TU Eindhoven opens Zero Emission Laboratory

The recently renovated Zero Emission Lab (ZELab) offers new possibilities for the development of climate-neutral and future-proof mobility for people and goods by 2050, so says the university in a press release.

The ZELab is an internationally leading lab that aims to investigate zero-impact internal combustion engines (ICEs), and contains 8 engine test-cells and state-of-the-art experimental set-ups. Though it is part of the research group Power & Flow (from the department of Mechanical Engineering), researchers from various TU/e departments collaborate on an advanced and inherently clean engine operated on a sustainable fuel as an answer to two important policy drivers: no impact on local or on global GHG emissions.

80 passengers will fly emission-free by 2030

The scientists behind the hydrogen-powered HY4 aircraft feel a little like the aviation pioneers of 100 years ago who dreamed of commercial aircraft capable of moving a lot of people from one place to another.

The indispensable internal combustion engine

In the foreseeable future, internal combustion engines will remain the dominant option for heavy duty transport, given that electrification is simply not yet an option for long-haul vehicles such as ships or trucks. Therefore, the combination of ultra-efficient ICEs and renewable fuels is key to accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which is exactly the main focus of the ZELab.

To establish this vision, to plan ahead, and to pave the road towards that future, partnering up with industrial partners (such as the ones currently involved, like DAF and Shell), fellow researchers (from TNO, Ghent University, and Lund University), and many more industrial and academic partners is crucial.

Read the full press release here.