Hydrogen cars hold expensive surprises

The Globe and Mail ^ | Friday, Jul. 18, 2003 | STEPHEN STRAUSS

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Green-spirited individuals hoping to do their part to save the environment by buying hydrogen-fuelled cars next year are in for expensive and rude surprises, a study by a Canadian and a U.S. scientist says.

Establishing an infrastructure to fuel hydrogen cars, touted by their proponents as a wonder solution to global warming and smog, would cost $5,000 per vehicle, says the study by David Keith, a Canadian atmospheric physicist teaching at Carnegie Mellon University and Alex Farrell of the California Institute of Technology.

Although cars operating on hydrogen fuel cells emit only water vapor, switching to hydrogen would be about 100 times more expensive than simply making present cars less polluting, they say.

Although hydrogen cars would not emit the potent greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, making power plants cleaner burning could achieve the same effect at 1/10 the cost, says the paper published today in the U.S. journal Science.

Many factors conspire to drive up the price of the hydrogen-fuelled vehicles, which the Ford Motor Co. will begin to sell in a limited way in Vancouver next year.

Transporting and storing the difficult-to-contain hydrogen gas is one.

But equally important is dealing with the byproducts formed by the creation of hydrogen, considered a "clean fuel." Hydrogen is currently made as an offshoot of oil and coal refining. But this process creates a huge amount of carbon dioxide.

No one is sure how to keep that carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere and heating up the planet.

"Hydrogen cars should be seen as one of several long-term options, but they make no sense anytime soon," the research paper says.

Prof. Keith was more scathing in an interview.

"My take-home message is that hydrogen cars are to some extent a technological solution in search of a problem. People are attracted to them because they appear to be a magic answer to a whole series of problems. But if you turn the question around and ask, 'What is my problem and what what are reasonably cost-effective solutions,' . . . A hydrogen fuel-cell car is not an early part of any cost-effective solution to any of your problems."

Given this uncertainty, he added that the Canadian support of hydrogen-fuel research, notably at the National Research Centre in Vancouver and through subsidies for hydrogen industries, such as Ballard Power Systems Inc., also in Vancouver, might prove to be the proverbial pig in a poke.

"One of the issues, right or wrong, is Canada betting on a hydrogen horse that is actually going to end up running anywhere? I think one should be very skeptical, despite all the hype."

Defenders of what is sometimes called the "hydrogen economy" said the paper's analysis misses several important points, one being the increase in the cost of gasoline.

"Today, fossil fuels are relatively cheap. When we use up half the supply of the world's oil, the price is going to shoot up. Will that be 2010 or 2020 or 2037? Nobody knows for sure," said Jeremy Rifkin, a Washington-D.C.-based economist and author of the recent book The Hydrogen Economy.

Ron Venter, a University of Toronto engineering professor and a vice-president of the Canadian Hydrogen Association, points out that North American car companies are experimenting with the clean and localized production of hydrogen by using electricity to break down water and thus circumvent the carbon dioxide-storage issue.

Ballard spokesman Mike Rosenberg said his company is aware that the present car and improvements to it are their chief competitors. "But we think we will overtake the internal-combustion engine eventually."

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Seems to be some trouble in the Hydrogen Utopia.

Enjoy.

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[Fabozz]

"North American car companies are experimenting with the clean and localized production of hydrogen by using electricity to break down water and thus circumvent the carbon dioxide-storage issue."

No, not "circumvent," merely "disguise." 80% of the electricity in North America comes from the burning of fossil fuels and thus the production of CO₂. Anyone advocating a "hydrogen economy" is either secretly pushing nuclear power (like Bush and Cheney) or is a buffoon (like Jeremy Rifkin).

[RLK]

No, not "circumvent," merely "disguise." 80% of the electricity in North America comes from the burning of fossil fuels and thus the production of CO2.

-----------------

The energy use employed to produce the hydrogen would be catastrophic.

[chuckles]

I think the real propeller heads envision solar pannels on each roof converting water into H &O2. The problems there are the amount you could make at home would get you to the cornner maybe in 12hrs. Another problem seems to me would be O2 poisoning the atmosphere. If everyone did this there would be too much O2 released into the air. I fear O2 poisoning and fires that couldn't be extinguished. Fires would be the only way to burn up the extra O2 to save whats left of the planet. Fire= CO2? Wasn't that the first problem?

[Centurion2000]

I like nuclear power .... I just wish that I had one behind the back yard.

[Luke Skyfreeper]

Although hydrogen cars would not emit the potent greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, making power plants cleaner burning could achieve the same effect at 1/10 the cost, says the paper published today in the U.S. journal Science.

Hydrogen is currently made as an offshoot of oil and coal refining. But this process creates a huge amount of carbon dioxide.

Bwaaahaaahaaahaahaaa!

[marron]

Hydrogen is currently made as an offshoot of oil and coal refining.

Repeat as often as necessary until you get it.

[BenLurkin]

[Jeff Chandler]

>>the potent greenhouse gas carbon dioxide<<

CO2 is now "potent"? Give me a break! If the goal of hydrogen power is to reduce CO2 emmisions, then we are fools. Global temperatures are beyond our control.

It is ridiculous to build an infrastructure for widespread use of hydrogen fuel. Alternative fuels are only practical for local fleet use, where the fuel and qualified maintenance personnel and supplies can be centrally located.

Is there not one person in public life with any sense at all?!

[HAL9000]

Hydrogen cars hold expensive surprises

So does my current car.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Ping

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[HighWheeler]

These libs throw this out as if is established fact:

"No one is sure how to keep that carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere and heating up the planet."

[appeal2]

I lke CO2, it puts bubbles in my soda and Champagne.

[TC Rider]

"Today, fossil fuels are relatively cheap. When we use up half the supply of the world's oil, the price is going to shoot up. Will that be 2010 or 2020 or 2037? Nobody knows for sure," said Jeremy Rifkin, a Washington-D.C.-based economist and author of the recent book The Hydrogen Economy.

I wonder if anyone asked the tired hack, Rifkin, if this would happen before or after the ice age? ..or the ice caps melting? ..or any of the other scare scenarios he's promoted through the years.

[Salman]

Hindenburg-mobiles, Oh the humanity!

[Joined2Justify]

Here's a tidbit on a hydrogen car I saw.

It was the early 60's in wealthy burbs north of Detroit. I was driving with Dad and he pointed it out "Oh there's ***, that car is powered by hydrogen". I don't recall ***'s name, but Dad said he was head of GM Tech.

Now the first thing I said was "Dad, that's guy's drivin a rolling bomb, he could take out the neighborhood!" Then Dad said, "oh it's a bomb alright, *** told me it has very impressive acceleration, as to being explosive, it doesn't store the hydrogen. I bumped into him at the Mobil station at Long Lake and Woodward where he was cleaning his windshield and had a look under the hood. Two thick walled pint nalgene canisters, one of hydogen peroxide the other of hydrochloic acid. (Dad explained which dripped into which, but I don't recall). So it goes from the second canister straight to the injectors". Guy was also bragging it went 3 months on one fill up.

Now I'm not a chemist, but having grown up in Detriot I can guarantee that if you develop something like this and don't sell it to one of the Big3 when they come calling (who will without doubt add it to a long list other fuel "saving" improvements lining their circular dead files), you will find yourself wearing some mighty heavy shoes and taking on water very rapidly.

So much for integrity in that town. btw, In searching the net high and low for any info on this 64' Tornado this interesting link came up.

http://www.freeenergy.co.za/1think/supressed/suppressed.htm