Comments on: Radically New Technique To Produce Hydrogen Fuel From Water

By: jimharvey

jimharvey — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 15:58:00 +0000

Yeah the logistics may be a bit tough here. Where there is an abundance of sun there is usually a lack of water and vice-verse. But I hope this is economically feasible. It would be a great technological leap. I say; if you want to end oils and fuels come up with economically viable alternatives without expensive retail cost impact. Some only bad mouth what is currently economical, without solution. UC is coming up with solutions although relatively expensive.. They are to be commended for their efforts. Now put into practice what has been theoretically proven and do the appropriate economic evaluation, without bias. Impressive.

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 16:01:00 +0000

At the minimum it would take legislation to force the H2 to come from renewable sources rather than natural gas. Set up a ‘NG H2′ pump next to a ‘renewable H2′ pump and few people would pay the extra cost for clean H2.

Furthermore, in the US, our political climate has to change a lot before that sort of legislature could clear Congress.

By: H2 rent seeking economics

H2 rent seeking economics — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 08:25:00 +0000

IMO hydrogen still has two major problems that oil has (but batteries don’t necessarily have):
1. Oil corporations would still be using the public for rent seeking, so 100 of billions of our hard earnings would still be going to the very few who just happened to inherit the whole thing.
The trickle up effect of money to Banking Corporations & to a lesser extent Oil Corporations is the major cause of our economic system which essentially means the public work for the financial benefit of Private banks who usu. create money when a loan is made. See http://www.positivemoney.org . Hydrogen seems like it when be more rent seeking by the massively rich at our expense.

2. Hydrogen would still probably come mainly from hydrocarbons and incur the constant cost of refueling.

By: titorite

titorite — Sun, 11 May 2014 07:11:00 +0000

water to fuel cars are not unknown . The process is in many places. Many already understand how well two cylinders take browns gas… thats why motorcycles are leading the way in hydrogen conversions.

The new era is upon us.

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 05:16:00 +0000

It’s a bit dated. But EVs still maintain at least a 2x advantage. A move from 50% to 65% at the fuel cell level isn’t much of a move.

By: mark mariner

mark mariner — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 04:47:00 +0000

I am not sure how recent this chart is (which is very interesting btw) but fuels cells have achieved 65% efficiency.

By: jeffhre

jeffhre — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 04:58:00 +0000

That is also true. Much like diesel powered tankers that are used to transport gasoline today. Well, except the gas molecules are not small enough to escape through solid steel tanks. And the gas is not compressed to 10,000 psi or shipped at -423 F.

By: beernotwar

beernotwar — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 00:24:00 +0000

Holy cow that’s awesome! Thanks for posting.

By: Howard99401 .

Howard99401 . — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 21:25:00 +0000

I like your technology. My hydrogen video, 30 gallons per minute, is on my YouTube channel ( Howard99401 ).

I believe your technology and our technology may be complements which have commercial potential. Can we chat at your convenience?

Kind regards,
Howard Phillips
Tel. 580 746 2430
Skype: howardphillips122333
Email: hp@valliant.net

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 04:54:00 +0000

There are inefficiencies all along the hydrogen pathway.

Then, as you say, add in the cost of a new infrastructure to generate, transport and distribute the hydrogen. That cost must be reflected in the final fuel price.

By: beernotwar

beernotwar — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 23:32:00 +0000

Just from a cost perspective I think battery storage will win out in the end. We already have a transmission system to charge batteries. Hydrogen would require an entirely new, potentially hazardous system to get the hydrogen to the end user. So in the end I suspect just generating electricity with those solar plants and sending it across the grid will be more efficient. Once battery technology improves, I doubt hydrogen will be competitive.

By: Martin Trevino

Martin Trevino — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:22:00 +0000

You can use hydrogen-powered tankers to transport the hydrogen

By: Edward Kerr

Edward Kerr — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 14:37:00 +0000

Here is the complete URL in case that fails.

By: Edward Kerr

Edward Kerr — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 14:34:00 +0000

There are BIG problems with free hydrogen. It’s a volatile as gasses get. However, with hydride (which is illegal to purchase) hydrogen can be safely stored and used. Of course, it’s the cleanest burning fuel in the world and the basis of the physical universe but that’s another story.

See what Bob Lazar (of area 51 fame or notoriety (take your pic) has done to power his Corvette. /watch?v=ag4iy6yg4R4

There are answers. It’s just that TPTB and their owners have little to no imagination, not to mention being weak in the sciences.

By: JamesWimberley

JamesWimberley — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 12:40:00 +0000

It’s a definite plus for this technology that it does not need innovation in the solar towers and heliostats. Solar furnaces have been reaching 3,500 deg C for decades, far higher than the temperatures cited. Current solar towers for CSP run far less hot, because for steam generation 500 – 1000 deg C is quite enough.
Do Americans really still require Fahrenheit outside the home heating range?

By: Ronald Brakels

Ronald Brakels — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 07:41:00 +0000

Jim was asking about onsite storage and use.

By: 4Aces

4Aces — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 07:20:00 +0000

Lower cost, but not very effective. Thermal Energy Storage round trip effciency is quite high, but you still need to covert heat into power, unless your end product is heat itself. So your suggestion isn’t comparable unless you include some additional conversion to power or fuel into the analysis. Are you planning on transporting heat or running a car off released heat?

What makes this process less competitive is the extremely low price of natural gas… it is just too cheap and is hurting almost every alternative energy technology. PV isnt competitive either without extra incentives.

By: Ronald Brakels

Ronald Brakels — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 04:21:00 +0000

A much lower cost option would be to use thermal heat storage instead of hydrogen. Or ammonia could be made and used for fertilizer manufacture. But as the article says, the hydrogen produced is not currently competitive, so no one is likely to do that without additional incentive.

By: 4Aces

4Aces — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:32:00 +0000

It is possible, but not practical now. It is much closer to being practical as the hydrogen production process becomes more efficient. Knowing the details makes it much easier to understand how this could become a practical technology.

By: 4Aces

4Aces — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:30:00 +0000

Use ammonia borane with a dehydrogenation catalyst, or generate it close to demand (Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, LA, Dallas, Denver, Atlanta… plenty of cities in the sun belt). Or, generate the H2, store it and generate power in a fuel cell during periods of higher power demand.