Hydrogen energy initiative for tourism sector

The Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Vipula Wanigasekara said that hydrogen fuelled three-wheelers can be introduced in heritage sites and other tourist destinations in the country and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Board (SLTDB) is ready to support this initiative. He was speaking at the first ever hydrogen energy confab held in Colombo last week.

“We are not late and this is the right time to introduce hydrogen energy. The tourism industry in the country is booming. The industry cannot be sustained without environmental protection and most of the foreign investors who invest in the industry are concerned regarding this aspect,” he said.

UNIDO National Director for Sri Lanka, Nawaz Rajabdeen said that Sri Lanka would be stepping into the hydrogen fuel era. However, there will not be an immediate energy supply here and as a first step a medium to long term program will be launched with small-scale short-term initiatives such as hydrogen fuelled three-wheelers.

The Urban Council of Weligama has set up the hydrogen desk to develop an intercity hydrogen program for the Southern Province as the first step.

Sri Lankan hydrogen power projects are designed and implemented under the advice of Victoria Coco of the UNIDO. Hydrogen-powered three wheelers will be launched at the Galle Fort.

A similar project has been launched in New Delhi, India under the guidance of Prof. Mohan Das and has proved that hydrogen can be used as an alternate energy resource for vehicles and and it is cost effective. Prof. Das shared his experience.

UNIDO regional director, South Asia, Ayumi Fujino said that hydrogen fuelled three-wheelers were successfully introduced in India and in introducing the same in Sri Lanka we have to look at different aspects; cost effectiveness, feasibility, hydrogen energy development and diffusion.

The main advantages of hydrogen fuel is that it only emits water vapour when it burns and does not produce pollutants such as carbon dioxide. Hydrogen has the potential to run a fuel-cell engine with greater efficiency over an internal combustion engine. The same amount of hydrogen will take a fuel-cell car at least twice as far as a car running on gasoline. The main disadvantage is high cost of the technology that converts hydrogen to a feasible fuel.

UNIDO has lot of experience and expertise in this field. An institutional set up is needed with clearly defined roles for each agency. Consolidation of actions and how to finance the projects should be decided.

This needs lots of information and technology and these matters were discussed at the confab, Fujino said. The Ministry of Industries and Commerce and UNIDO organised this hydrogen fuel promotion initiative.