Fuel cell demonstrates 10,000 hours (equiv to 300,000 miles) [View all]

[BlueStreak]

Last edited Thu Jun 27, 2013, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.hybridcars.com/cost-effective-uk-fuel-cell-tests-as-durable-as-diesel-engine/

Things are getting pretty exciting. Wind is now a very significant part of our electricity supply -- approaching 5% and growing rapidly. Solar is approaching the financial break-even point where it could take off the same way. There is absolutely no reason for any new electrical plant other than solar, wind, or geothermal. We are already at the point of being able to supply all net additional electricity from wind alone. As this accelerates, we can start retiring nuke plants and the worst coal plants, converting some of the other coal plants to gas to supply the energy float needed when wind and solar are slow.

This is all happening much faster than most people realize. We are potentially about 5 years away from the time when a battery-only car will be an excellent choice for most families as their second around-town car. One factor that is rarely reported is that maintenance on electric-only cars is nearly zero. You have to replace tires, and that's about it. After 8-10 years, you might have to replace the battery, but along the way, no oil changes, no tune-ups, no muffler replacements, no bad oxygen sensors, etc. This is huge, and it is so rarely discussed.

And it seems like fuel cells are really approaching practicality in the 10-year horizon.

Somebody reported that the Energy Depart still projects > 99% of vehicles will have an internal combustion engine by 2035. I don't see how anybody could make such a prediction with all of this movement underway.