Hey Darryl,
I agree with you, why aren't biofuels as sexy as fuel cells? Where's hollyood
when you need them? I have always thought that if people could understand the
idea of carbon neutrality, biodiesel and other distillates would be a no
brainer. "I'll take some fresh atmospheric carbon with that please, hold the
petroleum". Or maybe Pamela Anderson with rapeseed oil all over her breasts. Or
maybe the fast food industry instigating fatty foods ingestion to fuel our
energy economy. sounds econogical
Jonathan
============================================================
From: "Darryl McMahon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: 2004/09/18 Sat AM 10:18:11 CDT
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Biofuel] Hydrogen Economy (was Question - efficiency of sunlight
conversion)
Hi Donald, you pressed my HE button. Response in-line below.
Donald Allwright <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
<snip PV vs biofuel text>
(available at http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/BIOFUEL/38355/)
>
> As an aside, I am puzzled as to why there is so much emphasis being
> placed on the "Hydrogen Economy" at the moment, especially by the US
> government. Hydogen is just a way of storing and transporting energy,
> just as are biofuels. OK, I realise that fuel cells can theoretically
> deliver a greater whole-cycle efficiency than biofuels, but it seems to
> me that a lot of money is being spent on something that probably won't
> give us a cost-effective solution for at least 20 years - given that
> there are still a large number of technical hurdles without totally
> satisfactory solutions. On the other hand, biofuel technology is pretty
> mature - most of it is at least 100 years old - and is available now.
> Biofuels could be used on a very wide scale without making any major
> changes to the infrastructure, such as the supply chain. While it does
> make sense to fund research into technology that one day may be even
> better, it seems that this is a poor excuse for not promoting
> technologies that can provide real benefits today. I do sometimes
> wonder whether it's more about 'image' - in other words, talking about
> Hydrogen is trendy, in a way that for example biodiesel is not.
>
> Donald
>
Why would a government with ties to the oil and coal industries be promoting
the
Hydrogen Economy?
Could it be because the primary source for hydrogen today is natural gas?
Or because the next source being promoted is from gasification of coal?
Or because the Hydrogen Economy provides a convenient screen to hide behind for
at
least 20 years so the oil and automotive sectors can continue to operate in a
business as usual mode in relative peace and quiet? Deflecting criticism for
not
developing electric (advanced battery) vehicles or electric-(bio)diesel hybrids
(per PNGV) vehicles that would upset their current operations and investment?
(Look how green we are! We're spending the taxpayer's money on hydrogen cars.)
Or because if the Hydrogen Economy, if it actually comes to fruition, would
actually increase demand for fossil fuels for the next 25-50 years?
It's not because the hydrogen will be produced from sustainable energy sources
-
the current U.S. government is cutting support for renewables.
I don't think the motivation is nearly as benign as "image".
As for cycle efficiency for hydrogen fuel cells, it's not nearly as rosy as
advertised. Probably in the order of 5%. See slide 17 from my presentation at
http://www.econogics.com/en/hydrogen.doc .
Or my article at http://www.econogics.com/ev/fcevreal.htm .
Or just start in at my webpage on the hydrogen economy at
http://www.econogics.com/en/heconomy.htm to get the whole story.
<snip earlier PV vs biofuel conversation text>
(available at http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/BIOFUEL/38355/)
--
Darryl McMahon http://www.econogics.com/
It's your planet. If you won't look after it, who will?
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