PBS Newshour: Will investment in hydrogen-powered cars pay off?

[Peace Piper]

After spending more than a decade and billions of dollars on developing zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, carmakers are planning to release their models in California. But despite the state’s large demand for cars and tough air quality standards, California lacks a network of fueling stations. Scott Shafer and Sheraz Sadiq of KQED in San Francisco have the story.

Transcript: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/comes-first-hydrogen-powered-cars-fueling-stations/

A hydrogen refueling station can be installed almost anywhere in a matter of 48 hours



The only exhaust from a fuel cell is water



Top Gear review of a Fuel Cell Car from 2008: http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/honda-clarity

 

[KCIndy]

Hydrogen cars will only "pay off" when we can find a really, really, REALLY cheap way to generate hydrogen.

 

[Peace Piper]

Hydrogen cars will only "pay off" when we can find a really, really, REALLY cheap way to generate hydrogen.

Like with solar

Hydrogen can be made on site using electricity from solar panels, like Honda is doing in Japan.

http://world.honda.com/FuelCell/SolarHydrogenStation/

The Honda Solar Hydrogen Fueling Station

Or what Tetris Millionaire Henk Rogers is doing in Hawaii

http://www.energytrendsinsider.com/2014/04/23/renewable-hydrogen-on-the-big-island/​

Or in Corsica

Hydrogen energy storage: power ramp-up at the MYRTE test platform. "Since 1/2012, this platform has connected photovoltaic solar panels to a hydrogen-based storage system. By joining the power grid, this provides a solution to the problem of intermittency & makes it one of the rare installations.."

http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/...power-ramp-up-at-the-myrte-test-platform.html​

Or wind

Siemens plans electrolyzer system to store wind power as hydrogen. The system, equipped with an electrolyzer from Siemens, will convert surplus electricity from wind farms to hydrogen. The hydrogen will then be stored locally in tankers or fed directly into the natural gas grid.
http://www.elp.com/articles/2014/05...r-system-to-store-wind-power-as-hydrogen.html

​

Every American should be damned embarrassed because these innovations are taking place elsewhere. The US could have led this entire hydrogen revolution but were too busy blowing the treasury on wars overseas, propping up the petrodollar, net wiretapping and now Ukraine.