Quote:
Quote:
I watched an interesting documentary on hydrogen power recently; the most common and readily available stores of hydrogen are apparently water and methane, but unfortunately the energy required to break both molecules down is greater than the energy released when the hydrogen is burned again.
There are two big developments using hydrogen taking place near me currently, both utilising wind power, of which there is a surplus.
In Orkney, the islands' council is well on with having all the inter islands running on hydrogen.
In Easter Ross they are looking to produce hydrogen on a much bigger scale using offshore wind.
Interesting times
Ian
I have been wondering if the Middle East may invest heavily in Solar energy. Their wealth has come from oil, but there is no reason they couldn't stick vast amounts of solar panels into uninhabited areas, and use that electricity to produce hydrogen. They could then continue their existing income stream supplying the west with fuel.
Hydrogen does have some serious difficulties though. The molecule is so small it is difficult to seal/contain. And if up against electric, it is far less efficient than storing energy in batteries.
I remember reading a well thought out book, and the author wrote that he expected the human race to move away from fossil fuels. His reasoning was that a similar change happened a 120 years ago. Prior to that everybody used horses to move around. And in a very short time we moved to the ICE, it was just better/more convenient. I bet then most people thought cars would never catch on. And we are now due another change. Not an evolution, but something very different. I bet there is stuff going on right now around the world and just maybe one of the crazy ideas will come off.