Hydrogen Fuel Closer To Fruition
Last week teams from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia announced some major advances in extracting hydrogen from water. The teams promised advanced materials developed in their lab would lead to a commercial solar panel in seven years that would produce cheap hydrogen from water, a production method known as solar hydrogen.
Source: Wired
This is exciting technology worth keeping close tabs on. -KFThe premise is sound, but the obstacles are substantial. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. However, it is shamelessly promiscuous. It will hook up with almost any atom it passes. Like oxygen, in whose sweet embrace it produces water. Or carbon, in whose grubby grope it makes fossil fuels. It doesn't come in a pure form. Currently, the cost of producing hydrogen fuel is greater than the value of the energy it delivers. Production entails either electrolysis in water or extraction of hydrogen from fossil fuels like natural gas.
Source: Wired
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