The Hydrogen Group of the Public University of Navarre has adapted the petrol-powered engine of a car to an Hydrogen-powered engine.

In the year 2001 a partnership started between “La Universidad Pública de Navarra” and “Acciona Biocombustibles” then “Energía Hidroeléctrica de Navarra”. The aim was to cooperate in the research on Hydrogen related topics.

Since that year, both parties have been working together and a group of Research Professors in this technology, the so- called HYDROGEN Group, has emerged, as well as construction of facilities and laboratories.

In 2007 this Group enters the CENIT holding (Consorcios Estratégicos Nacionales de Investigación Técnica) to participate in the Project SPHERA (Sistemas para la Producción de Hidrógeno Energético y Reconversión Asociada), financed by the Government of Spain, as Research Public Agent contracted by “Acciona Biocombustibles”.

The aim of this ambitious Project is to broaden the knowledge, technology and entrepreneurial bases so as to tackle the future world energy scenario where Hydrogen will relieve fossil fuels.

The research plan turns around the retrofitting of a commercial car engine, gasoline-powered so that it can be hydrogen-powered. Preliminary results with this engine are encouraging regarding its expected operation. By drawing up injection and ignition charts we find the following features: it starts from a wide range of temperatures, keeps the idle speed stabilized, and operates under light loads up to 5000 r.p.m.