Posted on 03/01/2005 9:30:30 PM PST by phoenix0468
In presidential campaign of 2004, Bush and Kerry managed to find one piece of common ground: Both spoke glowingly of a future powered by fuel cells. Hydrogen would free us from our dependence on fossil fuels and would dramatically curb emissions of air pollutants, including carbon dioxide, the gas chiefly blamed for global warming. The entire worldwide energy market would evolve into a “hydrogen economy” based on clean, abundant power. Auto manufacturers and environmentalists alike happily rode the bandwagon, pointing to hydrogen as the next big thing in U.S. energy policy. Yet the truth is that we aren’t much closer to a commercially viable hydrogen-powered car than we are to cold fusion or a cure for cancer. This hardly surprises engineers, fuel cell manufacturers and policymakers, who have known all along that the technology has been hyped, perhaps to its detriment, and that the public has been misled about what Howard Coffman, editor of fuelcell-info.com, describes as the “undeniable realities of the hydrogen economy.” These experts are confident that the hydrogen economy will arrive—someday. But first, they say, we have to overcome daunting technological, financial and political roadblocks. Herewith, our checklist of misconceptions and doubts about hydrogen and the exalted fuel cell.
(Excerpt) Read more at popsci.com ...
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
If you would like to be on the
translation : they need more time to figure out how to soak people with a relatively inexpensive energy source.
You would probably be interested in this article. It was the one I originally wanted to submit, but couldn't due to copyright wranglings:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa004&articleID=00059015-99C5-1213-987F83414B7F011C
Kind of a how can we sell the sun approach huh?
If we can convince the greens that we need Nuclear Energy to make clean hydrogen work, then that alone will be a victory.
Well, although I agree that Nuclear Energy is safe and efficient, crap like what happened in Michigan doesn't help. It's a good thing they kept it contained.
That's why our designs have containment vessels.
With what is going on in the world, I think now we should build them underground. Way underground.
"I was hoping this would come sooner, but it doesn't look promising."
Powering full size vehicles is probably the most difficult application, even though it gets the most attention.
In the last week or two, Millenium Cell has produced a prototype fuelcell for powering laptops, with the objective of all-day wireless use.
On March 16 in NYC, Medis Technologies will demonstrate working models of direct liquid fuel cells and refillable cartridges for similar small appliance wireless applications.
FuelCell Energy has installed a stationary, renewable fuel cell array which will provide power to a waste water treatment plant in Santa Barbara, using methane given off from the plant as fuel.
Together with Chevron they have also begun construction and installation of a full service hydrogen refuelling station for vehicles being tested and operated by the State of California.
Astris Energi has just about reached commercialization of a fuelcell powered golf cart.
Plug Power has installed two onsite hydrogen generators for a New York utility using stationary fuelcell power generation, and also at Albany Nanotech to integrate into their growing hydrogen infrastructure.
In Canada, GM Canada is field-testing two working fuelcell powered forklifts, in conjunction with Hydrogenics, using hydrogen storage systems rated at 5000psi.
Just scratching the surface of applications approaching commercial production. There is a huge bunch of other development going on which is not ready for prototypes and working models of commercial products.
you got it
The misconception is that fuels cells are batteries , they are not energy sources. Batteries need to be charged that is the problem. I agree nuclear is the way to go, and as for the waist, it can be ejected into the sun. The only power shortage the earth faces is a lack of will power.
:')
Warning: The Hydrogen Economy May Be More Distant Than It Appears
Popular Science | January 2005 | Michael Behar
Posted on 01/11/2005 12:40:42 PM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1318627/posts
daunting financial and political roadblocks yes...
...and a lot of the same old same old bovine-excrement the naysayers have been saying for decades; TANSTAAFL...gas leaks and ignition [quick someone mention the Hindenburg]...you'll have to use fossil fuels or go nuclear to get the hydrogen so it isnt really clean...etc etc ad nauseum...*yawn*
ummm...Hydrate storage not cryogenic thus no 'gas' problems and no 'Hindenburgs' [which wasnt the fault of the Hydrogen anyway but that could be another thread lol].
ummm...Electrolysis of water by Solar.
Weather - unreliable!
no, No, NO...NOT the WIMPY Solar we have HERE.
Solar
Power
Satellites [microwaved down to rectennas or masered]
The Sun shines 24/7 IN SPACE.
The hydrogen economy will be here as soon as we build the nukes to power it.
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