Comments on: Are Fuel Cell Vehicles the Answer to the Growing Environmental Problems?

By: Blake

Blake — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:02:12 +0000

I personally like the prospects of plug-in hybrids if we can implement more renewable and stable sources of energy into the grid. If we can do that, plug-ins will rule.

By: Pat fisher

Pat fisher — Mon, 14 May 2007 17:01:04 +0000

Every one needs to see the movie. Who killed the electric car. with the use of solar and wind energy this is by far the best alternative.

By: Brian Carr

Brian Carr — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:13:52 +0000

Henry – Thanks for the comment. I agree, fuel cell vehicles have a long way to go, but at the same time, I don’t think we should write them off just yet.

By: Henry

Henry — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:15:23 +0000

To put it simply Fuelcells will also be the most expensive and inefficient fuel since it is made from another fuel thereby lossing from the start.
What is cheaper a pound of oysters or a pound of pearls?

By: Brian Carr

Brian Carr — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:55:03 +0000

Andrew – thanks for the comment. That’s a bit more chemistry than I had hoped for, I thought I was done with that after Chem 101 in college!

By: Andrew Dodds

Andrew Dodds — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:58:22 +0000

One serious misconception repeated above..

Although water vapour is a greeenhouse gas and indeed contributes around 67% of the total effect, it has a very short equlibrium time in the atmosphere (around 3 days), so no matter how much humans emitt, it has no effect; the equlibrium concentration is determined (essentially) by atmospheric temperature. Which is why water vapour acts as a feedback in global warming, but cannot drive global warming.

In short, water vapour emissions are irrelevant.

However, the issue of where the hydrogen comes from IS extremely relevant. Steam reforming of methane is CH4 2H2O -> CO2 4H2 (a bit better than above..), but still fossil fuel reliant – you are better off just running the car on compressed natural gas.

Electrolysis is very inefficient and worse than petrol if fossil fired electricity is used.

Even harder than sourcing the hydrogen is storing the stuff. Acceptable ranges have yet to be produced by any hydrogen car.

By: Brian Carr

Brian Carr — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 17:22:28 +0000

Thanks for all of the comments. I’ll try to address them one by one:

BigOil – to be honest, I have no idea where the hydrogen comes from.

Zach – can’t make everyone happy. I think heat and water vapors are better than pumping tons and tons of carbon into the air.

Mike – agreed and well put. It looks like we’re going to have to embrace a lot of changes and ideas in order to make sure we lessen our carbon footprints.

Hydrogencarguy – I agree that the real sticking point for hydrogen vehicles is going to be the infrastructure. What good is it to have a vehicle that you need to drive 10 miles out of the way to fuel up?

Henry – thanks for the article, I’ll be sure to check it out.

Nobrainer – I didn’t realize that water vapor is the primary exhaust of gasoline, thanks for bringing that up.

By: Nobrainer

Nobrainer — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:44:46 +0000

BigOilGuy is right in wondering from where we get the hydrogen. There are many possible scenarios, one of them is being looked into by companies like Exxon, whereby gasoline is reformed into hydrogen which runs the fuel cell. Or it could possibly come from natural gas, which we’d probably have to import more of to meet demand.

Zack and HydrogenCarGuy also miss a big point. Water vapor is a primary exhaust gas of gasoline combustion (general combustion: hydrocarbon oxygen -> CO2 H2O). And although I don’t have time to look it up right now, I think that there should be less from using hydrogen than using gasoline.

By: Henry

Henry — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:30:16 +0000

Hydrogen/ fuel cell cars take 4 times more electricity then electric cars to break the hydrogen bond and use the hydrogen for energy. Where are you going to get all that electricity?
Currently the hydrogen comes from natural gas and yet it is less efficient and more polluting then a much cheaper Natural Gas car using an ICE engine.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/symposium/presentations/brooks.pdf
On page 23 – the million dollar Honda fuel cell prototype doesn’t even match the CNG Prius in fuel efficiency.

This article also shows difference between EVs and FCVs.
This article is done by a company who is currently a leader in Fuelcell transportation – AeroVironment.

By: hydrogencarguy

hydrogencarguy — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:07:27 +0000

Yes, hydrogen cars will be a viable long-term solution. Remember, though, that fuel cell vehicles are not the only kinds of hydrogen cars. Hydrogen can also be used in modified internal combustion engines (ICE) and in chemical reactions such as hydrogen-on-demand technology.

As far as the water vapor emitted as a greenhouse gas, this water vapor can be sequestered and disposed of or it can be recycled by electrolyzing it within the car and turning it back into hydrogen and oxygen to be reused by the automobile.

General Electric has created a hydrogen production unit that plugs into the walls and electrolyzes water to produce hydrogen for about the same price as today’s gasoline prices. Hydrogen can also be produced by renewable means such as solar and wind as well.

The infrastructure is the key sticking point though. Most likely some hydrogen / ICE vehicles will roll out around 2010 and the drivers will then ask “Now, where do I gas this thing up?”