Two hydrogen fuel cell buses are to be added to the University of Queensland (UQ) vehicle fleet over the next two years.
The buses are to be introduced with support from the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund.
Chair of Sustainable Energy Futures at UQ, Peta Ashworth said the buses’ emissions were 60-to-70 per cent lower than those of the diesel-powered inter-campus shuttle buses they would replace.
“They will cut about 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year,” Professor Ashworth said.
“UQ will produce the hydrogen through electrolysis, using renewable power from the university’s Gatton solar farm.”
She said hydrogen fuel cells were an attractive choice for lower carbon emission vehicles because water was the only by-product when hydrogen and oxygen were combined to produce electricity.
“The established research and educational facilities near the hydrogen production site at UQ Gatton give us significant opportunities to explore how the technology works for applications in the community, and will provide insights for other future applications,” Professor Ashworth said.
“This is yet another way UQ is showing leadership in the sustainable energy and transport space with safe and sustainable fuel.”
Minister for State Development, Kate Jones said $4.85 million had been allocated for the project.
“There is growing global demand for hydrogen. Queensland has an opportunity to be a world leader in this space,” Ms Jones said.
“We’ll continue to partner with UQ to develop this industry and further our economic recovery efforts,” she said.
