First to market ... Jamaican patents hydrogen energy source
Published: Friday | March 28, 2014 7 Comments
Avia Collinder, Business Reporter
Jamaica-born real-estate entrepreneur and inventor Phillip Scott says he is now weighing his options in relation to selecting partners for the commercialisation of a fuel-system booster and energy source, which he has created and patented both in Jamaica and the United States.
He said offers for partnership have been coming from oil companies both within and outside the United States, as well as Jamaican government officials for the invention dubbed 'Elhydro Power', a hydrogen-based fuel system, which functions both as a generator and fuel-system booster using electrolysed water to produce mechanical and electrical energy.
Scott, chief executive officer of Philangco Corporation, based in New York, United States, but also registered in Jamaica, said the company has been focusing on long-term investments in real-estate development, private equities as well as utilities and renewable-energy projects, among other endeavours.
His partners are Tanya Morgan, managing director of Philangco, and Dunbar McFarlane, chief financial officer and former banker.
McFarlane told the Financial Gleaner on Tuesday that he expects Elhydro to significantly reduce energy costs at the Palmyra Development in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, for which Philangco has placed a bid for the complex of condominiums. He said the technology could also be a game changer for the island.
Scott said Elhydro can be a sole source of power or alternatively used to supplement fuel use in residential or commercial buildings, combustible engines, machinery, commercial appliances, heating and cooling systems, power plants, gas or diesel turbines, generators, domestic and commercial vehicles.
Scott said it can be used for light- and heavy-duty machinery and equipment, as well as tractor trailers, boats, ships, and aircraft, and that he has been operating retrofitted vehicles for the last two years in New York, using the technology.
"Elhydro will supply 70 to 85 per cent or more of electricity/fuel to residential, commercial, or industrial buildings in combination with any electric power grid, or fully replace traditional fuel usage. In other words, Elhydro works in combination with other fuels to reduce consumption of the latter on electric power grids and also works to totally remove reliance on such other fuels," he explained.
The fuel-system booster, he said, also works in conjunction with fuel systems to "increase mileage per gallon between 100 to 1,000 times or more, or operating time to 80 per cent or more depending on vehicle/transportation, engine, motor or equipment size," he added.
He said the technology was in development for several years, with many partners dropping out along the way. The inventor explains that "the project consumed millions of dollars, as well as a few business partners who lost the appetite to stay the course, as it were. The research and development took more than a decade, but the project was duly perfected and patented in 2013".
hydrogen on demand
The invention, he claims, is the first hydrogen generator/booster to make hydrogen on demand. "Simply, the Elhydro Power fuel-system generator and fuel-system booster will reduce any reliance/dependence on electricity/fuel companies by 70 per cent to 85 per cent, even total elimination. It does not emit greenhouse gases; this is as clean as it gets," Scott said.
He said he intends to handle manufacturing of the system himself. Now that the process is refined, Scott is reviewing his options for development of a manufacturing plant in Jamaica, one he estimates to cost US$100 million (about J$10.9 billion).
"We have already initiated dialogue with the Government of Jamaica with a view to having the JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transit Company), the Ministry of National Security (for police vehicles) and the Ministry of Health as initial beneficiaries of our technology," Scott said.
The company is also taking note of interest from the private sector, with Scott indicating that strong interest was coming from entities within the hospitality industry.
"We have received encouragement from the Development Bank of Jamaica and we believe that development financing could be available via (the) PetroCaribe (Development Fund)," he said, noting that "no decision has as yet been taken".
He said the project has to date been financed from personal resources. "We will consider obtaining institutional financing to augment internally generated funds, if necessary," said Scott.
avia.collinder@gleanerjm.com