So, out of curiousity, who feels as though the hydrogen economy is on its way? I think I hope so, although wind seems a lot more promising right now. And I am not certain why wind is attracting so much more custom than solar. Hopefully the research on cheaper, more productive solar panels will change that.
Back to fuel cells: there is tons of research being done and lots of publications about why it is and is not plausible right now. I just went to an Energy fair and GM had their future fuel cell car out there (apparently they only have 2 made).
What sucks is that apparently the best way to get Hydrogen right now is to refine natural gas. Now, natural gas sure beats coal but I hope there is serious consideration for using wind and other renewables to produce Hydrogen.
The research is definitely started but it is so difficult to get a good idea of where things will end up.
2 thoughts on “Hydrogen Economy?”
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Hydrogen fuel cells are a long way off. Many people think the best way to stop using imported oil is to get electricity from wind and fuel from coal. Solar energy can’t compete with wind energy economically. It is really only useful as a complementary form of energy (when the wind isn’t blowing).
I hope that you are right and I pray that your optimism isn’t misplaced. I am not as hopeful, though. I am old and have come to the conclusion that anything requiring human caring or cooperation or understanding will be overwhelmed by human greed and arrogance and egotism and ignorance. We have turned the power to shape our world over the the Mitch McConnells and Joe Liebermans and Michelle Bachmans. Almost no one reads but millions listen to Linbaugh and Beck et al.
I have the same faith that you do in the ability of technology to overcome, to correct what we’ve done. At the end, though, the failure will come not because of a failure of machines or science. It will come because the human animal is so badly flawed.