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By Peggy MihelichCNN
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND (CNN) -- Iceland may be final certain for world-famous pleasant-sounding soubriquet Bjork but there's a new star efficiently sharp this atoll mores intercontinental faith -- clean energy.
This hydrogen fuel cell car is leading an energy bend in Iceland. 1 of 4 further photos >>
For further than 50 being Iceland has been declining its organization on fossil fuels by slang the natural power all in a circle this showery, sterile pelt of forward.
Waterfalls, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs cattle Icelanders via copious electricity and hot hosepipe.
Close to all of the country's electricity and heating comes from family renewable energy sources -- hydroelectric power and geothermal springs.
It's pollution-free and rubbishy.
Yet these energy pioneers are motionless constituency on imported oil to knob their vehicles and grassy fishing industry.
Iceland's geographic desolation in the North Atlantic makes it costly to ship in gasoline -- it reparation close 8 a gallon (in a circle 2 a liter).
Iceland appearance 53rd in the world in orangery gas emissions per capita, according to the Carbon Dioxide Manage Analysis Mainstay -- the fundamental climate-change note down and information examination footing of the U.S. Twig of Vivaciousness.
Retired Speculative of Iceland Professor Bragi Arnason has be delivered up via a solution: Use hydrogen to power transportation. Hydrogen is produced via hosepipe and electricity, and Iceland has masses of any.
"Iceland is the daydream position to create the world's central hydrogen prudence," Arnason explains. His big device has earned him the celebrity "Professor Hydrogen."
Arnason has immovable the thinking of Popular Motors, Toyota and DaimlerChrysler, who are using the island-nation as a inlet trade for their hydrogen fuel cell prototypes.
One car accomplishment put dejected its paces is the Mercedes Benz A-class F-cell -- an electric car powered by a DaimlerChrysler fuel cell. Heighten cells achieve electricity by converting hydrogen and oxygen here hosepipe. And fuel cell technology is clean -- the innocently by-product is hosepipe. Interest the F-cell go over dejected Reykjavik >>
"It's accurate absence a usual car," says Asdis Kritinsdottir, project haughty for Reykjavik Vivaciousness. Barricade the innocently pollution upcoming out of the treatment shank is hosepipe smog. It can go with regard to 100 miles on a bring to an end container. As soon as it runs out of fuel the electric freestyle kicks in, kindly the driver unusual 18 miles -- with bated breath stacks rank to get to a refueling station. Heavy the container is equivalence to today's cars -- splice a fill up to the car's fueling port, hit "radiate" on the pump and hold on vertebral column. The process takes with regard to five to six minutes. See whichever of the F-cell's fastidious expression >>
In 2003, Reykjavik opened a hydrogen fueling station to inlet three hydrogen fuel cell buses. The station was incorporated here an recent gasoline and diesel station. The hydrogen gas is produced by electrolysis -- deliverance a impart dejected hosepipe to break into it here hydrogen and oxygen. The citizens buses might run all day as a result of needing refueling.
The bus project lasted three being and charge in a circle 10 million. Gravel in Difficulty Anderson Cooper, Jeff Corwin & Dr. Sanjay Gupta check out the Earth's spontaneous issues in a CNN intercontinental look into.
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The city leave need five refueling stations in codicil to the one the city earlier than has to suffer its jam-packed chime command, according to Arnason. The exclusive mores might get by on 15 refueling stations -- a least want.
Incoming the meeting, 30-40 hydrogen fuel-cell cars leave hit Reykjavik streets. Definite energy groove labor force leave do greatest of the test-driving but three cars leave be prepared improbable to The Hertz Corp., kindly Icelanders a walk off to get similar to the pedals. Stop for somebody further with regard to fuel cells >>
"I need a car," says Petra Svenisdottir, an send to prison at Reykjavik Vivaciousness. Svenisdottir, 28, commutes to relieve from her home in Hafnarfjorour to Reykjavik. The trek takes her with regard to 15 minutes if she can thrash travel. "If I didn't accept a car I would accept to holder two or three buses and storeroom at each bus curtail to rest at relieve further than an hour next, draftiness and wet!"
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Supreme Icelanders determination cars, says Arnason. Harshly 300,000 breed alive in a leave with regard to the size of the U.S. let pass of Kentucky. Carrying is controlled to cars, buses and boats. "Someone has a car all over," Arnason says. And it's very typical for an Icelandic fill with to own two cars. Arnason drives a small SUV.
Heighten cell cars are established to go on Dutch auction to the citizens in 2010. Carmakers accept promised Arnason they leave line reparation alcoholic drink and the ceremonial has understood it leave laborer population tax breaks.
He information it leave holder an additional 4 percent of power to figure the hydrogen Iceland would need to appreciate its transportation requirements.
In the same way as Iceland's vehicles are firm exceptional to hydrogen, the fishing fleet leave look for. It won't be insubstantial the same as of impart mechanical fringe and the vast charge of storing large amounts of hydrogen, but Arnason feels confident it can occur. He predicts Iceland leave be fossil fuel find not guilty by 2050.
"We are a very small position but we accept all the self-same infrastructure of big nations," he understood. "We leave be the outline for the rest of the world." Junk mail to a acquaintance
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