The Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) and Steyr Works, Austria's long-established tractor manufacturer, have created the first hydrogen-powered tractor to promote the development of more environmentally friendly agricultural machinery. The aim of the project was to demonstrate full sustainability, which means that in addition to hydrogen propulsion, the production of hydrogen was also designed to be less environmentally damaging.
Full Circle Sustainability
The tractor utilizes hydrogen produced from biogenic raw materials instead of "gray" hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. This approach minimizes the environmental footprint of agricultural machinery operations and aligns with the Archenerg Cluster's goals of promoting renewable energy sources and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Japanese company Kubota is also preparing to manufacture hydrogen fuel cell tractors, which could be on the market as early as 2025. During the presentation of their Kubota H2 hydrogen engine, they also mentioned the advantages of hydrogen produced from "green electricity," but it remains unclear to what extent they prioritize "end-to-end" manufacturing and operational processes that are fully sustainable.
Efficiency and Performance
The FCTRAC tractor, a modified version of the STEYR 4140 Expert CVT model developed by TU Wien and Steyr, maintains the performance of its diesel counterpart. The hydrogen-powered machine's energy consumption requires the use of 15 kilograms of dry biomass to produce enough fuel equivalent to 3.5 liters of diesel. This efficiency is crucial for reducing the operating costs of agricultural machinery and improving sustainability.
Innovation in Heat Dissipation
One of the major challenges in developing the BioH2Module was heat dissipation. TU Wien engineers successfully addressed this issue, and the resulting unit has demonstrated reliable operation at 35 degrees Celsius without performance loss during testing. This technological innovation is key to the widespread adoption of hydrogen-powered tractors.
Archenerg Cluster's Commitment
The Archenerg Cluster is committed to promoting the application of hydrogen technology in agriculture. The cluster continues to research and develop hydrogen technology and collaborates with agricultural stakeholders to ensure the widespread adoption of hydrogen-powered tractors.
The Archenerg Cluster calls on agricultural stakeholders to join the sustainability movement and support the adoption of hydrogen technology in agriculture.