August 23-24, 2008, Rotterdam hosted the world's first zero emission racing event with fuel cells and hydrogen. Formula Zero is a Fourth Sector business initiative that has organized universities from N. America and Europe to engineer an effective way to use hydrogen technology. FZ's event in Rotterdam is a compliment to both the city's willingness to host green technology and FZ'z founders Godert van Hardenbroek and Eelco Rietveld to really commit to alternative Fuel / Environment / Mobility (FEM) solutions. Drivers reached speeds of over 80 km per hour with half a glass of water as waste. The only sound was that of the friction between tires and race track. Although the engineering was not flawless causing some fuel cells to stall, every car that got on the race track finished. However, sportsmanship and an underlying current of green ideology raced on without fail. A hallmark presentation of engineering and social character as diverse nationalities, business organizations and municipalities pulled together to make the theory reality. The sun was even shinning that day. European cities have taken the first initiative to cooperate with FZ's zero emission promotion vehicle. After this gorgeous event, American cities plan to follow; how about Asia and are there other forms of clean propulsion that could fit into a similar event formula? Not a single oil or auto manufacturer was seen as a sponsor even though hydrogen can also be used in a combustion engine technology, unlike the fuel cells showcased here which run on a thermodynamic principles. It will be interesting to see how FZ'z PR Kim Taylor and North American Sponsorship Representative Lief A. Gruenberg will project zero emission racing into the future.
www.formulazero.nl
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