Debunking alternative fuel myths and doubts

[luchog]

And there's #6. First time I've heard that one. What I always heard was that moving power generation to the power plant instead of the internal combustion engine resulted in a vast reduction of pollution and greenhouse gases, even if you were using something like coal.

Of course here I'm talking about the electricity needed to produce Hydrogen.

The CO2 needs to go somewhere, and it typically ends up in the atmosphere using current technologies. It may reduce pollution somewhat, but with the current pollution control technologies used by internal-combustion engines, the different is not really that large.

On top of that, when you add an intermediate energy storage technology (which is all Hydrogen is right now) between the energy-producing fuel and the energy-using device, you add an additional layer of inefficiency and energy loss; requiring the expenditure of more fuel for the same amount of useful energy, thus negating, or more than negating, increases in comparitive efficiency and reductions in pollution per kW of energy. This is particularly true when you factor in the problems involved in hydrogen distribution technology, or grid and battery losses for purely electrical cars.

 

[luchog]

And there's #6. First time I've heard that one. What I always heard was that moving power generation to the power plant instead of the internal combustion engine resulted in a vast reduction of pollution and greenhouse gases, even if you were using something like coal.

Of course here I'm talking about the electricity needed to produce Hydrogen.

The CO2 needs to go somewhere, and it typically ends up in the atmosphere using current technologies. It may reduce pollution somewhat, but with the current pollution control technologies used by internal-combustion engines, the different is not really that large.

On top of that, when you add an intermediate energy storage technology (which is all Hydrogen is right now) between the energy-producing fuel and the energy-using device, you add an additional layer of inefficiency and energy loss; requiring the expenditure of more fuel for the same amount of useful energy, thus negating, or more than negating, increases in comparitive efficiency and reductions in pollution per kW of energy. This is particularly true when you factor in the problems involved in hydrogen distribution technology, or grid and battery losses for purely electrical cars.

 

[Dymanic]

The cost of solar is far above what would be necessary to achive a positive ROI.

I hope you're not confusing the dollar return on investment with the energy return on investment.