Hydrogen Economy

There’s been much talk in recent months about building a ‘hydrogen economy’. Using hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuels. It’s an interesting concept, but it’s rife with problems – the worst being that politicians are latching onto the idea, even in the knowledge that we’re a decade away from such a reality, minimum.

There are two principal sources of hydrogen: water, and fossil fuels. That’s no minor hurdle on either count. The hydrogen is quite well locked up in the water (remember the formula – H2O – two hydrogen atoms, one oxygen atom). To release the hydrogen, you have to break the water molecule apart. The ‘easiest’ means is electrolysis – pass a current through separated anode and cathode within the water, and hydrogen will be released from one, while oxygen is released from the other. another means is the polymer electrolyte membrane. both methods require passing electricity through the water. we know what that means – burning fossil fuels to create a non-fossil fuel! ouch. there is no net gain in energy. the only real purpose for such a scheme is to create a transportable form of energy for vehicles.

the other method is direct creation of hydrogen directly from fossil fuels, most commonly, natural gas. again, that’s a heck of a hurdle, in terms of net energy – you’re not really creating a new source of energy, you’re merely converting it from one form to another. on top of that, natural gas itself makes a pretty darned good portable fuel. so, the question is, why bother making hydrogen from it? i have no answer to that one. it seems like it should be pronounced dead from the start, but there’s considerable interest in it.

I ran across an interesting site that lacks the hype, and talks in real terms about the use of hydrogen as a fuel – and they have working, practical applications in place: United Nuclear.

The ‘best’ mechanism for creating hydrogen, without burdening the fossil fuel stream, is using solar energy to create the electricity, which is used for electrolysis of water, and the hydrogen then collected and used as portable fuel.

again though, i have to ask – why? a lightweight, battery-powered vehicle could be directly recharged with the electricity from a solar array – once again, cut out the middleman.