National Academy Of Sciences - Hydrogen Cars 25 Years Away - Reuters

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "Though the Bush administration has pegged pollution-free, hydrogen-powered cars as the way to curb the nation's addiction to crude oil, the government's top science advisors on Wednesday said the vehicles won't be readily available for another 25 years.

In 2003, President Bush launched a $1.2 billion initiative to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil by developing hydrogen-powered fuel cells to run cars and trucks as well as homes and businesses.

EDIT

However, the report by a panel at the National Academy of Sciences shows that Americans should not hold their breath waiting for the cars to arrive in showrooms.

"In the best-case scenario, the transition to a hydrogen economy would take many decades, and any reductions in oil imports and carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be minor during the next 25 years," said the academy, an independent group that makes scientific recommendations to Congress."

EDIT

[BlueEyedSon]

1. LOL what a silly statement:

"... any reductions in oil imports and carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be minor during the next 25 years."

Oh, except for when it starts running out in 5 to 10 years!

[donsu]

2. 25 yrs is waaaay too late

nt

[cschultz671]

3. Supply chain

While not having read the report, but somewhat familiar with the issues, one major obstacle are tort liability issues regarding hydrogen fuel. A Clinton OSTP staffer writes in science here

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/301/5629/47b

[cschultz671]

4. PS

If you want to read the full report, it is here

http://www.nap.edu/books/0309091632/html/

[newyawker99]

7. Hi cschultz671!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[KansDem]

5. Why do I have the feeling that in 2029...

I'll be reading a headline that says, National Academy Of Sciences - Hydrogen Cars 25 Years Away - Reuters...?

[JohnyCanuck]

6. Some of the problems with transitioning to a hydrogen economy

are outlined here: http://www.econogics.com/en/heconomy.htm

There are no hydrogen wells
For all practical purposes, hydrogen does not exist in a natural state on Earth. It is highly reactive, so free hydrogen in the atmosphere normally bonds with nitrogen (to produce ammonia) or oxygen (to produce water or hydrogen peroxide). If the hydrogen actually manages to reach the upper atmosphere without reacting, it simply leaves the planetary atmosphere and moves into space. So, if we want to have hydrogen, we have to make it, and then store it and handle it and transport it so that it cannot come in contact with air or any of a large number of other substances so that it will remain sufficiently pure to be used. Given hydrogen's affinity for bonding with other elements, it typically takes a lot of energy to break those bonds to make and capture the hydrogen.

<snip>

The cycle efficiency of hydrogen production is poor
Making hydrogen and using it is a complex and multi-step process - with energy losses at every step. While it is possible to make hydrogen from renewable and sustainable sources, it is simply a bad idea relative to other options such as using the produced energy directly (e.g. as electricity) while powering transportation by other means (human powered vehicles, biofuels, electric vehicles, biofuel-electric hybrids).

<snip>

Hydrogen requires special handling
Hydrogen is explosive. If it is restricted from floating away, it becomes flammable/explosive at concentrations as low as 4% (and up to 75%) in an environment that also contains oxygen (e.g. the surface and atmosphere of Earth). Storage and transportation typically require use of high pressure tanks, cryogenic temperatures, metal hydrides or chemical bonding via carbon nanotubes, the latter two being relatively rare. Cryogenic temperature storage carries its own specific hazards (e.g. frozen body parts in the event of accident or mishandling). High pressure storage also has its own set of hazards.



http://www.econogics.com/en/heconomy.htm