Comments on: Study: Hydrogen Could Replace All Oil in 50 Years http://domesticfuel.com/2008/07/17/study-hydrogen-could-replace-all-oil-in-50-years/ Alternative Fuel News Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:59:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SacramentoE85 http://domesticfuel.com/2008/07/17/study-hydrogen-could-replace-all-oil-in-50-years/comment-page-1/#comment-89459 SacramentoE85 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:46:03 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=5267#comment-89459 Though, there is one theory I have held, which would take a long time to accomplish (unless we make a massive effort now). Corn ethanol returns 1.6 times the energy consumed, and sugar ethanol 8 times the energy consumed, for our vehicles. Additionally, some ethanol refineries are using waste materials to run their operations, reducing or eliminating their use of fossil fuels (potentially all could do this). That means that if all vehicles, ships, etc. that were involved in the production of fertilizers and crops were using ethanol or other energy-positive biofuels, and our vehicles also used biofuels, we would come out ahead on energy and not be using fossil fuels. If all vehicles switched to ethanol, they could be tuned with higher compression ratio engines, which would equal or eclipse the fuel economy of petroleum-driven engines. In the U.S., we would need to turn many other types of plants and waste into ethanol as well, as corn can only provide part of our needs. At the same time, the coproducts will provide plentiful livestock feed and food ingredients. This is only possible due to corn, sugar cane, and other plants absorbing energy from the sun. Though, there is one theory I have held, which would take a long time to accomplish (unless we make a massive effort now). Corn ethanol returns 1.6 times the energy consumed, and sugar ethanol 8 times the energy consumed, for our vehicles. Additionally, some ethanol refineries are using waste materials to run their operations, reducing or eliminating their use of fossil fuels (potentially all could do this). That means that if all vehicles, ships, etc. that were involved in the production of fertilizers and crops were using ethanol or other energy-positive biofuels, and our vehicles also used biofuels, we would come out ahead on energy and not be using fossil fuels. If all vehicles switched to ethanol, they could be tuned with higher compression ratio engines, which would equal or eclipse the fuel economy of petroleum-driven engines. In the U.S., we would need to turn many other types of plants and waste into ethanol as well, as corn can only provide part of our needs. At the same time, the coproducts will provide plentiful livestock feed and food ingredients. This is only possible due to corn, sugar cane, and other plants absorbing energy from the sun.

]]> By: SacramentoE85 http://domesticfuel.com/2008/07/17/study-hydrogen-could-replace-all-oil-in-50-years/comment-page-1/#comment-89458 SacramentoE85 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:37:16 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=5267#comment-89458 We will burn coal, petroleum, and use some wind power in generating the hydrogen. Net effect: still using fossil fuels (even producing and maintaining the wind turbines uses fossil fuels, as do solar cells), though we will be reducing pollution in large congested cities. Hydrogen and biofuels both contain these aspects. They are better than continuing to burn petroleum in our vehicles, but not perfect. The person who can patent the economical solution to stopping all pollution, while not using fossil fuels in any way will be both wealthy and a hero(ine). However, no one is likely to do this. Nuclear is another possibility, but politically that is not likely to occur. How can we tell other nations to cease their nuclear development while building our own? If so, those nations will continue and we will have a whole lot bigger problems to deal with than pollution. We need to continue to develop biofuels and hydrogen technology to slow the damage (both environmentally and economically) that fossil fuels pose, and perhaps an even better long-term solution will come about. Somehow we need to harness regular atmosphere (what is available around your vehicle), and use that to propel our vehicles, while not increasing the use of fossil fuels to create the vehicle. That doesn't seem likely. Anything else, though, will require fossil fuels or nuclear as a source of energy for the final product. We will burn coal, petroleum, and use some wind power in generating the hydrogen. Net effect: still using fossil fuels (even producing and maintaining the wind turbines uses fossil fuels, as do solar cells), though we will be reducing pollution in large congested cities. Hydrogen and biofuels both contain these aspects. They are better than continuing to burn petroleum in our vehicles, but not perfect. The person who can patent the economical solution to stopping all pollution, while not using fossil fuels in any way will be both wealthy and a hero(ine). However, no one is likely to do this. Nuclear is another possibility, but politically that is not likely to occur. How can we tell other nations to cease their nuclear development while building our own? If so, those nations will continue and we will have a whole lot bigger problems to deal with than pollution. We need to continue to develop biofuels and hydrogen technology to slow the damage (both environmentally and economically) that fossil fuels pose, and perhaps an even better long-term solution will come about. Somehow we need to harness regular atmosphere (what is available around your vehicle), and use that to propel our vehicles, while not increasing the use of fossil fuels to create the vehicle. That doesn’t seem likely. Anything else, though, will require fossil fuels or nuclear as a source of energy for the final product.

]]> By: Ricky http://domesticfuel.com/2008/07/17/study-hydrogen-could-replace-all-oil-in-50-years/comment-page-1/#comment-89336 Ricky Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:07:24 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=5267#comment-89336 Good point James. The problem is not designing cars that can burn hydrogen, but the amount of energy needed to separate hydrogen from the chemical compounds in which it is bound in order to use the hydrogen as fuel. Good point James. The problem is not designing cars that can burn hydrogen, but the amount of energy needed to separate hydrogen from the chemical compounds in which it is bound in order to use the hydrogen as fuel.

]]> By: chipperfish http://domesticfuel.com/2008/07/17/study-hydrogen-could-replace-all-oil-in-50-years/comment-page-1/#comment-89335 chipperfish Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:06:19 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=5267#comment-89335 The beauty of hydrogen is that it can be used to store the renewable energy created through windpower which is generated during off peak periods. That power is otherwise lost. The beauty of hydrogen is that it can be used to store the renewable energy created through windpower which is generated during off peak periods.

That power is otherwise lost.

]]> By: James http://domesticfuel.com/2008/07/17/study-hydrogen-could-replace-all-oil-in-50-years/comment-page-1/#comment-89294 James Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:47:42 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=5267#comment-89294 Where is the energy to make the liquid hydrogen going to come from? No one seems to like to answer this question... Where is the energy to make the liquid hydrogen going to come from? No one seems to like to answer this question…

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