The viability of biodiesel and hydrogen as complementary fuel vectors in a hybrid platform

Abstract The majority of hybrid design has focused on combining battery electrical systems with fuel cells or with a separate internal combustion engine which adds costs and complexity. An alternative hybrid, termed H2ICED and developed by Revolve Technologies, uses a common drivetrain to use fossil fuel petrodiesel, vegetable based biodiesel and hydrogen as alternative fuel sources. This hybrid engine was tested in a dynamometer with a fixed intake of hydrogen and variable blends of petrodiesel and biodiesel The use of hydrogen significantly reduced the amount of petrodiesel consumed, the amount of CO and NO x emitted, and the carbon footprint of the engine in use. The use of biodiesel complemented the reductions. Optimal levels of blend were 80% biodiesel to minimise fuel consumption and CO emissions and 100% biodiesel to gain the lowest carbon footprint and levels of NO x produced. Using both hydrogen and biodiesel, it was possible to reduce the carbon footprint of the fuel by 99%. This has implications for policy makers, particularly those addressing urban pollution challenges.