[endthematrix]

The Slimes have plenty of hot air, can we use that?

[wildcatf4f3]

Oh baby when they break through on this it will slingshot the USA ahead.

[FredZarguna]

Researchers at a government nuclear laboratory and a ceramics company in Salt Lake City say they have found a way to produce pure hydrogen with far less energy than other methods, raising the possibility of using nuclear power to indirectly wean the transportation system from its dependence on oil.

Understand this: unbound hydrogen is energy expensive to produce. People pushing it either don't understand, or understand but don't want the public to understand that hydrogen is NOT an energy source. It's simply a storage medium for energy produced somewhere else.

Like battery technology, if you drop your objection to burning uranium, most of your environmental problems go away, and that has nothing to do with hydrogen. But as soon as you say nuclear power you might as well say black magic voodoo. Because when you say nuclear power, that's what the scientifically illiterate masses (and altogether too many mis-educated scientists) hear.

[timestax]

Hydrogen is explosive...right??!

[SC Swamp Fox]

But if electricity demand on the power grid ran extremely high, the hydrogen production could easily be shut down for a few hours, and all of the energy could be converted to electricity

This could work. The utility companies have to build enough capacity to handle the peak demand. If they can use that capacity during non-peak time to produce a fuel for vehicles, it just might be feasible.

[boycott]

ping

[Tax Government]

Is anyone monitoring the *reduction* in oil requirements due to the country's increasing use of the net to conduct business?

[Jackson Brown]

After MANY years of being cynical of the "end of oil" industry and global warming...the fact of US dependence on the middle east -- and countries run by scumbags, like Venezuela (even Russia, Mexico, and Canada) -- for oil has NOW made it clear to me that we must get to the point of being energy independent again.

As I see it, the most available -- and "patriotic" -- thing (to me) for the American people and the car makers to do is to accelerate a transition to hybrid cars/trucks/SUVs. I own a Lincoln Towncar and Navigator SUV.

For the first time in my life, I am seeing that the fact that I can afford the costs to run them is VERY secondary to US security. As I see it, it's now time a WWII type program at home in support of "the war effort".

Whatever the outcome of these attempts to change to other fuels (and I am VERY skeptical about hydrogen for at least the next 20-30 years) -- NOW is the time to begin to really extricate the US from NEEDING such big percentages of critical supplies from other countries.

It's fine to want them, but it's the huge DEPENDENCE that bothers me. Now that we are seeing the growth of Muslim extremism all over the world -- AND -- the Anti-Americanism threat from our "friends and neighbors" (including) Canada and Mexico. I don't want to have to have our soldiers -- someday - really have go to fight and die for oil.

I am not anti-globalism by any means....I'm all for opening markets...et al. However, I've come to the point of being dead set against the dependence other countries for ANY the critical basics we need.

(Not to mention, If we can be more self sufficient on energy, then that would help the balance of trade and the dollar.)

[investigateworld]

ping

[BurbankKarl]

cold fusion?

[AmericaUnited]

Mr. Herring suggested another use, however: recovering usable fuel from the Athabasca Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada. The reserves there may hold the largest oil deposits in the world, but extracting them and converting them into a gasoline substitute requires copious amounts of steam and hydrogen, both products of the reactor.

A thread from yesterday was making the point that we had a HUGE AMOUNT OF OIL and were not running out. It was just that some of it would require newer ways of extraction/refining to make it economical to use. And now this story. SHOVE THIS, ECCO CHICKEN LITTLES.

[RadioAstronomer]

bttt for later read

[Jack of all Trades]

Taken for what it's worth, this is a great article, especially for the NYT. Not one mention of "the free, limitless supply of Hydrogen that we could all use if the technology weren't being suppressed by Evil Big Oil". Discussions of science, engineering and economics are sorely lacking in popular articles about H2.

An added plus is that the author raises the topic of nuclear power. Unfortunately he chose to interject the word "But" at the outset.

There are many hidden "Gotcha's" involved in using H2 as an energy transport medium. Exposition is good. Thanks for an encouraging article.

[wastoute]

Another problem they don't address is that the same people who object to gasoline REALLY object to nuclear waste!

[neverdem]

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[OregonRancher]

"This process, called electrolysis, now has a drawback: if the electricity comes from coal, which is the biggest source of power in this country, then the energy value of the ingredients - the amount of energy given off when the fuel is burned - is three and a half to four times larger than the energy value of the product. Also, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions increase when the additional coal is burned."

That says it all.....

[Old Professer]

Sounds about as practical as the wireless extension cord.

[hosepipe]

The most efficient, and safe, hyrogen storage medium has already been found.
Its called->> Gasoline..

[lilmsdangrus]

bump