The Hydrogen Hoax (2007)

http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-hydrogen-hoax

by jcdavis • 13 years ago

5 1 13 years ago

"A kilogram of hydrogen has about the same energy content as a gallon of gasoline, so the owner of a filling station could only expect to obtain the same net income from a kilogram of hydrogen as from a gallon of gas."

In a planned economy with fixed prices - probably. In the free market economy however, the price is dictated by the market itself. Add on top of it some government regulations that would put a burden upon gas use and you'll may get well beyond the current market price for gas. The reasoning about electricity price (that followed after the piece I quoted) has the same kind of fallacy in it, assuming too much. It would be economically viable to just capture the cheap daytime energy peaks in some sort of stable and effective energy carrier for later use, and if you could easily transport and sell it - even better! I am not saying that the it should be hydrogen, mind you. Other than that, I mostly agree with the ideas debated.

Edit: As I read further, I see author's solution - ethanol and methanol. On price, only methanol is considered (the ethanol is obviously more expensive), and here I am not sure (considering the prospect of fuel handling by civilians) if the author is aware that methanol is highly poisonous.

The Hydrogen Hoax (2007)

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