This is pretty cool. Enough of this myth that the corn lobby and environmentalists are propagating that Ethanol and BioDiesel are the saviors from the "evil" oil producers. Instead we need to embrace the future: Hydrogen!
The way for Congress to REALLY push the country in the direction of a TRULY renewable * energy source is to mandate that the military convert its vehicles to Hydrogen power. The military drives many new technologies, and ordering thousands of Hydrogen vehicles for military purposes will allow for Hydrogen to make its way into the consumer market.
right. but the sun and the wind work pretty good for me. when the sun explodes, we all die anyway. thus no energy crisis. until then the sun can provide lots of heat, light and can power all that water and air that makes weather.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but hydrogen isn't an energy source. It's a method of storing and transporting energy. The creation of pure hydrogen gas requires quite a bit of energy (see: electrolysis). That input energy is then stored in the hydrogen gas until it is converted by the fuel cell into electrical energy.
Here's the rub. Although the emissions from a hydrogen car consist solely of water and oxygen, unless the hydrogen is generated with a completely clean energy source (wind, water, possibly nuclear) there are still emissions. If the hydrogen is generated by a coal powered plant, for example, then the emissions resulting from the burning of the coal, while not directly caused by the operation of the car, must still be factored into the environmental friendliness of the hydrogen economy.
Indeed. A hydrogen car is still an electric car, it just has a better fuel cell (better because it can recharge faster--just fill the tank with hydrogen instead of spending a long time charging) Electric cars in general are better--not just for the environment but for practicality. If we have cars powered by any energy source, as soon as that source is used up we have to get all new cars (hence the dilemma now--no one wants to switch from gas b/c it would be so much work to make all new cars and replace all the gas stations) But electric cars (like hydro cars) will always have power, since electricity will exist as long as we have ANY source of energy.
While solar power is great in theory, we have yet to see truly practical solar power (in my knowledge). The likelihood is that we will not in the near future find any source of energy that will last forever, so it's good to keep our options open with electric cars that can use any source of energy.
My concern is much less with the environment than not supporting the third world dictatorships we do when we buy oil. However, I am a lover of clean air just like the rest of you, and cars that emit water vapor as their only byproduct seem to me to be the best way to achieve this.
I do see what you are saying in that the Hydrogen gas needs to be separated from water through electrolysis. I'm also a supporter of Nuclear power. It is by far the most efficient, and is a clean source of energy. Off-shore windfarms are also great ideas. Solar is nice as a secondary power source, but it is so inefficient that it is not cost-effective.
I think it's important for people to realize that global warming and the environment are not the only reasons to support alternative energy and technology like electric/hydro powered cars. I don't see global warming as a serious problem (not to start a new debate), yet I still firmly support alternative energy, for the reason treacherous stated as well as the simple reason that our current energy sources will eventually run dry.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
treacherous @ Jan 11th 2008 1:43PM
This is pretty cool. Enough of this myth that the corn lobby and environmentalists are propagating that Ethanol and BioDiesel are the saviors from the "evil" oil producers. Instead we need to embrace the future: Hydrogen!
The way for Congress to REALLY push the country in the direction of a TRULY renewable * energy source is to mandate that the military convert its vehicles to Hydrogen power. The military drives many new technologies, and ordering thousands of Hydrogen vehicles for military purposes will allow for Hydrogen to make its way into the consumer market.
treacherous @ Jan 11th 2008 1:44PM
* Disclamer: No energy source is TRULY "renewable," as the laws of physics state that no energy can either be created or destroyed.
MARSHAK @ Jan 11th 2008 1:52PM
right. but the sun and the wind work pretty good for me. when the sun explodes, we all die anyway. thus no energy crisis. until then the sun can provide lots of heat, light and can power all that water and air that makes weather.
Bryan @ Jan 11th 2008 2:43PM
treacherous:
Sorry to burst your bubble, but hydrogen isn't an energy source. It's a method of storing and transporting energy. The creation of pure hydrogen gas requires quite a bit of energy (see: electrolysis). That input energy is then stored in the hydrogen gas until it is converted by the fuel cell into electrical energy.
Here's the rub. Although the emissions from a hydrogen car consist solely of water and oxygen, unless the hydrogen is generated with a completely clean energy source (wind, water, possibly nuclear) there are still emissions. If the hydrogen is generated by a coal powered plant, for example, then the emissions resulting from the burning of the coal, while not directly caused by the operation of the car, must still be factored into the environmental friendliness of the hydrogen economy.
MichaelD @ Jan 11th 2008 2:55PM
Indeed. A hydrogen car is still an electric car, it just has a better fuel cell (better because it can recharge faster--just fill the tank with hydrogen instead of spending a long time charging) Electric cars in general are better--not just for the environment but for practicality. If we have cars powered by any energy source, as soon as that source is used up we have to get all new cars (hence the dilemma now--no one wants to switch from gas b/c it would be so much work to make all new cars and replace all the gas stations) But electric cars (like hydro cars) will always have power, since electricity will exist as long as we have ANY source of energy.
While solar power is great in theory, we have yet to see truly practical solar power (in my knowledge). The likelihood is that we will not in the near future find any source of energy that will last forever, so it's good to keep our options open with electric cars that can use any source of energy.
treacherous @ Jan 11th 2008 3:03PM
My concern is much less with the environment than not supporting the third world dictatorships we do when we buy oil. However, I am a lover of clean air just like the rest of you, and cars that emit water vapor as their only byproduct seem to me to be the best way to achieve this.
I do see what you are saying in that the Hydrogen gas needs to be separated from water through electrolysis. I'm also a supporter of Nuclear power. It is by far the most efficient, and is a clean source of energy. Off-shore windfarms are also great ideas. Solar is nice as a secondary power source, but it is so inefficient that it is not cost-effective.
MichaelD @ Jan 11th 2008 3:18PM
I think it's important for people to realize that global warming and the environment are not the only reasons to support alternative energy and technology like electric/hydro powered cars. I don't see global warming as a serious problem (not to start a new debate), yet I still firmly support alternative energy, for the reason treacherous stated as well as the simple reason that our current energy sources will eventually run dry.
P.S. I'm big on wind power too...