Car runs with hydrogen for first time in Nepal

BY KEDAR TIMALSINA,Banepa,Apr. 1: Kathmandu University (KU)'s dream to produce hydrogen in the country and operate vehicles with it has turned into reality on Sunday. The university has successfully produced hydrogen from Sunday after two years of research and experimentation related to green hydrogen production and usage. 

Chief of KU's Green Hydrogen Lab and Associate Professor Dr. Biraj Singh Thapa said, "We were working with a goal to produce hydrogen within the country and use it in vehicles. Today, we have achieved that goal." 

He said that the Nepal Oil Corporation had financially supported for the production of hydrogen and its use in the vehicles.

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and KU had entered an agreement two years ago regarding the use of hydrogen in Nepal as an alternative fuel, hydrogen-related policies, ways to use it and to demonstrate the feasibility of running vehicles with hydrogen on Nepal's roads.

Dr. Thapa said that Hyundai Nexo car was brought from Korea five months ago with a support from the NOC and a Hydrogen Refueling Centre was established in the university with a support from Korean Hydrogen Production Company. The NOC had provided Rs. 50 million to the university. 

"Starting from Sunday, work has begun to fill hydrogen in Nexo cars brought from Korea with technical support from Korean Hydrogen Production Company," said Dr. Thapa, "After providing water and electricity to the hydrogen refueling centre, hydrogen production will be carried out from processed water, then drying and purifying the produced hydrogen, storing it in low-pressure tanks and filling the car from the low-pressure tank through a high-pressure tank." 

He said that although hydrogen production was started for experimental purpose at KU, it was Nepal's first attempt at utilising hydrogen for transportation. The Hydrogen Refueling Centre established on KU's premises is expected to produce two kilograms of hydrogen daily for research and testing. Global data show that it costs around USD 5 to produce one kilogram of hydrogen globally. 

According to Dr. Thapa, it will cost 10 liters of water and 40 to 45 units of electricity to produce one kilogram of hydrogen from the established hydrogen production facility at KU. He said hat with five kilograms of hydrogen filled in Nexo cars brought inside KU, they can travel up to 650 kilometres.

A budget of USD 33,000 has been allocated from the support fund provided to KU for the establishment of the refueling centre, which costs around Rs. 13 million. 

Preparations are underway at KU to inaugurate the hydrogen car parked inside the university by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and to organise exhibitions of hydrogen cars at various locations in Nepal. 

KU aims to establish a pilot project to establish hydrogen refueling centres, enabling refueling of 30 to 35 hydrogen vehicles and to advance policy and procedures related to hydrogen in Nepal. 

There is currently no policy or procedure established regarding hydrogen in Nepal, such as using it as fuel, issuing number plates for hydrogen vehicles, issuing bluebooks or licensing for establishing refueling centres.