Is Hydrogen the only hope for alternative fuels?
Our dependence on petroleum is a huge problem. Let’s get beyond the whole greenhouse gases and global warming thing and just look at the bare fact: it’s running out. And remember it isn’t just gasoline that we get from oil, it’s plastics, drugs, dyes, and a myriad of other critical things in your lives. Sure, we’re finding ways to squeeze more oil out of the Alberta Oil Sands, but this is a short term fix, what we need is a solution. So we’ve been looking at powering our cars on gas and electricity (hybrids), hydrogen fuel cells, just electricity, and alternative fuels like ethanol.
In the last couple days I’ve come across a bunch of interesting articles about the whole hydrogen as a fuel debate. From AlwaysOn and EcoWorld comes a pair of articles making a really good case for why hydrogen isn’t the way to go. You will note, however, that EcoWorld has some really big banner ads for corn-based ethanol fuels from GM. I am not saying that they are biased, but you do have to see the potential agenda there. That being said, hydrogen does have a lot of problems. It isn’t easy to make. The Earth’s gravity isn’t actually strong enough to keep those darn H2 molecules around very long, so storage is a huge issue. Oh, yeah, and it tends to like to explode (remember the Hindenberg?). Sure it just turns into water, but umm, having done those experiments in school, you don’t want a tank of H2 of any size going off (no, it wouldn’t be a thermonuclear explosion, just one helluva boom and fire).
So, alternative. Well there is just pure electricity. With better batteries you could reduce the amount of gas required to charge up the car. According to TechReview, this might be possible. Also from TechReview is an interesting article about genetically engineering bacteria to make electricity from waste. We certainly have enough waste, that’s for sure!
But, what is the common thread here? Below the surface of all of this is that we are going to have to look at changing our lifestyles. I have read post-apocalyptic scenarios where high gas prices during the American suburb into either a rich person’s paradise or ghost towns because no one can afford to drive to work.
Might be a good time to push telework, eh?
Tags: hybrid cars, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen fuel, electric cars
4 Comments
Fuel efficiency in a lot of cars comes because weight has been shaved off- whether in the form of lighter stronger metals, or by use of plastics. That all requires some pretty heavy duty fuel consumption at the manufacturing plants.
“They” will need to figure out a non-oil fuel that has the capability to be used in refining situations. The energy output has to be intense enough, sustained enough, to achieve things like melting metals. Maybe some clever solar adaptation. l
I think at some point though, we’ll be back to wagons and feet, because the amount of energy needed to manufacture solar systems, batteries, car bodies, extruding plastics from oil… relies on that big burst you get from oil (and coal).
We’ll have to adapt to a way of life that is less refined. And I think that will probably break quite a few people.
hope that came out coherantly- busy multitasking.
Clear as mud Deb
. No, you are spot on. We are facing a return to the nineteenth century if we’re not careful.
Just a good spot to say hey it is Bike to work week starting tommorow May 29 – June 4, 2006.
Im planning on riding my bike back and forth now, good for the world and good for me
http://www.biketoworkvictoria.ca/
Righto! Drink plenty of water Dara!