#38: H2Rescue: Providing Power, Water and World Records

Roughly the distance from New York to Miami – or 1,806 miles. That’s how far a vehicle, developed in part by ERDC, drove on one tank of hydrogen fuel to not only set a mark honored by the Guinness Book of World Records, but also to advance new and existing hydrogen-powered technologies. In this episode, we discuss the development, testing and performance of the H2Rescue vehicle with Nick Josefik, an industrial engineer at ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. We also talk about the impact it can have in supporting emergency response efforts to natural and man-made disasters. Created to address many of the logistical challenges involved in any response, the H2Rescue vehicle – a 33,000-pound power plant on wheels – went from idea to reality in a few short years, becoming a world-class example of what power-providing emergency systems – powered by hydrogen – can deliver. Topics include the idea and mission behind the development of the H2Rescue Vehicle (02:39), details on the amount of power the vehicle can generate (04:37) and how this vehicle’s capabilities best fit in an emergency response scenario (05:59). We also discuss why hydrogen was the fuel of choice in the vehicle’s development (07:55); the federal, military and industry partners who worked together on the vehicle (11:21); and the behind-the-scenes details on how the team earned Guiness Book of World Records recognition (18:08). Watch the video of this podcast on our website at PowerofERDCpodcast.org/38-h2-rescue-vehicle_video. For additional information, visit PowerofERDCpodcast.org/38-h2-rescue-vehicle_resources.