This reminded me of a lot of web searching that I did on the topic several years ago. I scrounged up a few copies of pdf files for ideas that supported fuel cells for automobiles. The topic interested me because I knew that prices for fuel were going to go up and they sure did. At 150 bucks a barrel, the price of oil was ruinous. As far as the environmental part of this is concerned, it doesn't interest me much. But the economic and national security aspect of this problem certainly does.
Here's what I wrote about it in 2004:
My web searching back in 2004 yielded some ideas that could lead to a fuel delivery system for hydrogen fuel cells. It would involved recycling carbon dioxide by producing hydrogen from electrolyzing methanol. This would solve logistical problems with moving and storing hydrogen. However, it would require advances in fuel cell technology and/or a cheap and plentiful source of rare or expensive catalysts. Obtaining the expensive catalysts could come from mining asteroids.
A side product of this was a bit of research that I did on Al Gore. Of course, Al Gore is big time on these issues. One thing I thought about is why he didn't become president. No, not because Bush "stole" the election, but what was it about the man that frustrated his ambitions? I think that my posts on arrogance can explain it as well as anything. I think you could write a book on the subject. Really.
1 comment:
The part about recycling carbon dioxide may be a little too ambitious. I looked that up on the Ballard Fuel Cell site. But they claim superior cash flow over batteries over the lifetime of their fuel cells. This with even 8 dollar a kilogram for hydrogen. The costs for the fuel cells are the sticking point. Get that down and the idea may be workable for autos even at 8 dollars per kg of hydrogen.
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