New Honda Solar Power Hydrogen Station Debuts (2010)

[kristopher]

2. We have to solve an energy problem not an energy carrier problem

As the article notes, "the "wind-to-wheel" efficiency is at least three times greater for electric cars than for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. In practical terms that means you need 3X the solar panels or 3X the wind turbines to do the same amount of driving with hydrogen as you would with battery electric.

Why a hydrogen economy doesn't make sense



“The advantages of hydrogen praised by journalists (non-toxic, burns to water, abundance of hydrogen in the Universe, etc.) are misleading, because the production of hydrogen depends on the availability of energy and water, both of which are increasingly rare and may become political issues, as much as oil and natural gas are today,” says Bossel.

...

“In the market place, hydrogen would have to compete with its own source of energy, i.e. with ("green&quot electricity from the grid,” he says. “For this reason, creating a new energy carrier is a no-win solution. We have to solve an energy problem not an energy carrier problem."
...

“Ultimately, hydrogen has to be made from renewable electricity by electrolysis of water in the beginning,” Bossel explains, “and then its energy content is converted back to electricity with fuel cells when it’s recombined with oxygen to water. Separating hydrogen from water by electrolysis requires massive amounts of electrical energy and substantial amounts of water.”

Also, hydrogen is not a source of energy, but only a carrier of energy. As a carrier, it plays a role similar to that of water in a hydraulic heating system or electrons in a copper wire. When delivering hydrogen, whether by truck or pipeline, the energy costs are several times that for established energy carriers like natural gas or gasoline. Even the most efficient fuel cells cannot recover these losses, Bossel found. For comparison, the "wind-to-wheel" efficiency is at least three times greater for electric cars than for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Another headache is storage....

Read more at: http://phys.org/news85074285.html


For a breakdown comparison of the "wind to wheels" efficiency of H2 vs battery electric see:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=68545