Hydrogen for Energy?
Here are some pro hydrogen slide shows:
http://www.rmi.org/images/PDFs/Energy/E03-15_H2FutureOfEnergy.pdf
http://www.fuelcellsuk.org/team/Library/20HydrogenMyths.pdf
I don't believe in hydrogen power. It gives the owners of gas stations a way to stay in business.
Hardly better than charging at home, overnight with a pure electric car.
Fuel cell: Ten percent of the moving parts of a gas engine. That is good.
Electric: no moving parts, other than the motor, which only needs 1 moving part.
Fuel cell: Hydrogen has to be stored at extremely high pressures to be useful.
Electric: Solid batteries are safer than highly pressurized, combustible gases.
Fuel cell: Hydrogen is generated from other fuels, from electricity. At best 50% efficiency converting
to hydrogen, and 50% back to electric. That is 25% overall if you are optimistic.
Electric: Powered off the gird directly, preferably at night when rates are lower. About 90% efficiency.
Fuel cell: Hydrogen stations need to be built. Hydrogen cannot be put into natural gas pipelines, the
smaller molecule escapes.
Electric: Charge at home. The infrastructure is already there, some bits might need to be upgraded.
Most charging will be overnight, which is off-peak anyways.
Fuel cell: Can pump energy back into the grid from stored hydrogen.
Electric: can pump energy back into the grid, stored in the battery.
Pure electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid cars seem to win when compared to hydrogen. Batteries take
hours to charge except if you want a less efficient "fast charge", which can take 10 minutes for 70%
charge. Hydrogen still can take a number of minutes. You could use a series plug-in hybrid to give you
power from existing gas stations when needed and you don't have a place to charge your batteries.
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Here are some pro hydrogen slide shows:
http://www.rmi.org/images/PDFs/Energy/E03-15_H2FutureOfEnergy.pdf
http://www.fuelcellsuk.org/team/Library/20HydrogenMyths.pdf
I don't believe in hydrogen power. It gives the owners of gas stations a way to stay in business.
Hardly better than charging at home, overnight with a pure electric car.
Fuel cell: Ten percent of the moving parts of a gas engine. That is good.
Electric: no moving parts, other than the motor, which only needs 1 moving part.
Fuel cell: Hydrogen has to be stored at extremely high pressures to be useful.
Electric: Solid batteries are safer than highly pressurized, combustible gases.
Fuel cell: Hydrogen is generated from other fuels, from electricity. At best 50% efficiency converting
to hydrogen, and 50% back to electric. That is 25% overall if you are optimistic.
Electric: Powered off the gird directly, preferably at night when rates are lower. About 90% efficiency.
Fuel cell: Hydrogen stations need to be built. Hydrogen cannot be put into natural gas pipelines, the
smaller molecule escapes.
Electric: Charge at home. The infrastructure is already there, some bits might need to be upgraded.
Most charging will be overnight, which is off-peak anyways.
Fuel cell: Can pump energy back into the grid from stored hydrogen.
Electric: can pump energy back into the grid, stored in the battery.
Pure electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid cars seem to win when compared to hydrogen. Batteries take
hours to charge except if you want a less efficient "fast charge", which can take 10 minutes for 70%
charge. Hydrogen still can take a number of minutes. You could use a series plug-in hybrid to give you
power from existing gas stations when needed and you don't have a place to charge your batteries.
Next
Options Index
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