| Landen99 2005-08-30, 10:21 pm |
| Technically, there is no such thing as an energy source. All energy
comes from potential energy. Even the sun doesn't "generate" energy,
but merely converts it from the energy storage mechanism called matter.
Check out the definition of fuel: Something consumed to produce energy
(see http://www.answers.com/topic/fuel). Perhaps the point is that
hydrogen is not free energy, like solar energy or petroleum, etc. It
is important to note that the two issues are separate: power production
and hydrogen production are very different issues.
Hydrogen combustion is typically only utilized in NASA rockets (which
burn H2 with pure O2) and torch welders, neither of which create
pollution, either (though those topics are unrelated to, but frequently
confused with, our hydrogen discussion).
The main issue of hydrogen skeptics is H2 production, but production
and consumption are highly separate issues. Okay, so what are the
issues of hydrogen production? Most skeptics point to the pollution
caused by power plants which generate and refine our hydrogen by
various mechanisms and from various sources. Is it true that energy
required to produce hydrogen pollutes? Yes, but the two issues are
completely separate. For example, my car pollutes and I drive it to
work, therefore should I not work? The issue is not my work
(hydrogen), it is the means of getting there (power plants).
Whether free, dirty energy is taken from the ground as petroleum,
refined and burned, or cheap coal plants are built, THE WORLD'S ENERGY
DEMANDS REMAIN CONSTANT. Hydrogen can be handled safely, can be
utilized efficiently with electric motors. The costs of H2
pressurization, safety and transport are negligible. The costs of H2
production range from $2.40 to $3.50 per equivalent gallon of gasoline,
but nuclear reactors could easily slash those prices by increasing
power supply on the market and utilizing off-demand power. In fact,
simple heat transfer modifications could easily transfer the energy
more directly from the reactors to the hydrogen using the water-gas
shift reaction. This would bypass the heat-electricity-electrolysis
mechanism with a simple heat transfer.
So let's build more nuclear power plants and start storing the
off-power in hydrogen beginning today. It'll lower the costs of
electricity and prepare our economy for the hydrogen future. The
infrastructure will be waiting and growing in anticipation of the
inevitable. I mean really, who wants to wage World War III with the
Muslims? As long as we are dependent on them for oil, we will continue
to be forced into wars in the Middle East, like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Our security and our freedoms depend on hydrogen (and/or other
non-petroleum/alternative fuels).
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