New World Hydrogen
Filed in archive Edge Technology , Future , H2 by michael on April 27, 2006

Sounds good to me but, this is where the first catch comes in: to produce H2 in any sufficient quantity we would have to use a high-temperature thermochemical electrolysis
process powered by either a conventional power plant or a nuclear reactor. This is fine by me as long as we can get a net energy savings and a net emission savings and consider me demanding but at a cost that my pocket book can afford.But other obstacles exsist as well:
Storage Costs: Hydrogen is a light weight gas, and storage and or transmission through pipe lines would require compression - another added energy loss on the way to our new world.
Cost of Fuel Cells: hydrogen powered fuel cells are going to have to substantially come down in price.
Efficiency of Fuel Cells: we will have to make net gains in fuel cell efficiency but even when we do will we want to even use them hence -
Acceptance of Fuel Cell Costs: I haven't looked into this yet but can an electric engine car powered by a fuel cell give the same thrill as driving a car with a turbo V-8?
Restructuring Costs: New distribution, production facilities: this might not quite be an obstacle as some people tend to think but it has to be considered. This cost is probably more of an offset cost; similar to laying other supporting infrastructures, fiber optics, electrical grids, roadways... etc.
More Costs: there always are.
Despite these blocks there seems to be a lot of interest in this area:
- Governments from all over the world are funding research initiatives.
- Multi-national groups have formed to promote the idea one such group is the "International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy."
- Researchers are actively researching all aspects of this idea.
- Books Such as Jerry Rifkin's, "The Hydrogen Economy" inspire us think about how a new hydrogen world would fundamentally change our overall social institution ...
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