Hydrogen

[Big Bend]

some hydrogen stories in the news lately.


http://www.wired.com/cars/energy/news/2007/11/hydrogen_bacteria

They can now use bacteria to produce hydrogen. In laboratory experiments, their reactor generated hydrogen gas at nearly 99 percent of the theoretical maximum yield using aetic acid, a common dead-end product of glucose ermentation. "This process produces 288 percent more energy in hydrogen than the electrical energy that is added in the process". 288 PERCENT MORE ENERGY!!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071112133751.htm

"In terms of hydrogen absorption, these materials could prove a world record," Phillips said. "Most materials today absorb only 7 to 8 percent of hydrogen by weight, and only at cryogenic [extremely low] temperatures. Our materials absorb hydrogen up to 14 percent by weight at room temperature. By absorbing twice as much hydrogen, the new materials could help make the dream of a hydrogen economy come true."

Wow! This could truly change mankind, and quickly. Unlimited clean energy - the holy grail we've been looking for. I'm surprised this hasn't gotten more news lately. The hell with coal, nuclear power, oil.. Lets hope this works!

BB

[wacki]

maybe this is why:

http://www.physorg.com/news85074285.html
Why a hydrogen economy doesn't make sense

[adios]

From your linky:

“More energy is needed to isolate hydrogen from natural compounds than can ever be recovered from its use,” Bossel explains to PhysOrg.com. “Therefore, making the new chemical energy carrier form natural gas would not make sense, as it would increase the gas consumption and the emission of CO2. Instead, the dwindling fossil fuel reserves must be replaced by energy from renewable sources.”

Perhaps this is a promising development and a step in the right direction:

New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071112/sc_afp/ussciencefuel_071112215156)

The technology offers a way to cheaply and efficiently generate hydrogen gas from readily available and renewable biomass such as cellulose or glucose, and could be used for powering vehicles, making fertilizer and treating drinking water.

Numerous public transportation systems are moving toward hydrogen-powered engines as an alternative to gasoline, but most hydrogen today is generated from nonrenewable fossil fuels such as natural gas.

The method used by engineers at Pennsylvania State University however combines electron-generating bacteria and a small electrical charge in a microbial fuel cell to produce hydrogen gas.

Microbial fuel cells work through the action of bacteria which can pass electrons to an anode. The electrons flow from the anode through a wire to the cathode producing an electric current. In the process, the bacteria consume organic matter in the biomass material.

An external jolt of electricity helps generate hydrogen gas at the cathode.

In the past, the process, which is known as electrohydrogenesis, has had poor efficiency rates and low hydrogen yields.

But the researchers at Pennsylvania State University were able to get around these problems by chemically modifying elements of the reactor.

[wacki]

ok looks like I judged too quickly. I thought this was just another way to split water. here is the abstract from the PNAS:
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract...ourcetype=HWCIT (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0706379104v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORM AT=1&author1=logan&andorexacttitle=and&andorexactt itleabs=and&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRS TINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&fdate=5/1/2007&resourcetype=HWCIT)

I'm on 2 different types of pain medication right now so I'm in no shape to read this properly. However, it looks like this is an energy from biomass waste which means the energy calculations work very differently than regular water splitting. I need to know the EROEI for sure but this might be a huge breakthrough. If this has a full timeline EROEI of 2 or above from cellulose then this is a big deal. I don't know but I will revisit this later.

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
ok looks like I judged too quickly. I thought this was just another way to split water. here is the abstract from the PNAS:
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract...ourcetype=HWCIT (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0706379104v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORM AT=1&author1=logan&andorexacttitle=and&andorexactt itleabs=and&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRS TINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&fdate=5/1/2007&resourcetype=HWCIT)

I'm on 2 different types of pain medication right now so I'm in no shape to read this properly. However, it looks like this is an energy from biomass waste which means the energy calculations work very differently than regular water splitting. I need to know the EROEI for sure but this might be a huge breakthrough. If this has a full timeline EROEI of 2 or above from cellulose then this is a big deal. I don't know but I will revisit this later.

[/ QUOTE ]

Far from being made viable is my take but people are working the problem.