Japan to help companies that push hydrogen as electricity source

[nationalize the fed]

The Japan Times February 16, 2015


Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
takes the Toyota Hydrogen Mirai for a spin

The Japanese government is planning to support companies that help develop hydrogen-fueled electric power plants, earmarking budget funds of ¥2.05 billion for such projects in the next fiscal year.

Companies that build hydrogen-tanker ships, those that convert gas turbines to hydrogen use, and those studying the production of hydrogen from low-quality lignite coal may benefit from the funds, officials said on Sunday.

The need to develop new technology and the high costs involved are significant hurdles to the development of this environmentally friendly power source. Nevertheless, the government wants companies to build a test reactor by 2020 and to begin power generation a decade or so later.


A hydrogen filling station is pictured in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, in December.
JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORP./KYODO

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a policy speech to the Diet last Thursday that Japan is moving toward the “dream of a hydrogen-based society” and is accelerating the installation of hydrogen stations for fuel-cell vehicles, which run on electricity generated by burning hydrogen.

By commercializing hydrogen-powered electric power plants,..MORE
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/02/16/business/japan-help-companies-push-hydrogen-electricity-source/

************

Further Reading: Japan rises to challenge of becoming ‘hydrogen society’
Hydrogen viewed as key to energy needs after Fukushima
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/10/12/national/japan-rises-challenge-becoming-hydrogen-society/

Some DO things while others watch...

[bananas]

1. Exactly what kind of "test reactor" are they talking about?

Nevertheless, the government wants companies to build a test reactor by 2020 and to begin power generation a decade or so later.

[madokie]

2. Some would call it a gasifier

would be my guess. Gasifier, reactor, pretty much the same meaning

https://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=Gasifier%2C+reactor&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[bananas]

6. Coal gasification in 2030 as a hydrogen source?

From the article in the OP - these two paragraphs are together, so you may be right, but 2030 seems a long time to develop this:

Companies that build hydrogen-tanker ships, those that convert gas turbines to hydrogen use, and those studying the production of hydrogen from low-quality lignite coal may benefit from the funds, officials said on Sunday.

The need to develop new technology and the high costs involved are significant hurdles to the development of this environmentally friendly power source. Nevertheless, the government wants companies to build a test reactor by 2020 and to begin power generation a decade or so later.

[TexasProgresive]

3. Hydrogen production is an energy sink not source.

It takes an enormous amount of energy to break the Oxygen-Hydrogen bond of water. I suppose it can be made from hydrocarbons like methane and crude oil but those are fossil fuels.

There is a massive source of hydrogen nearby-the Sun.

[phantom power]

4. +1, this makes no sense

[bananas]

5. Japan's hydrogen energy hype

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/01/27/commentary/japan-commentary/japans-hydrogen-energy-hype/



Commentary / Japan | SENTAKU MAGAZINE
Japan’s hydrogen energy hype
Jan 27, 2015

Much excitement is permeating within the industrial segments related to hydrogen energy, following the government’s announcement in June 2014 of the “Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.” It calls for creation of a “hydrogen-based society” as a trump card to prevent a further global warming and designates 2015 as the “first year”of the age of hydrogen.

In reality, however, the clean image of hydrogen-based energy and its economic viability are much exaggerated.

The government and business enterprises are rushing to building a hydrogen society in order to create huge public works largely funded by government subsidies, and gain rights and interests from them.

<snip>

[hunter]

9. That's a very reasonable opinion article.

It's difficult to tell what's going on in Japan and other places of frenzied "hydrogen economy" research.

Hydrogen is a very squirrelly synthetic fuel. Even if all the technical problems are worked out -- for example more efficient fuel cells using less expensive metals, hydrogen production, storage, and transportation infrastructure that doesn't leak, more efficient electrolysis, etc., etc. -- in spite of that, the thermodynamics are still unfavorable. There are laws of physics that cannot be broken.

Unless Japan has some secret and inexpensive nuclear fusion power plant hidden away in a cave somewhere, or a dirt cheap solar system that produces hydrogen directly from tap water and sunlight, then the cult of hydrogen makes no sense.

A hydrogen economy based on fossil fuels or conventional nuclear power sources is simply insane. It makes many possible "carbon neutral" synthetic fuel cycles using ethanol or dimethyl ether look rational.

From my current perspective, if we must have cars, then electrics seem to be the best bet. In sunny places parking lots can be shaded by solar panels and it's win-win. The cars parked underneath the solar panels are charged while their owners are working or shopping, and the cars are protected from the sun.

People traveling greater distances might rapidly charge their electric cars as they take a healthy and leisurely stretch-their-legs and get to know a place lunch and toilet break.

We've already got quite a few solar parking lots in my community and these are preferred spots for even non-electric car owners, for the simple reason the parking spots are shaded.

Nobody wants their car to do double duty as a solar oven during the day. Well, not most people. I've dried fruit, nuts, and jerky in my cars, once the plastic foam dashboard had stabilized with some major fissures in it and I was no longer clearing the windshield of vaporized plasticizers. At that point I figured the car was safe for food use. Open the window a crack, throw in the drying racks, and let the sun do its thing any days I didn't happen to be driving anywhere. Almonds, apricots, various herbs, and salmon, mostly... dried foods I love.

[CentralMass]

7. Here is an article discussing why using hydrogen for transportation is not green or economical

Here is a link to an article on why using hydrogen for transportation vs electric or electric hybrid vehicles is far less green and less economical

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/05/3467115/tesla-toyota-hydrogen-cars-batteries.

[Gregorian]

8. Are you being paid to post these? It's a real disservice.

[nationalize the fed]

11. "A real disservice" to post about a country that is pioneering a clean energy future?

This is a discussion board and the topic is "Environment and Energy"

You can read, but can you comprehend?

Why are people that post about Hydrogen accused of "being paid" but little mindless battery fan boys can post about Teslas and Volts all day and night and they are high-fived? Batteries are yesterday's tech- until there are major breakthroughs. It's a dirty and inefficient way to store power. All batteries die. Then they need to be replaced with more dirty, heavy, inefficient and eco-unfriendly batteries.

I'll tell you what is a "disservice"- a nation full of ignorant emotional arrogant twits that sit around while their treasury is looted and handed over to warmongers that drone bomb suspects in countries 8,000 miles away while making no attempt at energy independence in 40 years.

It's a disservice to have to read accusations of being paid to post.

It's a disservice to have to be around such stunningly foolish and brain dead people. It's a disservice to have to be in public at all with these mindless dolts.

It's a disservice to read endless crying and moaning about how everything is going to shit and nothing can be done about any of it because the US can't do anything anymore. It's the Can't Do generation and their idiotic spawn that just might finish off what's left of this country. Can't do this, can't do that, can't do anything but complain and wallow in despair.

I can't wait to GTFO of the USA. Much of the rest of the world welcomes any and all new ideas when it comes to energy. What the F is wrong with the USA?


Now you've motivated the next few hydrogen posts, be proud of that. I won't be responding to you in the future, I won't even see your idiotic posts.

Take this to the bank: You haven't even BEGUN to hear about Hydrogen yet. And you can't stop it.

[NYC_SKP]

10. >>>>>NATURALLY! Hydrogen is a way to keep us dependent upon the "fueling station" model, FFS.

The government and companies pushing for inefficient natural gas loving H2 stations color me surprised.

Not.