements of oxygen and hydrogen. After hydrogen is isolated, it is then directed towards the
combustion chamber where it will ignite in a similar manor to compressed natural gas providing the car
with power.
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