Submitted on May 16th, 2008 by Phoenix (not verified)
It is, of course, in Mr Eberhard's self-interest to denigrate hydrogen - bearing in mind that his battery is no more a fuel than is hydrogen. The fact of the natter is that the problems with hydrogen - storage, distribution, release, recycling - are very close to being solved. The potential for ammonia borane (AB), in particular, is very interesting (see DOE analysis), and more so given the fact that the US has vast amounts of borax deposits in the California desert.
AB is a non-toxic, air-stable solid that is replete with hydrogen. There is no need for compressing hydrogen, no need for those massive tanks, and no need to build out an extensive hydrogen filling station network. The catalytic release of hydrogen under mild conditions and in large quantities is not to be doubted. It will be distributed in the form of a battery that can be sold at Walmart, KMart, 711 and anywhere else - the distribution power of the oil companies will not be allowed to frustrate this solution.
Hydrogen - Do Not Doubt It
Submitted on May 16th, 2008 by Phoenix (not verified)It is, of course, in Mr Eberhard's self-interest to denigrate hydrogen - bearing in mind that his battery is no more a fuel than is hydrogen. The fact of the natter is that the problems with hydrogen - storage, distribution, release, recycling - are very close to being solved. The potential for ammonia borane (AB), in particular, is very interesting (see DOE analysis), and more so given the fact that the US has vast amounts of borax deposits in the California desert.
AB is a non-toxic, air-stable solid that is replete with hydrogen. There is no need for compressing hydrogen, no need for those massive tanks, and no need to build out an extensive hydrogen filling station network. The catalytic release of hydrogen under mild conditions and in large quantities is not to be doubted. It will be distributed in the form of a battery that can be sold at Walmart, KMart, 711 and anywhere else - the distribution power of the oil companies will not be allowed to frustrate this solution.
http://www.purdue.edu/dp/echi/Presentations/PNNL%20-%20T.%20Autrey.pdf
The electric car is no answer - where does the electricity come from?