The SEAFUEL project, in which the Cabildo of Tenerife participate as an associate, has made available to tourists who are on vacation on the island to test a fuel cell vehicle.
These cars use hydrogen as a fuel and only emit water vapor into the atmosphererecalls the island corporation in a statement.
It is about demonstrating, through the SEAFUEL project, the viability of using sustainable hydrogen in transport and supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy.
Twenty tests with these vehicles will be carried out this week.
According to the First Vice President and Minister of Innovation, Enrique Arriaga, tourists who participate in the tests will be given a prior questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge of hydrogen as a green fuel, sustainability or if they have ever used a vehicle ecological.
After testing the hydrogen cars, they will answer a second questionnaire about their degree of driving satisfaction and whether they would be willing to rent a similar vehicle on their next island vacation.
The objective is to collect information on the preferences, attitudes and opinions of tourists regarding the use of hydrogen cars in the Canary Islands, explains Arriaga.
The counselor highlights the importance of making “the main economic sector of the island” more sustainable and of “minimizing” the carbon footprint it generates.
Part of the SEAFUEL fleet that will be implemented in Tenerife will be dedicated to transport for maintenance tasks of the Technological and Renewable Energy Institute, while another will be dedicated to the study of preferences and predisposition of the tourism sector towards this technology.
The SEAFUEL vehicle fleet for these tourist tests is made up of a Hyundai Nexo and two Toyota Mirai.
During these days they will be available so that those interested can learn more about hydrogen technology.
The shooting tests and the information point are located at the Hotel Villa Cortés, in Playa de las Américas, in the municipality of Arona.
From this tourist complex, which collaborates with the project, a circuit begins that those tourists interested in testing the vehicle will be able to visit.
Hydrogen, obtained by the decomposition of water using renewable energy, is one of the cleanest fuels on the planet.
It is used through a fuel cell, in which hydrogen is mixed with air to generate electricity and water.
This propulsion system transfers electricity to an electric motor and water to the exhaust pipe, so they only emit water vapor into the atmosphere.
To this is added that these vehicles have a wide autonomy and a refueling that only requires five minutes, in a procedure similar to that of gasoline or diesel.
