DOE Launches Public-Private Partnership to Deploy Hydrogen Infrastructure

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/daily.cfm/hp_news_id=384

[font face=Serif][font size=5]DOE Launches Public-Private Partnership to Deploy Hydrogen Infrastructure[/font]

May 13, 2013

[font size=3]The Energy Department launched H[font size=1]₂[/font]USA—a new public-private partnership focused on advancing hydrogen infrastructure to support more transportation energy options for U.S. consumers, including fuel cell electric vehicles. The new partnership brings together automakers, government agencies, gas suppliers, and the hydrogen and fuel cell industries to coordinate research and identify cost-effective solutions to deploy infrastructure that can deliver affordable, clean hydrogen fuel in the United States.

"Fuel cell technologies are an important part of an all-of-the-above approach to diversify America's transportation sector, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and increase our competitiveness in the global market," said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Danielson. "By bringing together key stakeholders from across the U.S. fuel cell and hydrogen industry, the H[font size=1]₂[/font]USA partnership will help advance affordable fuel cell electric vehicles that save consumers money and give drivers more options."

Current members of the H[font size=1]₂[/font]USA partnership include the American Gas Association, Association of Global Automakers, the California Fuel Cell Partnership, the Electric Drive Transportation Association, the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association, Hyundai Motor America, ITM Power, Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition, Mercedes-Benz USA, Nissan North America Research and Development, Proton OnSite, and Toyota Motor North America.

"The fact that a number of entities are coming together to work together through this partnership is a very positive sign," said Morry Markowitz, President & Executive Director, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association.

…[/font][/font]

[hunter]

1. Turning natural gas into hydrogen is not a desirable technology.

When are we going to think outside of the box, that box being our automobiles?

This would be one way to start: let's limit all personal vehicles to 10 kilowatts or less, and eventually build a society where owning a car is simply a nuisance or a shallow vanity.

Nope, I know, I know, we won't do that. Instead we will keep burning fossil fuels as the house burns down around us and we won't stop building automobiles until the civilization that is capable of building automobiles is dead.

I don't like the natural gas industry any more than I like the coal industry. The best thing we can do with fossil fuels is leave them in the ground.

[Gregorian]

2. Bravo!

The fuel cell leading researchers agree that hydrogen is not the way forward. I would place bets that this is a back room deal.

If only we could recommend posts. It's as if I were reading my own words. And that almost never happens, with respect to the energy posts.

Thanks. I didn't expect to hear sanity. And it actually makes my morning feel good.

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. “The fuel cell leading researchers agree that hydrogen is not the way forward.”

That's news to me. Could you offer some documentation?

[Gregorian]

11. Here you go. Ulf Bossel in Swizerland.

That's one of the leading fuel cell research scientists.

Here- http://www.fuelcellforum.com/reports/E21.pdf

[OKIsItJustMe]

12. Written in 2006 by one author

How about something a little more recent?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112740208

Try a quick web search:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=hydrogen+biomass+efficient+study

[Gregorian]

14. I think you missed the entire point.

First, I did see that DU link. I didn't recommend it. And I seriously doubt we can produce even a tiny fraction of our energy needs through biomass hydrogen recovery.

Ulf Bossel is not just "one author". He is one of the foremost leading fuel cell researchers. His main point was that moving electrons is far better than moving hydrogen.

I predict hydrogen will not be in our vocabulary much longer. I could be wrong. But at this point in time, electric motors running off of renewable resources like wind, solar going into batteries is most likely where we're headed.

Our real problem is just how much energy we're using. And I don't think people are even aware yet how fast it is increasing right now. Faster than population growth.

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. I heartily agree. However, the next best thing to leaving it in the ground, is to use it wisely

(Long-term) hydrogen would presumably be generated by renewable technologies.

In the meantime, using hydrogen produced by reforming natural gas is rather efficient, compared to burning it in an internal combustion engine.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/production/natural_gas.html

[Gregorian]

4. Even fuel cells are not without byproducts.

Renewable, electric motors, batteries. I don't see anything that beats it. Well, except doing it yourself. But that's a bunch of work. I don't have time to churn my own butter AND enjoy a comfortable life. So here we are, all modernized.

It's a strange time. For all of eternity we have just "lived". But now we're killing the planet. Soon, I imagine, we'll be on the other side. Fewer species, less diversity, turbulent weather, but no more "campfires" to make life easier.

This is only one fraction of what we have on our plates though. I think many people are missing this crucially important aspect of what we have become. Weird times. I wish I were a fool.

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. Do you think batteries are environmentally benign then?

Batteries involve hundreds of pounds of material which must be mined, and disposed of. (At this point, recycling lithium isn’t financially attractive. It’s cheaper just to mine more.)

http://www.waste-management-world.com/articles/print/volume-12/issue-4/features/the-lithium-battery-recycling-challenge.html

[quadrature]

7. Blood Cobalt

do you know where platinum and
cobalt come from?

(some places that are not very nice)

[OKIsItJustMe]

10. Let's see, what quantity of platinum and cobalt are used?

Hundreds of pounds?

[hunter]

8. My shoes don't need batteries.

If I walk to work or the corner market or the trolley stop, I'm not driving.

You don't get rid of all the cars and trucks, just most of them.

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. I walk a good bit myself

although I prefer to ride a bicycle.

[Socialistlemur]

13. Why would you say we are killing the planet?

I don't think we are "killing the planet". We are extinguishing species. Eventually evolution should take care of this glitch.