YA Hydrogen article - positive this time - sci.energy

Message from discussion YA Hydrogen article - positive this time

Neil Adams

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More options Mar 13 2003, 5:45 am

Newsgroups: sci.energy, sci.energy.hydrogen

From: "Neil Adams" <neilad...@NOSPAMmydestiny.net>

Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 18:43:15 +0800

Local: Thurs, Mar 13 2003 5:43 am

Subject: Re: YA Hydrogen article - positive this time

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SNIP:

> "Hydrogen stores energy more effectively than current batteries, burns
twice
> as efficiently in a fuel cell as gasoline does in an internal combustion
> engine (more than making up for the energy required to produce it), and
> leaves only water behind."

That's the point: hydrogen is an energy store. You have to make it first
and the energy required to make it is always more than you get back. So
what are you going to make it with? It's like saying that we're going to
use batteries for energy. Even if the hydrogen cycle can be made a bit
more efficient than current batteries, you must first charge them or
manufacture the hydrogen using energy. That plus the storage and
distribution of elemental hydrogen are the questions to be addressed.

If ever you do discover a reliable and plentiful supply of non-fossil fuel
to make your hydrogen with, or to charge your batteries with, you might
just find that for most applications, elemental hydrogen is not the best
choice for storage and distribution of the energy.

Neil A.

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