A Qatari research centre unveiled a low-emission and low-fuel-consumption hybrid car last month on the sidelines of the UN climate talks.
“Designed and developed in Qatar, the engine captures thermal waste energy that is utilised to generate electric energy to run hydrogen fuel cells using potable water as a source for the gas,” the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (Gord) said in a statement. A thermoelectric generator uses a thin photovoltaic film to recover heat from exhaust gases in order to power the fuel cell.
This system reduces emissions by more than 50 per cent, while “design improvements are under way to further reduce fuel consumption”.
“Any car can be adapted to accommodate the system as it doesn’t alter any electro-mechanical systems,” it said.
“Our car produces electricity at no cost by capturing thermal waste energy, reducing [overall] costs and eliminating the need for an external source of electricity,” says Gord chairman Yousuf Al Horr. “Bulky compressed-hydrogen cylinders are a thing of the past.”
