Morgan Life Car = Sex

What a gorgeous design for this concept:


First, summary from Ecogeek (first place I read it):

"Morgan, a luxury car company, has teamed up with the UK government and several leading universities to produce the Life Car, a high-performance, luxury, fuel cell vehicle with a zero-to-sixty time of 7 seconds and a top speed of 90 mph. Think "Tesla Roadster," but nicer and more expensive...and hydrogen-powered."

And a word from Inhabitat, of course (all the pictures came from there, FYI):

Instead of simply locating a large fuel cell to drive the engine, the team installed smaller, more compact fuel cells that can provide enough power for cruising. For accelerating purposes, the vehicle draws upon a row of ultracapacitors which are recharged by the braking system, at the very efficient rate of 50%

The power system sounds positively genius! But time for another pic...

From the manufacturers themselves:

Going far beyond the incremental adaptation of traditional car designs as seen in current hybrid vehicles, it will demonstrate that a new step in vehicle architecture is enabled by the use of a fuel cell hybrid power train. The approach is one of whole system design in which the architecture is generated from the characteristics of the fuel cell, in a light-weight vehicle coupled with a high hybridization level.

Quite an undertaking, for sure. Did you pay attention to the power plant inside of this thing? Small, multiple fuel cells and capacitors to store electricity... a likely combination in the coming years.

The design is amazing... but, in some ways, polarizing. Is everyone going to want a 2-seater? Is a 2-seater environmentally viable? Does everyone like the retro styling that's going on?

Morgan, possibly inadvertently, has made a sexy car that just is not going to work for a lot of people. Is that ok? It's REALLY OK, in fact, it's probably a great move. Appealing to a niche market like this lets them reach the kind of people that will not only feel honored to drive something like this but will likely put up with any shortcomings that it has. The technology they're talking about is not really up to mass production right now (or, said another way, commercially viable) but neither is the F1 racing technology that makes it into our cars after several years.

And, my favorite thing about it, the Life Car puts it out there that innovative, no/zero emission technology can prove to be BETTER than what it replaces. So many people seem to have this antiquated idea that there is no replacing the automobile as it stands... petroleum is too energy dense and cheap! Hydrogen is too expensive! The infrastructure! All of these are problems, there's no doubt about it, but the idea that we're all going to be driving egg-shaped, 1000 lb death pods at 35mph down the freeway in the future is just ridiculous... and short-sighted.

Bravo, chaps!

Honda FCX... my take

A friend of mine asked me the other day, 'what's the deal with this Honda fuel cell car?" She read that it was coming to market soon, to which I replied, 'yup, it's on its way!"

This was surprising to her and it was surprising to the first person I told, a gentlemen I volunteered with at the alternative fuel expo here in San Diego (a fairly unfortunate but well-intentioned display). Neither one of them could believe that this car was on its way after years of hype and yet, it was.

I read about the impending release last year on the Car Lounge, a car forum site that I frequent (thought less frequently these days because it is HIGHLY addictive). Then I started seeing articles on Google News. I even wrote about it, seen here. It was coming, I knew it was coming, and it was about time.

It may not make sense to some people why this car would be released. There are very few stations in the US, under 100 (probably well under) and most of them are located in California. Also, there is still no "magic bullet" way to store the hydrogen (yet) nor a great way to create the hydrogen in a way that is energy efficient (yet). So why the heck is it happening?

I, for one, love it. If you've read this blog enough you know that I'm a pretty big hydrogen support. I'm also, however, a trained chemist and understand thermodynamics (for the most part). I don't agree with chasing after technology that isn't going to work (like ethanol from current sources) and I'm not going to just love hydrogen because that was the first alternative fuel I learned about and it holds a place in my heart. Please, give me some credit here.

The reason why I love this news has more to do with the scientific side of me than the green side. I want to see how these hold up in the real world. I want to know what the REAL efficiency is when real people use the cars. I want to see how safe (or un-safe) these stations are when knuckleheads like you and I try to use them. Are these cars livable? Are they maintainable? Do they work how they should? Would I want one?

It really ends up coming back to the chicken and egg logic: what comes first, the car or the stations?

Want to read more? Get it straight from the source at Honda.com.

In other news...

Please make sure you check out my lens at Squidoo, www.squidoo.com.joshisjosh. I'm about ->| |<- that close to launching this little business idea and I could use all the digital friends I can get. As soon as my web presence for JoshCanHelp is built and running smoothly (again, very soon), I'm going to move my green presence over there as well and write a few enviro-lenses. I really miss staying as up-to-date on sustainable transportation news as I have done in the past but it is still a massive part of who I am. Whether I end up an entrepreneur, a chemist, or an author, it will always, ALWAYS relate it back to sustainability. Even my JoshCanHelp Digital Coaching will revolve around getting more out of what you have instead of always throwing money at the problem (new computer at home not withstanding.

Thanks to everyone for your support and please spread the word!

Entoo da feu-chah

I might just like this because of it's acronym, LAPCAT. This pic is, of course, computer generated:


It's basically a hypersonic beer can (mach 5 speed and no windows).

From Inhabitat (of course):

Not too far in the future you may be able to travel that entire distance in less than 4 hours - emissions free - thanks to an amazing hypersonic hydrogen jet project called LAPCAT. LAPCAT standsfor Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologie, and is funded by the European Space Agency. This type of hypersonic jet would put the Concorde to shame with it’s speed, and the best part is that it would not be powered by the typical fossil fuels, but instead by a much greener hydrogen alternative.

That about sums it up. There is, of course, the usual criticism about where the hydrogen comes from but those are so BORING.

The concept is basically a turbine jet engine that benefits from ram-compression, which is essentially air being smashed into the intake. If you're going really, really damn fast, you don't really have to worry about injecting oxygen, you simply use the rushing air in front of you.

From the LAPCAT site:

The Space Shuttle punches through the atmosphere as quickly as possible on its way into orbit, but the LAPCAT project is focusing on an aircraft that would remain well within the Earth's atmosphere throughout its flight. Whereas the Shuttle uses the thrust of its engines to fight the force of gravity, a hypersonic vehicle would use the aerodynamic lifting force generated on its wings and fuselage. This vision of sustained hypersonic flight requires air-breathing engines, which are highly efficient because they scoop oxygen from the atmosphere rather than from an onboard tank.

My take? It's completely conceptual right now which is uselss for the time being but I really like this concept... much more than the some of the car concepts I've seen. This overcomes two big hurdles: air travel time and the green factor of the jets themselves (leaving the generation part to be answered]).

My personal take? From the comments section (me):

I hate flying and I hate looking out the window at the wing/engine/ground. Doing everything you can to shorten my trip AND helping me avoid eye contact with what is around me is the biggest favor that the airline industry could do for me. Yay for supersonic beer cans!

What does it all mean?

Hugh MacLeod, the first blogger I ever started reading and ever subscribed to, drew this carton which makes me laugh first, then consider the implications:


What are your meaningful brand experiences? What brands get you going? Does it make you feel icky to be asked that question? I think it is a natural human reaction to recoil a bit from the idea of a "Meaningful Brand Experience" making us feel better but I also think it is not a waste of time to consider what it means.

Since we're sharing, I'll start. I have had meaningful brand experiences with Apple, for sure. Listening, organizing, and sharing the music that gets me through my life... also yelling, swearing, and threatening when I realize Apple's conspiracy against PC users (this has not been officially substantiated). Despite it's recent and mysterious demise, I've always had a love affair with Canon digital cameras. The 4+ gigabytes of pictures I obsessively and repeatedly back-up show a long trail of friends, relationships, and experiences, all of which I relate back to my two Canon cameras. On a smaller scale, I also have a strong affection for the BreakBeat Science record label. They were my drum&bass mecca and visiting the shop in New York was a big highlight of my trip out east. Their logo still makes me smile...


Today, I'm faced with a different kind of brand experience, a distinctly sad one. Stumbling through alternative energy news on Google News (I know, surprise surprise, a Google product), I came across a few stories mentioning the potential demise of Ballard Power Systems, a fuel cell company in Vancouver, British Columbia that I always fancied myself working for.

Here's one sign:

Peter Stickler, vice president of human resources at Ballard Power Systems Inc. sold 19,180 shares at prices ranging from US$4.90 to US$5 on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, 2007. His total company holdings after these transactions was 115,440 shares.

And another (with a particularly morose headline and picture):

Ballard -- the Canadian fuel-cell company that once hoped to be the "Intel Inside of the hydrogen car revolution -- has sold off its automotive fuel-cell business to Daimler and Ford.

[Analyst]: [Ballard] would never contemplate such as move if it thought it had any chance of making good on the millions it has poured into that research -- and the vast financing it has been able to raise with promises of the hydrogen highway, a route to the future that has never materialized, but seduced investors with visions of cars that spewed only water from their tailpipes.

The above article takes much of its content from here, BTW.

From the horse's mouth:

Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD)(NASDAQ: BLDP) today announced that it has agreed to sell the company's automotive fuel cell assets to Daimler AG and Ford Motor Company. Payment for these assets will consist of all 34.3 million Ballard shares held by Daimler and Ford. These shares will then be cancelled. Ballard expects to record an estimated gain on the transaction of $95-to-$105 million.

"This transaction will enable Ballard to concentrate on growth in fuel cell applications which provide clean energy solutions in commercial markets," said John Sheridan, Ballard's President and CEO. "It also lowers Ballard's risk profile by addressing the realities of the high cost and long timeline for automotive fuel cell commercialization. At the same time, a new private company will be established and will be positioned for success in automotive fuel cell technology over the longer term, with management and funding provided by Daimler and Ford."

So what does it all mean? I have two perspectives on the matter...

If this does, in fact, point to hydrogen's eventual demise as an automotive fuel, so be it. If you know me then you know I love the idea of hydrogen and I feel like it is a viable option. A lot of my optimism is simply a general belief in scientific progress and an overall "never say never" sentiment. I know there are problems with a massive hydrogen economy/infrastructure as it stands; if you follow the industry at all, you'll know this. But the storage problems are, in my opinion, minute and easy to overcome. The hydrogen production problem is the big one but even that has some promising technology .

Regardless, if hydrogen is not meant to be, I'm not going to be the lone voice screaming against all reason for the fuel to be adopted simply because I like it and think it is neat. I'm seeing a lot of this going on with ethanol and I refuse to be counter-productive in the search for sustainable transportation simply because my pet technology didn't work out.


Enough said on that.

The sad part - i.e. my second perspective on this news - is the death of an icon representing something very important to me. Ballad Power Systems was the second company I attributed to clean energy and sustainable vehicles. The first was GM. In fact, GM was the whole reason I started pursuing this industry as a career. It was a Wired article about their fuel cell technology that made me perk up, get my crap together, and go to school (no joke). As I learned more about the technology and what kind of promise it held, Ballard ousted GM as my dream company for employment (after GM declined my generous offer to move out to Detroit and help them pursue green technologies... also no joke. Apparently they have my resume on file). I imagined myself living in Vancouver, making a name for myself in the transportation world. It was a perfect dream but, of course, just that... a dream.

It turns out, all of that dreaming actually lead somewhere. I'm in school with a goal in sight, I'm building valuable contacts in the field, and I'm working hands-on with chemistry that might just be the hydrogen storage silver bullet (there's that bright and shiny optimism). The loss of my "corporate role-model" certainly doesn't indicate the end of the road for my quest but it is symbolic. Ballard's name comes up in almost every hydrogen fuel cell story simply because they build the best fuel cell available right now. The were THE name in fuel cells and, for a while, represented a pretty solid investment.


So is this the "end of the road for hydrogen?" Will Ballard Power's symbolic loss of their automotive sector really lead to the demise of this technology? It's a bad sign but, really, who can say? All it really means is that hydrogen will not be profitable in the very near future and Ballard, certainly a company that has shouldered huge financial burdens to try to make this technology come to fruition, needs a break. I will add, however, that having a buyer (Daimler Chrysler...not expected) ready and able to step up and take over the technology is a good thing. Ballard will continue to develop fuel cells but in a different sector (hopefully a profitable one). Who knows, maybe this is exactly what hydrogen technology needs. Ballard can concentrate on different markets and leave the automotive stuff to an automotive company. Win-win? I guess we'll see :)

As for me, I'll have a little moment of silence for the company that symbolized progress and altruism despite obstacles but I will also revisit the big picture reason why I'm pursuing what I'm pursuing.

1) I'm for safe, clean, scalable, and sustainable transportation for the most people possible.

2) I'm not a cheerleader for anything except the greenest, most feasible technology available.

3) It will be hard but not impossible for us to achieve a long-term, valid replacement for petroleum.

I wish great karma and financial success for all the people involved with Ballard Power Systems. Thank you for my meaningful brand experience...

Hydrogen from biological sources

What's the most miraculous thing you can think of? What is the most amazing thing that exists on this planet? What just totally blows your mind about your existence? If you said "my existence," you totally got that question right.

Life is amazing, plain and simple. If you're unconvinced, Wiki "DNA" or "protein folding" or "hemoglobin" and try to make sense of it. The processes that are involved with living are just... incredible. English will fail in describing just how incredible they are so I'll stop stuttering and move on. The reason I'm on this tear is that I had a biochem test today and, with my regimen of chemistry lecture classes, I'm always torn between overworked and utterly fascinated. I guess that's how you know you picked the right major, ya?

We know so much about life and, yet, so little. What we do know is that, in it's present form and capacity, the earth can handle a whole ton of organisms without importing anything from anywhere. Well, there is one exception: the sun. Without the sun, we're toast. Actually, we're the opposite of toast but either way we're screwed. Solar radiation is pretty much the source and power for all life on the planet.


Point being, the sun will be here while we're here and, when it's gone, we're gone too. While it's here, it's unlimited and we must find a better way to use it than we are doing at present. Solar power and all of it's subsets are THE way to energy independence for every country, state, and person on this planet. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

biological processes can solve virtually any problem. in particular, it can solve our energy problem

Here's just one reason why:

Researchers at Penn State University say they've developed a way to use bacteria to extract hydrogen from almost any biodegradable organic substance, from grass clippings to wastewater.

You always hear that hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet. It is but not in the gas phase that we need it to use it for energy. Why? Because it just can't ever be that easy, can it? That and it is really energy dense so creating it costs energy. Thermodynamics says you can't create or destroy energy - one system uses it to do work on other systems and the energy just moves around. Anyways...

The main problem with a hydrogen economy as it stands (and, if I say, from a very pessimistic or simpleton mindset) is our current inability to get hydrogen out of the states it likes to be in (mostly bonded to carbon like in oils, tissue, hair, anything relating to life). Algae is currently being explored, now bacteria.

Logan and his research assistant Shaoan Cheng's method uses bacteria called exoelectrogens to break down acetic acid -- produced by fermenting cellulose, glucose or other biodegradable organic matter -- in a microbial electrolysis cell to create hydrogen.

You might, at this point, be asking "whathef..." What they're doing is taking cellulose (very abundant, non-digestible carbohydrate from plants) or any other organic material (something that contains carbon and hydrogen like your bod, anything you eat, anything that grows) and making acetic acid by fermenting it (letting it go bad). The little micro-organisms break it down and...

When bacteria consume the acid, electrons are transferred to a graphite anode. The bacteria also release protons -- hydrogen atoms stripped of electrons -- that are held in solution. As electrons are transferred to a platinum cathode, they combine with the protons and generate 0.3 volts of electricity. Adding another 0.2 volts creates hydrogen gas.

These bacteria are actually oxidizing (removing electrons [what electricity consists of]) the acid! Stuff happens and electricity is created. Boost that voltage with a little bit more and hydrogen gas is generated. Wow... Here is the big picture:

The researchers noted that the method produces up to 82 percent more energy than the electricity and biomass needed to produce it.

Keep that in mind... that is an important figure. The higher that percentage is, the better. Oil is probably 200-300% (total guess) while ethanol is under 10% and sometimes less.

Here is the Penn State announcement.

Santa Monica Alt Fuel Car Expo

I drove up to Santa Monica with the girly yesterday for the Alt Car Expo and had a great time walking around the exhibit. This was certainly a lot better than the San Diego one I volunteered for at Balboa Park (thankfully... a 2 hour drive to see 8 cars would not have made me happy). It was also pretty sweet sitting in traffic on a Saturday afternoon for absolutely no reason.

BTW: If you're thinking about hosting an alt fuel event in the San Diego area, I would love to help out and always have great ideas! About everything! Constantly!

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If these things came to the US with the 1.3L turbo that I drove, I would be on the list for sure. I think you can buy them gray market but I'm not totally sold on the idea of a car with no product support and no mechanics willing to touch it. This thing feels surprisingly roomy inside; I fit without a problem and had room to spare. The "trunk" wasn't even that bad. I wouldn't help anyone move in it but you could take a week-long trip no prob. Maybe. At the very least, it was comfortable and quick too!

That's me driving in case you were wondering if I had put on a bunch of weight and changed my hair color. The answer is no.
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Here is the Mercedes Benz F-Cell prototype. It's a prototype because the car actually exists (the platform that is... it's an A-type, sold in Europe) but the hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain is not commercially available. I like the looks of these quite a bit. Unfortunately I was not able to get behind the wheel of this one.
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This was a private vehicle that some guy converted to biodiesel. It was a very well done and had really neat custom badging on the back ("veg powered" on the left and "biodiesel" on the left). It also had an alien badge back there which, combined with the owner's overly serene attitude, made me wonder if he was from Mars... or Venice Beach.
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This big-pimpin' Benzo was an attention-getter for the Earth Friendly Moving company. I met the owner, Spencer Brown, who explained how they take opaque plastic from recyclers and turn it into these tough, plastic containers which they then rent out and deliver to people who are moving (like, from home to home or biz to biz). You pay a low rate, they drop a bunch off, you use them and then they pick them up! No need to drive around looking for boxes or deal with cardboard that falls apart! Spencer was a great guy to talk to so big plug for him:

http://www.earthfriendlymoving.com/

Cool ride too... built by Pimp My Ride, it broke a biodiesel speed record!
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I loved this car... an all-electric converted Porsche 911. It looked like it had some odd 959 kit on it but all the work was very well done. It was great to see such an iconic car with a plug coming out of it!
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I wish I had gathered a little more information on this one but it is an all-electric drag race car. More info (and better pictures) here.
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Same deal here.. not a lot of information to give you. I believe it is an all-electric chopper. It had a lot of presence in person though it does seem awkward in the picture.
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Tesla roadster competition I would assume... very neat looking car in person. Lighting was terrible in this airplane hanger so it does look a little awkward as well. Car has attitude in person, for sure. Interior is just awesome in person; Recaro seats, DVD player, the whole nine. 250 mile range with the battery upgrade, top speed over 100, 0-60 in 7 seconds. More info here
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The star of Who Killed the Electric Car in the, uh, flesh.
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I liked the looks of this little guy... insect-looking, 3-wheel, one-person EV.
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An electric-converted Scion xB (that's its powertrain in the foreground), a Zenn EV commercially available electric vehicle, and a Xebra 3-wheel EV you can buy and register as a motorcycle. These are all totally available to buy and use right now. Good stuff!
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That about does it for my coverage... I will remain forever impressed by the power of human ingenuity and, likely, forever disappointed by the motivation behind the vast majority of its products. This was definitely the minority. Keep fighting the good fight out there! More commentary to come...

BTW: It was great to see you Bridget! Good luck with everything at Fearless Records.

"...favorite fuel..."

Great article from my former online addication, VWVortex, about hydrogen cars. Things are looking very optimistic for H2 if you believe the news.


^^Click that, it's neat

The article talks about HICEs, hydrogen internal combustion engines. This is kind of the stop-gap to the fuel cell cars you hear about. A regular car of any type can be, with the right equipment, converted to be able to burn H2. That doesn't mean a quick trip down to the VW dealership, a free cup of coffee, and an hour of your time. Storage, delivery, and combustion all need to be altered to make a standard car run on H2.

General Motors and BMW have been working together to establish an industry standard for the refueling apparatus

Music to my ears but not something I thought I would ever read!

In the news...

Toyota gets 350 miles out of a hydrogen fuel cell car; possibility for 480 (whoa). How?

"The new model is one quarter more fuel efficient due to improvements in the performance of the fuel cell, Toyota said. The fuel tank capacity has also been increased."

What, don't want to release the information about technology that could be worth billions? Weenies. Begs the question ... who, really, could ask for anything more? MSN destroys their credibility at the end of the article with this statement:

"Fuel-cell cars are widely viewed as the most promising pollution-free vehicles for the future because they are powered by electricity generated through the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and emit only water as a byproduct."

I'm a huge hydro proponent but this kind of broad proclamation is totally unnecessary for the article and widely viewed as uninformed. MSN: Please keep your heavy-handed social analysis to yourself?

Or me.

Infrastructure problem with hydrogen addressed

Definitely a "why didn't I think of that" moment for me... Liquid hydrogen but a completely different approach:

Crabtree's system on the other hand envisages a system that uses a standard petrol tank containing an organic liquid.

This liquid is passed through a heated module containing a catalyst, which then unlocks the hydrogen and releases it a little at a time to be used as fuel.

The remaining dehydrogenated liquid can then be removed at a filling station and whisked away to be reprocessed - the liquid can be hydrogenated and rehydrogenated repeatedly - making it re-usable.

Fill up the car with organic, hydrogenated liquid (basically an inert, non-toxic substance that can trab hydrogen gas), the car extracts the hydrogen and drops it into a new tank. Empty the used tank out, fill the new one up... tada! You'll have to find some kind of creative solution for getting the liquid back out of the car but this is a very innovative idea.

What's going on at the #1 SMALL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY IN THE USA?

Life getting in the way of blogging... a tragedy I know!

I thought I would share an update on the research that I'm doing at school which is pertinent to the topic at hand. We're investigating gas storage capabilities of metal-organic frameworks. For those of you who don't have the benefit of a PhD to explain this stuff so you sound smart, these are low density (not a lot of material in a particular space) solids (crystals) which allow other molecules to reside inside of them. Think Fisher Price Construx or a building without walls, just the iron framework.

The organic ligands (or beams) can be almost anything with diametrically opposed (located on the two opposite ends) metal-grabbing groups (like an acid). In our case, they are one benzene ring (very common organic structure) with two carboxylic acids on either end (like citric acid, nothing too scary) and one amino group (a basic functional group found in proteins). The connectors (clusters at the corners) are zinc atoms surrounding one oxygen atom. This is what they look like at an atomic level. Cluster to cluster is about 12 angstroms or 1.2 x 10^(-9)m (1/1000th of the width of a human hair).



I know the perspective is messed up but here is the same thing in color. Keep in mind that these are CUBIC crystals so each ligand (beam) is perpendicular or parallel to all the others.



Grey is carbon, blue is nitrogen (or possibly a nitrogen... there is only one per ring), red is oxygen and green is zinc. Here are the clusters up close:



The theory is this: many kilograms of these crystals are put into a container (not pressurized). When empty, the tank is cooled slightly and hydrogen is pumped in. The crystals take on the hydrogen like a sponge would take on water. No chemical bonds are changed, no structures are affected and nothing crazy has been done. After the tank is full, it can return to room temperature, totally saturated with hydrogen. While the vehicle (or power plant or lawnmower or whatever) is running, the tank is heated gently to create a positive (low) pressure of hydrogen to ensure a constant supply. The tank can be bumped, shot, breeched, even burned and there would be no explosion or additional fire because the hydrogen is locked into this matrix.

If this doesn't blow your mind something is wrong.

From the outside in... or vice versa, I'm not sure

Another hydrogen fueling station opens next month, this time in NY, White Plains to be exact.

What do you think when you hear news like that? Does hydrogen seem too Jetsonesque sometimes? How many times have your heard people speak in multiples of a decade when talking about hydrogen's future? Do you equate this technology with flying cars?

Right now, hydrogen works well as an energy carrier (we can't call it a fuel). We can get it easily (though it takes significant energy to get it right now), the emissions are injestible by a human and the applications are countless (that's a lie, you could actually count them... figure of speech). Hydrogen is easier to store than electricity (though more dangerous in some forms) and can come from biological processes. All these facts together make it viable in a big way.

But does hydrogen work for everyone right now? Hahahaha... NO. Hydrogen works for vehicles that don't need to go more than 100-200 miles before a refill. Hydrogen does not work for applications that need a lot of torque (like, say, the trucking industry as it works right now). Hydrogen and electricity works for stopping and starting, quick trips and indoor applications (think micro-cars in Manhattan). Hydrogen does not work for long distance, energy-expensive transport (as in, this technology is not good for airplanes yet). Fuel cells and electric cars are not for everyone and everything…yet.

What we have been seeing (and, without a doubt, will continue to see) are examples of particular industries and applications coming out of the dark, so to speak, and adopting a piece of the hydrogen infrastructure. Universities and corporations and government agencies build their own filling stations, power them however they can (hopefully in sustainable ways) and use these cars as they need to use them. This is not regulation or coercion or unnecessary compromise. No, these are examples of early-adopters realizing the future on a very small scale.

Maybe a business entity decides they need 10 cars to run errands in a 15 mile range. Looking at their options, they can buy ten Kias at, say, $11K a piece, issue gas cards to the drivers and monitor gas expenditures. Or, they can accept a higher price of entry to build, say, solar collectors (on the roof?) and never pay for fuel generated. Buy 10 ZENN electric vehicles at $12.5K a piece and enjoy being free from both vacillating gas prices and heavy air quality impact from traffic driving. The freedom of transportation choice is finally reality and the barriers to entry are getting smaller; in some cases, it is more cost effective to go green.

Cool cats!

Russ from the RI high school project I posted about below wrote back!

I can sense and understand the frustration that the technology for many of the alternative energy applications is already here and just needs to be mass produced and applied. The gap between fuel cell hype and availability/visibility led us to create the band with the simple vision: here is a fuel cell, here it is powering a rock and roll band.

He sounds like a great man championing a great cause. Check out their website:

Fuel cell band and Model T

Hot looking ride!

"That's hot"

161 MPH powered by hydro and electricity...

The first time I've ever been sad I don't live in OC

Free to a good home: Fuel cell vehicles

Also the first time I would seriously consider a GM product.

Starting this month, in what will be the largest real-world test of fuel-cell passenger vehicles, GM's Project Driveway program is seeking good homes for 100 fuel-cell versions of its Equinox SUV. (Honda, by contrast, has leased just two of its FCX fuel-cell cars to customers.)

Pick me, pick me! I'll love that ugly Equinox like it was my own!

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I wouldn't typically post one of these home-town, feel good stories but this is GREAT.

Model T Fuel Cell hot rod

What is it?

a black hydrogen fuel-cell engine roughly the size of a suitcase is being prepared for installation in a red 1992 replica of a 1923 Ford Model T

Tres chic. Who is involved?

The project has been an eye opener for Sullivan [GrandPTA member and electrical engineer] and Lewis [student dad extraordinaire and mechanic], who respectively have spent 54 and 25 years devoted to cars.

“We got the tools to do something and instigate change,” Lewis said. “We’re also wondering: why isn’t everyone else as invested into ending the curse of oil?

“If we can do this in Jim’s garage, what’s the holdup here?”

They sound like some hep cats. What else?

In 2003, students hooked up a guitar amplifier to a fuel cell, leading to the creation of a fuel-cell-powered band, Protium, named after a hydrogen isotope. The band has played gigs at fuel cell and hydrogen conventions at such places as the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., Miami and Hollywood.

Cooler than cool itself. Where was this again?

The project is the brainchild of Ross “Mad Dog” McCurdy, a Ponaganset High School science teacher who has taught a class about fuel cells and other renewable energy technologies for four years.

A support email is on its way... join me?

rkmccurdy@yahoo.com

The innovation, passion and ingenuity that alternative fuel inspires in people seems perpetually able to impress me and motivate me further. The kids involved, thanks to these awesome guys in Rhode Island, will never think the same about where their energy comes from. They turned an idealistic political movement into a fun, exciting project to garner attention for a very important cause. It is this type of intelligence and compassion that will drive our eventual switch to a better power source. There really can be no other way!

ROCK ON PONGNA... umm... PAGNO... no... PONAGANSET!

What happened for a year?

From my vantage point, not all that much which I find slightly disturbing but mostly just disappointing.

• We're still talking about ethanol from corn. Why are we still talking about this? Ethanol, as it stands, is going nowhere. Ethanol as a fuel is perfectly fine but ethanol as a transportation model is atrocious. Corn, beets, sugar cane... whatever is grown is going to take tons of water, land and energy which just puts us right back where we started. No sir, I don't like it.
• Hydrogen is exactly what it was before: a perfect solution and just out of reach. To be sure, the problems are being addressed... slowly. The only way this fuel will work is if two very important things happen (which I tend to believe they will): we need to find a renewable, biological-based source for this gas and we need to either figure out a solid-state storage medium. Both of these are feasable, mark my words.
• EVs are still nowhere. Why don't we at least have EVs? Please? The detractors say it is problem swapping but that is oversimplification leading to a false claim. Burning gasoline, diesel or otherwise, will always be dirty. It can get cleaner and cleaner and cleaner and it will still be dirty. Electricity, on the other hand, is dirty but does not have to be dirty. We will always need electricity, right? And we're going to need to get it cleaner than we do now, right? Let's kill two birds with one stone, solve the electicity issue and, at the same time, solve the transportation issue.
• Diesels, somehow, are getting more attractive. VW is releasing a car in the near future getting something like 60 or 70 MPG with really low emissions from diesel. Mercedes has its Bluetec system. Smart has a 60mpg car out in Europe. Who knew good old Grandma Betsy's diesel Rabbit, good bless her soul (and the Rabbit's), with the glow plugs would be a window to the future.
• One one hand, SUVs are still selling like hotcakes. I understand the draw I guess but I don't know why you would intentionally pay more to do the same thing. Driving to work and back when I'm working full-time costs about $90-100 a month for me. Why would I want that to cost $150-200?? I just don't know how you can justify a sub 20 MPG beast as daily commuter car.
• On the other hand...Smart cars are coming! I want one of these damn things so bad. About $15K well-appointed I think. I'm going to drive one and if I love it, it's mine.

Social and political change happens slow, I understand. Just be patient, I know. But can't we all just agree that we need to do something really different and then just go ahead and do it?

I'm afraid I already know the answer to that.

A great start!

These little H2 trucks are great! Used in airports and other large sites, these are a great way to test and promote hydrogen energy sources. Get yourself a few of these, an electrolyzer (creates hydrogen from water... have you been paying attention) and you have a low-cost replacement for electric or diesel-powered vehicles.

http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage5380.html

"The hydrogen for all the installations is supplied by an electrolyser in a central location from renewable energy. As the refuelling solution is an EU Certified product and the employees do not have to handle the hydrogen itself. The innovative metal hydride canister design and unique filling station means the training required is minimal and operation simple."

And they're using the hydride storage which is awesome! Metal hydrides are the safest way to store hydrogen but they have not quite been perfected yet. Using them in real-world applications on a constant basis is an excellent way to test and perfect them.

Fantastic.... the major problem being tackled

The obstacles against a hydro-fuelled transportation industry are few but significant. For those who haven't been paying attention, they are:

-> The way hydrogen is made
-> The way it will be stored
-> The way it can be distributed

All three are seeing improvments but the first on the list, how this "magical" fuel is created, is a tough problem. QuantumSphere may have the answer:

"'Our water electrolysis research will ultimately enable us to leverage the Company's nanomaterials to produce cheap hydrogen using water and electricity. QuantumSphere's electrodes use QSI-Nano™ metals and alloys that are ten times less expensive when compared to platinum, offering an orders-of-magnitude increase in surface area (due to nano-scale size) to provide low cost, energy-efficient processes and materials to generate hydrogen,' Dr. Carpenter added.

"QuantumSphere's water electrolysis processes alleviate the dependence on platinum, deliver 80% cheaper electrodes with increased surface area and activity while reducing the electrical potential that resists the water splitting process."

For the layman... traditional electrolysis (sptlitting of water with electricity) requires a platinum catalyst (just something that starts the reaction). Platinum, as you all know, is pricy these days. QS has developed a new kind of metal to take it's place which is much cheaper. They also mention in the article that the electricity to power this reaction will come from renewable sources. SO NICE to hear a big industry player say that instead of following the nay-sayer sheep herd and bray about it being inefficient or impractical.