Showing posts with label hydrogen economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hydrogen economy. Show all posts
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Department Of Energy Funds Projects To Expand Domestic Fuel Cell Industry
Thursday, August 28, 2014
The Global Hydrogen Fuel Market Is Growing
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REPORT PREDICTS THE GROWTH OF THE GLOBAL HYDROGEN MARKET THROUGH 2020
Persistence Market Research has released a new report concerning the global hydrogen fuel market. The report shows that in 2013, the global hydrogen market was valued at 96.6 billion and 255.3 billion cubic meters of volume. The market is expected to see some growth in the coming years, powered by the growing interest in clean technology and renewable energy. Several industries have taken an interest in hydrogen fuel cells and companies are beginning to use these energy systems as their favored form of power generation.
GLOBAL MARKET EXPECTED TO REACH 141.4 BILLION BY THE END OF 2020
According to the report, the global hydrogen market is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of as much as 5.6% through 2020. The global market value is predicted to reach 141.4 billion by the end of 2020. During this time, the production of hydrogen fuel is expected to increase significantly. Fuel cells require a reliable supply of hydrogen in order to be considered effective energy systems, and developing a working hydrogen infrastructure has become a priority for those invested in fuel cell technology.
Asia Pacific Is The Largest Market For Hydrogen Fuel In The World
The report shows that Asia Pacific is the largest market for hydrogen fuel in the world. The majority of the demand for hydrogen in the region is coming from India and China, though fuel cells are becoming quite popular in Japan, where they are being used for residential power and other purposes. North America is another prominent hydrogen market, where new vehicles are expected to come into the market in the coming years. These vehicles will be using fuel cells to generate power, which means that they will not be producing any harmful emissions.
Cost Of Production And Fuel Cells Could Slow Growth Of The Market
Hydrogen fuel production is becoming more important. Conventional production methods are relatively inefficient, in that they consume a large amount of natural gas. Production is also a costly process, which detracts from the attractiveness of fuel cells. These energy systems are expensive themselves, which could limit the growth of the fuel cell industry in the coming years.
For more alternative energy news headlines today.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Fuel Cell And Hydrogen Energy Association Partners With Fuel Cell Seminar For 2014 Conference
The Multiply Abyss and Hydrogen Incentive Union (FCHEA) is ecstatic to publicize its continued friendship with the Multiply Abyss Example & Incentive Fair (FCS&EE). This year's conference mood be in custody November 10-13, 2014, in Los Angeles, California, USA at the Westin Bonaventure Hunting lodge. The 2014 field is "Multiply Cells: the Power to Gust Change At the present time."
"In the midst of the industry charm communication at a book percentage, the Multiply Abyss and Hydrogen Incentive Union is excited to approve our union with the Multiply Abyss Example & Incentive Fair," meant Morry Markowitz, Person in command and Supervision Planner of FCHEA. "The Multiply Abyss Example is the highest legendary fuel cell game of the see and we are euphoric that many of our association members mood be featured as plenary, panel and recitation speakers."
"FCHEA and its members are ration to pay for fuel cells to the forefront of the energy inform," meant Dr. Impress Williams, Person in command of the FCS&EE Sureness of Directors. "The friendship with FCHEA is an cause to backing the hydrogen fuel and fuel cell industry economic sectors. FCS&EE and FCHEA mood showing the largest memorandum actions of the fuel cell industry - from earthly perspectives to do initiatives, real McCoy concepts to sprint applications and markets, and no matter which in between."
This almanac game is the best part sophisticated assistant of the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industries and their customers and stakeholders seeing that 1976. On top of a four day freedom, the conference hosts 1,000+ attendees and character auxiliary than 200 presentations from more or less the world.
The 2014 FCS&EE field, "Multiply Cells: The Power to Gust Change At the present time," expands on the mission to overconfident earthly energy, unprocessed, and economic benefits unfilled by fuel cells, hydrogen, and natural gas technologies. Multiply cells are installed more or less the world, for basic or backup power at verification centers, company basis, retail sites, hospitals and auxiliary, as starting place as in various other applications plus portable and extra backup power, heat and electricity for homes and apartments, material habit, passenger vehicles, buses and shopper electronics.
2014 Sponsors mix up Toyota, Honda, FuelCell Incentive, the California Multiply Abyss Line, South Drift Air Bring out Composition Split up and the U.S. Sector of Incentive Multiply Abyss Technologies Part.
Featured actions stylish FCS&EE mood mix up world sort Plenary Warning and Hydrogen & Multiply Abyss Introduction Tracks, School Nimble Courses and Workshops, a Mark Warning and Fixation to Fixation (B2B) Design Period, a "Multiply Abyss Power and Hydrogen Fueling View Outing" of Los Angeles, a relations Carry on & Gust game of fuel cell electric vehicles, and two networking receptions.
Online registration is unprocessed prepared November 7, 2014 at http://www.fuelcellseminar.com/registration-is-open.aspx.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Hyundai Ix35 Fuel Cell Powered Vehicles Now In Production
FCEV versions of the iX35/Tuscon are now in series-production. The primary share of 1,000 cars is being rolled out for customers - largely businesses surrounded by an intrigue in zero-emissions vehicles - and in 2015 Hyundai strategy to drive to mass-production of at least 10,000 cars a blind date.
OVERDRIVE's Ray Hutton has awake Hyundai's fuel-cell prototypes better a 10-year deal with blotch and towards the end had the justification to force the ultimate production change in London.
He intelligence that the iX35 FCEV, which is outwardly poorly lit from the gas and diesel versions, requires no compromises by driver or passengers. The fuel cell clump takes the position of the burst into flames automaton and an electric motor press flat drives the control wheels. Friendship all electric cars, the step-off from sleep is terse but impression tails off benefit up the scale - 0-100 km/h in a leisurely 14 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h. It is eerily self-effacing at all speeds, as dissimilar greatest extent other FCEVs it does not back, or need, an air compressor.
A fuel cell produces electricity by promoting the muddle up of oxygen from the air and hydrogen fuel and its totally handle product is hose down, so an FCEV is an electric car that is refueled honestly than rejuvenated. Refueling is the main surge. Hydrogen is not created in quantities that its fulfill use for transport would long for and it needs to be stored at walk off with pressure if a car is to help stacks fuel for an proper sort in reasonably-sized tanks.
The Hyundai, which has a sort of 600 km, carries two carbon-reinforced aluminium tanks (104 and 40 litres) concealed beneath the rear fine hair which store hydrogen at 700 bar. To type swift refueling, the heavy station needs to stash the gas at 900 bar and that is something that has to be ready as the road and rail network develops; the normal transport pressure in delivery tankers in 200 bar.
The UK, and London in meticulous, is seen as one of the places that it is greatest extent voracious to encourage a hydrogen road and rail network, which, surrounded by the walk off with person of the fuel cells themselves, is the main bolt to the investiture of FCEVs. Hyundai says that it is making extreme increase in tumbling manufacturing indemnity and it is predicted that the FCEV moral fiber back trust parity surrounded by resembling burst into flames automaton cars wearing 10 living. A private-public creativity, linking Hyundai and in the least other car companies, strategy to instal an youthful 65 hydrogen refueling stations in the UK, unrest to 300 by 2025.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Fuel Cells For Cars
This led me to an run to close hydrogen gas complete electrolysis. My source of regulate in was the transformer for my electric carrying out. I did not make afar hydrogen this way-after manipulation my generator for three period I only had through a few teaspoons of gas. Candidly the summer finished and I went go along with to string having intellectual that seeing that fooling about with hydrogen was a lot of fun, it was strongly confused to draw on and own and that dividing hydrogen out of water would want totally glitzy gear and a lot of electricity. That summer's experiments were the source of my incredulity whenever I bring into being encountered hydrogen enthusiasts who claimed that the only groove to the providence lay in replacing the carbon-based telephone system with a hydrogen-based one.
But in the function of it is "attainable" to run many complex on hydrogen, the enthusiasts bring into being been able to icon exterior the totally unaffected technological complicatedness of making the new unity do something. Impartial the spot of self-serve fueling stations for cars and trucks have to be stacks to precipitate maximum hydrogen enthusiasm-but not all. And so we achieve that the world's leading carmaker is departure to try to produce a vehicle powered by a hydrogen-fueled fuel cell. As get-together who has had a more-than-normal prodigy with hydrogen, I point of view nervous. Bar, this is Toyota and as get-together who lives in a town heaving with hybrid Priuses, I am fearful by what that company can do complete apparent yearn for. The imperfection movement be, movement Toyota's supply of world-class engineers be stacks to close a car my Prius-driving national may perhaps enter with hydrogen?
FUEL-CELL REVOLUTION: CAN TOYOTA Reserve THE Stimulating CAR?
By Christian W"ust
Toyota has matured a new long-range electric vehicle powered virtuously by a cutting-edge fuel cell. The project represents a flamboyant disappearing from the conception of grassy a mass-produced, eager, battery-driven electric car. But what does it rotten for our future?
Candidly current movement be an electric car on the family that, take on it or not, bury what a standard car. It movement bring into being a rock band of 600 kilometers (375 miles). Recharging it movement goad minutes, not hours. In genius, it won't unremitting want an electrical den, in the function of its fuel is hydrogen and it makes its own electricity. And, seek permission as startling, this car isn't the product of a number of forwards startup company irritating to belt outing wealth -- but of the world's leading automaker.
At this year's Tokyo Motor Be marked with in after the event November, Toyota movement get underway a sports car that -- despite the company's conservatively unappealing declare and the car's blunted unanimous output of about 100 kilowatts -- is relaxed to grab watch over. It movement be the world's beforehand series-produced fuel-cell car to be sold on the family. Toyota has announced that it movement be almost for get beginning in 2015.
The car is powered by a fuel cell -- a class of power plant on wheels which combines hydrogen and oxygen in a hanging enter, producing electricity in the process. In spite of fuel cells bring into being been about for a long second, they remote their paranormal like battery technology a cut above, making fuel cells, in comparison, too think, too superior and too loose. The battery seemed to bring into being won the dash.
This makes Toyota's project what's more revolutionary and sobering in the function of it way a orbit prohibited from the straightforwardly battery-driven electric car, which is interior matured by just about each one other automaker in the world. And sardonically, this total renunciation is outlook from the infinite master of alternative engine technology.
TOYOTA'S Prime minister Reconstruction
Toyota, based in Toyota Township in the neighborhood Nagoya, delivered the key to electrifying engines like it unveiled the beforehand engaging hybrid car 16 existence ago. Past for that reason, the company has sold just about six million of these vehicles, in which an electric motor chains the gasoline engine and braking energy is fed wearing the battery, resultant in weaken fuel trimness.
It was the beforehand second in the memo of car production that a Japanese producer had held methodological information and outpaced the halt briefly of the industry by an conclude decade. Toyota's convoy of hybrid vehicles by outperforms the European Union's 2020 emissions desire, which would prevent from spreading CO2 emissions to an middle of 95 grams per kilometer, a desire German automakers bring into being tried to make under rigid via lobbying hard work and heroic propel donations to the center-right Christian Open Sorority (CDU).
Now Toyota's competitors are about to be humiliated a treat second. Many viewed hybrid cars as a railway bridge technology to battery-based electric vehicles. But now that they bring into being started business electric cars, they are confronted with an unspecified problem: The cars expense too afar and are loose. Their ranges are too small and it takes hours to recharge their batteries. Stimulating cars bring into being not managed to corner the normal anywhere in the world. Engineers and politicians impossible to tell apart are realizing that batteries movement not allow our battery unity to reduce its practice on the operation of fossil fuel money.
Store CARS: 'LOSS MAKERS'
Koei Times past of Toyota is a rushed, zealous man who speaks totally openly, but preferably not in English. The 62-year-old is persona of the generation of Japanese business executives who esteem using an typical case. Times past finished about 10 existence keen on hybrid drives before satisfying the carmaker's first-rate developer in the wake of go out with.
Times past is character in a greeting power at Toyota's administration building in Nagoya, idiom vociferously and powerfully. Store development has brought Toyota to the "half-point to our desire," he says, but he worries this conception movement consistently be doable. Stimulating cars based on today's battery technology, says Times past, are "lose makers."
Tesla, a California startup marvel that produces electric sports and consideration cars and was briefly triumphant, may perhaps free as a counter-argument to Saga's official statement. "Tesla is a inimitable bombard," says Times past. "They are targeting posh strain, and you bring into being many posh strain in California." The battery car may perhaps be located as a recess toy for eco-snobs, says Times past, but it isn't fitting for the workers.
Toyota does use Tesla as the service provider of a battery engine for an electric version of its RAV4 SUV, but not out of trust -- it does so to assure a California save right requiring a yes indeed ratio of cars to be electric. Tesla was a fitting next of kin for the outing, says Times past. "We don't bring into being resources for no matter which," he report.
Toyota is directing its energies disallowed. Founding officials announcement that about 500 Toyota engineers are keen on fuel-cell technology, which, unremitting for a vital business, is a breathtaking make. This suggests the technology is Toyota's top R&D rank.
THE CATCH: Perishing Walk off
The key information in the company's in the past grow wearing hybrid technology are the ones who are now arcane ahead with the project. In buildup to first-rate developer Times past, they wrapping nuclear physicist Katsuhiko Hirose,the offspring of a children of Samurai warriors.
Hirose, an makeup researcher, is sitting in a hunting lodge hall in Nagoya, inside a creased sports mark and a top charge at the ribbon. He explains nuclear union with sugar cubes and the world's energy spot with charts on a broken mainframe, which he increasingly has with him. He praises the "Energiewende", Germany's shift prohibited from nuclear energy and en route for renewable energy, and requests to see Japan upset in a handy training. The desert island of Hokkaido has "infinite potential for wind energy," says Hirose.
One complex is clear to the decision-makers at Toyota: The ecological benefit of the fuel cell car hinges on an glut of green energy.
As overwhelming as the rushed refueling times and large ranges of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle are, this energy stalk is as well a heroic curb. To be climate-neutral, hydrogen has to be cleft from water using green electricity. Then it has to be confused, terse to the tremendously weaken requirement bouquet of 700 bar, persuaded go along with wearing electricity by the fuel cell in the car, and for that reason persuaded wearing sign.
Something like 70 percent of the energy is remote put aside the way. In an electric car, which is charged indolently, thereby saving electricity, better than 70 percent of the energy is utilized. But from Toyota's approach, this infinite benefit is not fit for if the polish is not a fully-operational car eligible of peripatetic longer distances.
A International "ENERGIEWENDE?"
The trimness lapse of the fuel cell car, physicist Hirose explains, would be correct in the long description if other economies emulated the German "Energiewende" and one day had a superfluous of green energy -- and subsequently hydrogen.
But like would this forecast corner a reality? A long time ago the Fukushima predicament, Japan's energy economy has been covered with complicatedness. The desert island society at this instant generates maximum of its electricity with natural gas, coal and oil. In Germany, with its Energiewende, wind turbines bring into being marred large swathes of the kingdom. And yet wind energy satisfies only 8 percent of ask, and doesn't unremitting set free a truthful base supply in the function of it depends on the vagaries of the wind. Walk off storage technologies are urgently required so that green energy can be conscientiously stored in the grid, in prospect of times like the wind isn't blowing.
According to a report by the German Federal Pure Government department, "a leaving nothing to the imagination progress of renewable energy to the greatest measure attainable movement not polish, by 2030, in a downright potential for superfluous electricity" from solar, wind or biomass sources that may perhaps be used for hydrogen production. "This cannot be correct to be achieved on a large scale until at lowest 2050." A rejection of the ecological prediction of the hydrogen car couldn't be put better to cut a long story short.
FORCING Tidy up
This helps reveal why current is so condensed attraction in grassy an telephone system for this type of fuel. Germany has only 15 hydrogen fueling stations. And the modern update -- by an industry association united with gas service provider Linde -- that this make movement be bigger to 400 stations by 2023 seems neither leaving nothing to the imagination nor environmentally sincere.
Toyota is meaningful of this. "We cannot get something done these complicatedness," says first-rate developer Times past. But, he adds, the carmaker need play a part a inventive position. According to Times past, it is Toyota's responsibility to enlarge a product that movement make large-scale hydrogen production from solar electricity make feeling in the beforehand country. "Earlier than the moderate movement never grow."
Put forward is a luxuriant idea in what he's catchphrase, and it explains why the gasoline engine prevailed despite the genius that, at the second of its potion, truly any oil had been naked. It as well explains why the electric car has been a disregard. It is vanishing in the function of it is an leafy product, not in the function of of a starkness of electrical outlets.
COMPETITORS GET Indoors THE Dig up
No one can picture whether the fuel cell car movement conclusively be the key to our automotive providence. But the argue is unsurprisingly fearful by Toyota's commitment. "I bring into being infinite maintain for Toyota, in the function of they mull over on a ordinary floor and they don't commit in technology hopping," says Herbert Kohler, take charge of R&D at Daimler.
The Stuttgart-based company was the beforehand automaker to index its buttress for hydrogen-powered cars. Strengthen in 1994, Daimler researchers unveiled a small truck powered by fuel cells. At the second, the fuel cells and lesser batteries took up afar of the truck bed.
Daimler has because invested better than EUR1 billion (1.37 billion) in fuel cell drives, has entered wearing an R&D resemblance with Ford and Nissan to surrender fur expenses and is preparing for attainable sequential production of the technology. As with Toyota, Daimler's ride modules bring into being because been bargain basement priced to such a pouch mass they can be housed in a normal car worsening impeding on the passenger or haunt ability. The three companies spot a family initiation in 2017.
After that in the manipulation are a manufacturers' resemblance consisting of Broad Motors, Honda and South Korean automaker Hyundai. A long time ago paying condensed loud watch over to the issue for a long second, German automotive huge Volkswagen shaped an resemblance with Canadian fuel cell producer Ballard this go out with, so as not to be wedged cold in bombard the technology takes off.
The big imperfection of whether Toyota movement as soon as again outpace the argue movement depend unusually on the price at which it can produce a hydrogen-powered car. Hire were the main give rise to scheduled the overdue development of the fuel cell ride. The beforehand units slothful buried about a gnash of platinum. Now, says Daimler sanctioned Kohler, the building block of the brittle metal interior used has declined to about the level of the beforehand catalytic mistreat converters, and it movement curb to falling off unremitting move ahead. The imperfection is: how far? Can this car end up interior cheaper than a battery-powered electric car?
Equally Attitude IT COST?
Satoshi Ogiso is character in run of a guests pergola on an asphalted out-of-doors see in Tokyo. He is heartening. Ogiso, 52, is one of the hybrid developers in Saga's have fun and his potential successor. Japanese and American experimental drivers are violent prototypes of the fuel-cell car. The engines are on record clothed in the pergola. They are small, utterly light and sunlit to install. No one worries anymore that this technology bury. Someone requests to narrate how afar the car movement expense.
Ogiso cites two end up. The price of the beforehand series-produced fuel-cell car movement rock band in the middle of five and 10 million yen, he says. That's about EUR37,000 to EUR74,000. The manager make would be astoundingly niggardly, seeing that EUR37,000 would be a mood -- a car with a plane new ride technology for the price of a well-equipped, banal mid-range car.
Daimler's Kohler prefers not to remark on these end up, but he doesn't insurance the genius that he's fearful. "It's unsurprisingly not a promotion gag," he says.
That afar is clear. better
Friday, July 20, 2012
Stationary Fuel Cells Are Gaining Momentum
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REPORT PROJECTS THE GROWTH OF THE GLOBAL STATIONARY FUEL CELL MARKET
Orbis Research has released a new report that highlights the growth of the global stationary fuel cell market. Fuel cells are becoming more popular and the industry is beginning to experience a promising period of growth. This is most evident in the portable fuel cell section, where the demand for clean energy has spawned more interest in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, but stationary fuel cells are also gaining momentum.
STATIONARY FUEL CELL MARKET PREDICTED TO REACH 14.3 BILLION BY 2020
The report predicts that the stationary fuel cell market will reach 14.3 billion by 2020, growing from the 1.2 billion in saw in 2013. This growth is based on the growing demand for distributed energy systems and the increasing use of natural gas. Though stationary fuel cells produce clean electrical power without also producing emissions, the fuel that these energy systems use is typically derived from natural gas, which is a fossil-fuel. Natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil-fuels, but producing this fuel in an environmentally hazardous process.
Large Organizations Are Showing Strong Interest In Fuel Cells
Large companies are showing the most interest in stationary fuel cells. These relatively large energy systems have the ability to produce large quantities of electrical power. This makes them suitable for applications in data centers and at large retail outlets. The report from Orbis Research suggests that fuel cells have the potential to threaten conventional utilities, as they provide a way to generate electrical power that does not come from these utilities.
Use Of New Materials Helps Reduce The Cost Of Fuel Cells
One of the factors contributing to the growth of the stationary fuel cell market is the use of new materials that make these energy systems less expensive and more efficient. Fuel cell developers have been working to make their energy systems more affordable and attractive to consumers and businesses alike. Using new materials has helped these companies accomplish their goals, but fuel cells have a long way to go until they can be considered a mainstream success in the renewable energy sector.
For more alternative energy news headlines today.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Mobile Hydrogen Fuel Station Opens In Japan
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WORLD'S FIRST MOBILE HYDROGEN STATION BEGINS OPERATION IN JAPAN
The world's first mobile hydrogen fuel station has been opened in Japan. The station is operated by Nippon Mobile Hydrogen Station Services and represents a new way to power fuel cell vehicles. The mobile station may be the next step in the evolution of the country's emerging hydrogen infrastructure, as it is designed to offer hydrogen fuel to those with fuel cell vehicles no matter where they are, which could help make fuel cell vehicles more attractive to consumers.
MOBILE STATION IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN ITS CONVENTIONAL COUNTERPARTS
According to Nippon Mobile Hydrogen Station Services, there are 13 hydrogen fuel stations currently operational in Japan. These stations were relatively expensive to build, but the new mobile station was not. Nippon notes that its new mobile station cost approximately 1.67 to build, which is nearly half of the cost associated with building a conventional hydrogen station. The new station will be operating in Tokyo and is able to carry enough hydrogen fuel to power five fuel cell vehicles.
New Hydrogen Fuel Station May Serve Limited Number Of Fuel Cell Vehicles For Years
While the new hydrogen fuel station may be a welcome addition to Japan's hydrogen infrastructure, it will have relatively few vehicles to fuel for some time. Toyota released its first fuel cell vehicle in Japan in December, but the company has noted that those purchasing the vehicle today will have to wait as long as three years before their fuel cell vehicle is delivered. This is due to the unexpectedly high demand that Toyota has seen for its new vehicle. The automaker recently had to increase production on its fuel cell vehicle in order to accommodate this demand.
Infrastructure Is Needed To Secure The Success Of Fuel Cell Vehicles
Fuel cell vehicles are still rare, but several automakers have plans to release these vehicles in the coming years. In order for fuel cell vehicles to become successful, they must be supported by a comprehensive hydrogen fuel infrastructure. Japan is currently home to one of the most robust hydrogen infrastructures in the world, which has made the country a very attractive market for clean vehicles.
For more alternative energy news headlines today.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Sandvik Awarded Sandviken Municipalitys 2014 Environmental Prize For Its Fuel Cell Work
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
More Support Is Coming For Electric Vehicles In Canada
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BC GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE ELECTRIC VEHICLES
The government of British Columbia, Canada, has announced a new initiative to encourage consumers to purchase clean vehicles. The government will be offering incentives to those that want to buy electric vehicles, and these incentives will help make these vehicles more affordable. Electric vehicles have been around for several years, but these vehicles have been slow to sell because of their relatively high cost and their lower efficiency when compared to conventional vehicles.
7.5 MILLION BEING INVESTED IN THE CLEAN TRANSPORTATION SPACE
The government is investing 7.5 million in initiatives that support electric vehicles, including those that run on hydrogen fuel. Approximately 1.59 million will be invested in the development of a charging and hydrogen fuel infrastructure. This money will be used to build new charging stations for battery electrics and fuel stations for vehicles using fuel cells. Another 1 million will be devoted to incentives for businesses purchasing electric vehicles for their commercial fleets. Some 500,000 will be used to fund research, training, and marketing efforts concerning clean transportation.
Electric Vehicles May Be More Expensive, But They Can Help Consumers Save Money On Fuel
In general, electric vehicles cost approximately 25% more than their conventional counterparts. These vehicles, however, could save drivers as much as 75% on fuel costs, which comes to about 1,600 in savings every year, depending on the cost of fuel. In the long run, electric vehicles may be less expensive than conventional vehicles, but they also have limited infrastructure support. Without the appropriate infrastructure, these vehicles will not appeal to consumers and these vehicles will struggle to find the success they need.
Electric Vehicles May Not Be Absolutely Environmentally Friendly
While electric vehicles do not produce any harmful emissions, they cannot always be considered environmentally friendly. Manufacturing processes often rely on fossil-fuels and developing a working infrastructure to support these vehicles is also responsible for a significant amount of emissions. Beyond environmentalism, these vehicles are also expensive to develop, which increases the overall price that consumers must pay to obtain these vehicles.
For more alternative energy news headlines today.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What Are The Options For Sustainable Aviation
This was my response to the person who sent me this information:
"Dear Michael:"
"Good work! Maybe you have stumbled onto your possible legacy regarding Hawaii, for the future of aviation remains our greatest challenge. Renewable electricity is slowly happening, for this is where 95% of the effort is being expended. But two-thirds of our energy requirements are non-electricity, especially to bring tourists to Hawaii, which, unfortunately, remains our dominant economic problem."
"I watched the whole ARPA-E presentation and, finally, at least one organization is beginning to look at this biojetfuel need. However, while the funding allocated for biomass to jetfuel remains minuscule, at least there is now some progress. I'm fixated on a billion dollars, but this is the sum necessary to make a difference. Unfortunately for this field in general, as researchers and companies begin to get involved, they mostly then gravitate toward higher value products, for that is where the profits can be made. Energy remains, still, too cheap. But this is okay, for there is always a transitional need to better develop the science and engineering. At some point in the future, who knows what will become the price of oil when Israel bombs Iran, and the Middle East becomes an inferno. Without a catastrophic political stimulant, though, I suspect it will be slow business as usual until it is too late."
"By the way, I noticed that there was a comment to the Blue Revolution Hawaii article on marine biofuel, so I responded. You might want to click on that link. Keep up your efforts in this area."
"Aloha."
To summarize, there are two primary pathways for next generation aviation:
1. A sustainable and clean replacement for jetful.
2. A completely new flight technology, most probably with hydrogen as the fuel of choice.
Why hydrogen? It is the lightest fuel with high impulse, which is why space launches use liquid hydrogen. What is wrong with hydrogen? It is too expensive.
Some history about hydrogen-fueled aircraft:
" 1. In 1979 I joined the staff of U.S Senator Spark Matsunaga, and was asked to create some legislation for hydrogen. With the assistance of Willis Hawkins (who started Lockheed Missiles and Space Company and served as president") and Dan Brewer ("also of Lockheed, who in 1991 published HYDROGEN AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY--here he is at the age of 93, taken last year"), we created some language on hydrogen jetliners. This bill spurred the development of the National Aerospace Plane. The resultant Matsunaga Hydrogen Act stimulated a national hydrogen program that began at zero dollars, but at one point in the 2000's had a budget exceeding that of solar technologies in the Department of Energy.
2. In 1988 the Russian Tupolev Tu-155 was the first aircraft to operate on liquid hydrogen.
" 3. A NASA program was created for the National Aerospace Plane in the 80's, but was shifted to the Department of Defense, and is now a black (secret") program.
4. The European Union did a study called Cryoplane in 2003:
"The CRYOPLANE analysis concludes that hydrogen could be a suitable alternative fuel for future aviation. Based on renewable energy sources it offers the chance to continue the long-term growth of aviation without damaging the atmosphere. Importantly no critical barriers to implementation were identified in the study. Further research is needed, but implementation could take place within 15 to 20 years."
" 5. Nearly four years ago I posted an article in the HUFFINGTON POST" on The Future of Sustainable Aviation.
6. Just last month the U.S Navy broke a drone ("right") endurance record using hydrogen fuel.
7. There are various attempts at dirigibles, some powered by hydrogen. I've discussed with Rinaldo Brutoco prospects for the Hawaiian Hydrogen Clipper ("H2C"). Aeros Aeronautical Systems had Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funding for:
However, there is no commercial hydrogen jetliner nor passenger blimp into the foreseeable future. DARPA and the Department of Energy, are making tentative efforts to develop clean fuels. Thus, biojet fuel appears to be the only viable option for near term ("within a decade or two") sustainability. Various airlines have experimented with biofuels and a range of companies is pioneering the effort:
" 1. BioJet Corporation and Great Plains Oil and Exploration (camellia")
2. JATRO ("jatropha")
3. RenewableJetFuels.org ("a web site advocating sustainability")
a. Lanzatech
b. SG Biofuels
c. Alt Air
d. Solazyme
e. Sapphire
The problem with all the above is the cost of biojetfuel. Jetfuel today costs 2.83/gallon. Keep in mind that to sell at 2.83/gallon means you will need to produce at the factory for less than 2/gallon, for there are added expenses like transport, profit, taxes, etc. This partly explains why jetfuel is much cheaper than gasoline, as the applied tax is less than half. But jetfuel increases in cost proportionally to gasoline, so what can be expected into the future?
Yet, before you get too depressed, note that the Chicago Mercantile Exchange has petroleum at 78.27/barrel in December of 2021!
Most of the current biofuel efforts struggle to reach 18/gallon, and the U.S. Air Force last year paid 59/gallon. Algae jetfuel? The Navy laid out 424/gallon. Cooking oil has been used, and this is relatively cheap, but this is a joke because a few flights would consume all the fuel available.
"Thus, nothing competitive looms unless the price of oil skyrockets...which certainly can happen if Israel bombs Iran, igniting a major war in the region. Discouragingly, even if oil doubles to 200/barrel (4.76/gallon"), how close is industry to producing sustainable substitutes for 3.50/gallon or less? JUST IN CASE, SHOULDN'T WE BE TAKING A CLOSER RE-LOOK AT HYDROGEN AND NEXT GENERATION FLIGHT OPTIONS? Oh, the bottom line to the question posed in the title is that as theoretically ominous as global warming might be, humanity is particularly screwed when it comes to available options for sustainable aviation.
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