engleski

Conceptual basis of introducing hydrogen as the motor fuel in Croatia

Abstract Within the next 10 to 20 years world and Croatian inland economy will be faced with the transition from classic primary energy sources (as fossil fuels) to renewable energy sources, first of all wind and solar energy. At the same time scale, hydrogen as a new fuel will rise up to the stage. That is the reason why already today many people talk about forthcoming „ Hydrogen Economy", i.e. global hydrogen based economy. Anticipating forecasted development there is a question when and how will Croatia start to keep along with this global scenario? One of the possible answers to this question is discussed in the presented paper. It starts with the fact that Croatia is an important European tourist destination which is yearly visited by 10 millions, mostly motorized, foreign tourists. WTO, World Tourism Organization, predicts that foreign arrivals to Croatia will grow by 8.4% annually up to the year 2020. More than 90% of all foreign tourists spend their holidays on the Adriatic cost and islands, 55% of them during the two summer months, July and August, i.e. just in the region and season when and where there is the greatest amount of solar energy. Second starting point is, so called, „ Hart Report", the study which dealt with introducing of hydrogen infrastructure in the European road traffic system. It predicts the number of the hydrogen fuelled vehicles on the EU roads up to the year 2020. Based on this two starting assumptions it is estimated the number of hydrogen fuelled vehicles which could be running during that period on the Croatian Adriatic coast and islands, and for which hydrogen infrastructure should be built. Because of the thousands of motorized yachts and another vessels are present at the same time in that area, and many of them will have on board some type of „ hydrogen option", it will be the second reason for building of hydrogen infrastructure on islands. Taking into account everything what is said above, it is introduced hydrogen infrastructure based on photovoltaic technology of solar energy conversion and water electrolysis as the technology of hydrogen production. It is proposed that these photovoltaic fields and electrolysers will be connected to the Croatian electricity production and distribution system. This would allow building of the photovoltaic fields in the south Dalmatia region which is reach with solar energy, and hydrogen production and storage along the main tourist's traffic points and directions. Proposed system of the hydrogen production would also help to solve the problem of the peak loads in the system. At the same time, planning, development and building of this system could be great mid term developing and technological project in which Croatian science and industry could have its place, and Croatia get the image of high technology country.

solar; hydrogen; infrastructure; road traffic; maritime traffic; Croatia

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