DISASTER RELIEFUsing Hydrogen to Power Disaster Relief
A new vehicle will not only get emergency responders safely to the site of an emergency, but also directly provide power at the scene for up to 72 hours as they assess next steps. And it does all this running on hydrogen—a much more sustainable solution for our environment.
In an emergency, it’s all-hands-on-deck when communities are suffering and lives are potentially at risk. Emergency responders brave the elements to deliver resources and support affected areas, often without electricity, in order to mitigate damage and prevent further harm. DHS S&T has joined forces with federal and industry partners to build a new vehicle that will not only get them there safely, but also directly provide power at the scene for up to 72 hours as they assess next steps. And it does all this running on hydrogen—a much more sustainable solution for our environment. The new H2Rescue Emergency Relief Truck (H2Rescue), which started as an ambitious idea years ago, is now a full prototype demonstrating the feasibility and value of this concept.
“I don’t think people fully appreciate what it means to not have power, you don’t realize how critical it is for communities until you don’t have it,” said S&T Under Secretary Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov, who saw the vehicle up close at a demonstration at the U.S. Department of Energy headquarters in June.
H2Rescue is a zero-emission, hydrogen powered truck that can carry a total load of about 33,000 pounds (truck and cargo) into disaster zone. It is equipped with a mobile command center and the capability to generate enough power to run about 15 homes for three days, accomplished with only water vapor coming out of the tailpipe. Where traditional diesel trucks use their limited carrying capacity to transport generators that emit exhaust into the environment, H2Rescue is the generator—emitting nothing but steam. In fact, while the truck is only a prototype now, a future enhancement will likely include the capability to convert the tailpipe water vapor into potable water, something always welcome at a disaster site. According to S&T calculations, a full load of hydrogen on the H2Rescue would provide hundreds of gallons of drinkable water as a byproduct of its normal operation.
