Loved the Hydrogen Economy Out of Reach Article - Thanks Jack.
I forgot where I read it, but the following is what I see as why a "hydrogen
future" just doesn't make sense.
1. The most valuable form of energy is electricity. That is why we burn
oil (an incredible raw material for manufacturing) to make electricity.
2. Turning electricity into hydrogen (or vice-versa), wastes at least a
fourth of this energy each way. So making electricity into hydrogen and
back again loses nearly half the energy, not including all the losses of
building and maintaining a hydrogen transportation system, or building and
maintaining the vehicles, and their streets, support services, etc.
Or you could just use the electricity to power streetcar networks. By the
way, you could construct an urban micro rail system (think bumper cars, only
bigger) that emulates the private auto. Base it on Europe's Stratauto
neighborhood rental system. You punch up a screen on your cell phone and
order up a car of choice. It pulls up to meet you at the corner, and off
you go. You and your passengers punch in and share - being charged by the
minute. I say by the minute instead of the mile because this provides a
disincentive to travel during rush hours.
This also eliminates all the energy, money and space wasted on 200 million
cars sitting around 23 hours a day rusting.
There are lots of answers, but they all involve using 80% less energy to
build and maintain vehicles and get around. Translate this as less money
for industry. The real lesson is carrying 100 kilo people around
individually in 2,000 kilo vehicles isn't sustainable.
As to the fact that wind power (the only truly viable alternative) is
isolated in northern and coastal areas, it would be more efficient to build
solar panels there and ship them south.
--
Robert Haston
Satellite Beach, FL