From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Tue Dec 24 2002 - 01:36:25 MST
On Tue, 24 Dec 2002 EvMick@aol.com wrote:
EvMick -- I, like spike, am happy to see you back.
I am happy to see you dealing with Wind Farms -- it seems
silly to be having all of that energy going to waste.
You should not fear Rifkin -- he can be an ally if he happens
to be pushing us in the direction of a hydrogen economy.
My analysis thus far seems to suggest we cannot go directly
from a heavy hydrocarbon (e.g. diesel & gasoline) to a H2
economy. This is largely due to the fact that it appears
we would have to build a completely new H2 distribution
system. There is a problem is due to the fact that H2 is
most likely not compatible with existing pipelines. It is a
very small molecule and can penetrate metals and alter their
properties (potentially leading to leakage, explosions) etc.
[This is based on what I have read -- if someone knows
this to be incorrect, please correct me.]
The cost estimate I've seen for a U.S. H2 distribution
system is $100 Billion+. It ain't going to happen without
a market for the H2 (which doesn't exist currently).
The route I think may work is if we evolve from
"heavy hydrocarbon" -> methane -> H2.
One uses the existing pipeline system to transport the
methane and then one converts it into H2 at the fuel
station or within the vehicle or home. Eventually,
once the demand for raw H2 is developed, that may justify
the production of an H2 distribution system (be it trucks
or pipelines).
It is a "sustainable" system [unlike the current heavy
hydrocarbon system] if you are producing the methane
in solar ponds. (I.e. Atmospheric CO2 -> solar pond CH4 ->
pipeline -> H2 + presumably Atmospheric CO2). To do
this requires the engineering of bacteria (or other technologies)
that are very efficient at some of these conversion processes.
So one can imagine fields of solar ponds with bacteria
producing methane with EvMick's windmills producing
power over them. A much nicer combined use of resources
(solar and wind power).
This reduces the cost significantly because one pumps
windmill produced electricity into the existing electrical
grid and pumps solar pond produced methane into the existing
natural gas pipelines. It is all a question of *how* do
we leverage the existing infrastructure into an alternate
energy system?
Robert
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