GREEN ARMY TECH
by gas and diesel expel harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, a major source of greenhouse gases, hydrogen offers a cleaner alternative. When hydrogen is used in a fuel cell, it produces only water and air. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that generates electricity most often by using hydrogen and oxygen.
“A lot of people don’t know about fuel cells,” said Josefik. “A fuel cell is an electrochemical reaction, so it’s like a battery.” Fuel cells do not need recharging like standard batteries; if a fuel source, such as hydrogen, is provided the fuel cell will continue to produce electricity.
“Tere’s no combustion,” he added. And “they’re typically twice as efficient as combustion engines. So again, even if we use the same amount of fuel, we’ll probably get to go about twice as far,” Josefik said. “Te fuel cell is used to drive the vehicle and we eliminated the need to bring combustion generators to the emer- gency; the vehicle is the generator. We have multiple electrical outlets all over the vehicle. So, you can just plug your equipment into H2Rescue.”
Te H2Rescue vehicle, which can carry up to 176 kg of hydrogen within its 18-tank system, is expected to conserve approximately 1,825 gallons of fuel per year and is estimated to reduce green- house gas emissions by 2.5 metric tons per year.
Hydrogen is currently available in all 50 states from most compressed gas distributors. Tis availability will continue to expand with new funding provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed in November 2021. Included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program (H2Hubs), which includes $8 billion to form the foundation of a national hydrogen network. Under the author- ity of the DOE, the H2Hubs program will establish between six and 10 clean hydrogen hubs in the U.S. Te hydrogen hubs will produce, store and distribute hydrogen in an effort to create a new form of readily available clean energy. Tis entails form- ing a network of producers and consumers along with creating connective infrastructure to distribute hydrogen that can be used to power vehicles, generate electricity and provide heat to homes and businesses.
AN H2 FUTURE Te H2Rescue vehicle has been demonstrated multiple times in 2023 and will have additional showcases across the U.S. in 2024. Although H2Rescue is still in the prototype phase, the team is already envisioning future enhancements. Tis includes upgrades to the current water production system with an aim to purify the
water to levels suitable for human consumption. “Te fuel cell produces water, so we can produce between 200 and 400 gallons of water on a single fuel up,” said Josefik. “Right now, you could use it for washing. …We are looking into a device to polish that water to bring it back to potable.”
While providing disaster relief is the current focus of the H2Res- cue vehicle, the capability to provide future support to the Soldier is a potential outcome. “Te reason we chose the emergency disas- ter area is because it’s a little easier to demonstrate that in our country. If we can prove it here, then we can harden it to be for that forward operating [area]. We have a long-term goal of being able to support that effort,” Josefik said. “We have nontactical vehicles in the military. …Right now, in the forward operating [areas], you bring in trucks, you trailer in combustion generators to produce energy, and then you bring in tankers worth of fuel. Tis is the same application. It could be applied in the forward operating base because instead of having to bring in those three different pieces of equipment, now you drive your vehicle to the location and your vehicle is your power generator.”
CONCLUSION As the world continues to struggle with the threat of climate change, the military finds itself on a new battleground as the threat of global warming continues to rise. Te military is adapt- ing to a new environment where extreme weather patterns and more frequent natural disasters threaten future operations; and the continuance of emitting greenhouse gas emissions will only intensify the growing problem.
Te H2Rescue vehicle aims to provide aid in disaster-stricken areas, but it will do so without consuming the same amount of energy as a standard vehicle, and without expelling greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Hydrogen has potential to transform the energy pipeline with minimal impacts to the environment. When compared to traditional fuels, hydrogen holds versatility and the capability to transform energy consumption, making it a compelling choice for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
For more information, contact Nicholas Josef ik at
nicholas.m.josefik@
usace.army.mil.
REBECCA WRIGHT is a writer and editor with Army AL&T and the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She has over 14 years of experience writing and editing for the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice.
https://asc.ar my.mil
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