[semi-OT] Fuel Cells to Beth

I sent this message out in early Feb but accidentally included rich text
so...

****************************************
Actually, in the US the single biggest producer of hydrogen is...the oil
companies!

They currently generate hydrogen from natural gas and as a by-product of
petroleum refining.

Currently the US produces 515 BILLION cubic feet of hydrogen and has an
extensive distribution network along the Gulf coast. If this hydrogen was
diverted to personal transportation utilizing the first generation GM HyWire
hydrogen auto, it would provide about 10% of the US personal transportation
energy budget.

In fact, hydrogen at the source of production in the US costs about
one-half
of what gasoline costs at the source of production. The problem is transport
and storage: the current average hydrogen storage loses 4% of its contents per
day, making hydrogen a truly perishable commodity.

Lastly, hydrogen fuel cells in cars can provide power to their homeowners. Try
these numbers: Take all the cars registered in the state of California;
Convert them all to HyWire; At any given moment have 4% (1 in 25) plugged into
the power grid providing power back into the grid (not a big problem since the
average US auto is parked 90% of the day); You now have TWICE the average
electrical generation capacity that the whole state of California did in 2001!

Now everything is not rosy yet in hydrogen heaven: 1) The problem of storing
and transporting hydrogen cheaply has yet to be solved. General Motors has
prototype plans for site generation of hydrogen at fueling stations; 2)
Hydrogen generated from fossil fuel sources can be an interim solution
but it isn't viable long-term. Expansion of solar, hydro, and nuclear
sources of electrical generation and on-site generation of hydrogen is
seen as a solution. (BTW, given that the nuclear fuel resources of the planet
are also finite, this could be a big spur to mining the solar system). 3)
Money, this probably will cost some $10 trillion dollars over 40 years.
Overcoming society's inertia and the entrenched environmental mindset will
be difficult. The current eco-warrior creed demands short-term solutions
at
the expense of long-term sustainability. There's been studies in the US
since the 1970s (primarily by Lovett and his group) showing the
long-term
economic benefits of a hydrogen economy-unfortunately, the studies
indicate
that both the planet-rapers and the eco-warriors are wrong, alienated
all the interested parties, and were totally ignored. 4) Many people get hung
up on the cost of converting to hydrogen. Here's some thinking points: 4a) If
we don't convert to hydrogen, what else do we do? It's estimated that the
Third World will by 2070 increase the world's personal transportation energy
demand by 500%. The oil companies themselves estimate petrol production will
max out somewhere between 2020 and
2040. So eco-warriors, let's do the math...
4b) The petroleum revolution cost alot more $10 trillion (adjusted dollars).
The developed world already has the road system and electrical grid. GM has
the cars and the technology (trust me, they do). All we need is the support
structure, and that support structure should be seen not as a cost but as
capital investment and economic development...which can be sold to the Third
World in return for whatever we want (that's thrown in
for the greedy, cannibalistic, imperialist oppressors amongst you-long
may we rule in opulent decadent comfort).

Lastly even the oil companies like the hydrogen idea. They're looking at the
end of the easily-pumped oil pool. And that's the key point:
easily-pumped,
meaning cheaply pumped. We have a thousand years of oil left on this
planet-if you want to pay $223 a gallon to pick up your kids at soccer.
I won't do that, most people won't do that, and the oil companies are seeing
the end approaching for gasoline economies (even if you totally ignore
pollution concerns).

Actually, it's unrealistic to talk about "oil companies". They are energy
companies, producing and selling energy. Right now, money is being made in
petroleum. They'll be just as happy (probably happier) taking your money for
hydrogen.

Scott Watts Former Exploration Geologist

[quoted original message omitted]