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I stumbled on this article about a spin-off from MIT using solar power to create hydrogen. I think it's a great idea, one that I'd like to have working in my house, but it's not as simple as having a storage tank and a solar panel.
To me this requires some fundamental changes in how we power devices. Whether it's a car, a generator, or my house, I need an easy way to not only produce the power and store it, in this case using hydrogen, but then easily consume it as well.
In a house that means that I need some power generator that can automatically take me off the grid, or reduce my usage, and use this power in my house. In a car, this means a way to get from this storage mechanism into my car.
I'm all for this idea, and I'd really like to get something like this working. I could envision this as a way to power our barn, or heat water, but automatically burning off the hydrogen to produce power or heat (or both) and then using that in standard appliances.
I envision some 2 tank system, one that is getting filled, and one that's being used. Some type of small controller that determines which is which, manages the load, etc. This could work, but I think it means a re-engineering of how we consume power in a residential situation.
Posted by Robert Pearl on 29 September 2009
Hey, isn't hydrogren that did in the Hindenburg derigible (blimp), before they went to helium? Explosive stuff! :O
It may be clean, like nuclear energy, but if something goes awry - B-O-O-M!
Posted by Steve Jones on 29 September 2009
Be careful of public perception. I think there were other issues with the Hinderberg. Don't forget you drive with gas, which if fairly explosive as well.
www.ecoworld.com/.../hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars.html