Prospector

The Hydrogen Economy - Energy and Economic Black Hole

This article rants against hydrogen powered cars. I dispute many of the arguments but it does contain alot of good information. There are also pretty good references.

I have a particular problem with the author's calculation of efficiency of wind energy to hydrogen:
Current wind turbines can generate electricity at 30-40% efficiency, producing hydrogen at an overall 25% efficiency (.35 wind electricity * .70 electrolysis of water), or 3 units of wind energy to get 1 unit of hydrogen energy.

This is a specious calculation because the "units of wind energy" are currently not used at all so it would still be an improvement in the use of wind for power.

In other cases her arguments are more reasoned even though the whole article trounces the idea of hydrogen powered cars.


Quote:

The Hydrogen Economy - Energy and Economic Black Hole
2.25.05 Alice Friedemann, Freelance Journalist

You will discover that hydrogen is the least likely of all the alternative energies to solve our transportation problems. Hydrogen uses more energy than you get out of it. The only winners in the hydrogen scam are large auto companies receiving billions of dollars via the FreedomCAR Initiative to build hydrogen vehicles. And most importantly, the real problem that needs to be solved is how to build hydrogen trucks, so we can plant, harvest, and deliver food and other goods.



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posted by Prospector @ 9:17 AM