Comments on: Lutz: Why Do You Need Fuel Cells?

By: Michael Robinson

Michael Robinson — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:47:09 +0000

Hydrogen is not big oil’s baby or we would see big oil pushing for it.
In fact, Shell and Exxon are ignoring hydrogen for the most part and
focusing on bio-fuels. The reality is, big oil doesn’t need to be involved for hydrogen to take hold. Hydrogen containing compounds
that can be easily transported and reformed are the future. More and
longer hydrogen pipelines are the future. There are many unconventional sources of natural gas including garbage and
manure that will simply pollute the atmosphere if they aren’t tapped.

http://www.hydrogendiscoveries.wordpress.com

http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:31:24 +0000

Hydrogen fuel cells are dead… I think the only reason they were chosen is because it would be a way for the oil majors to stay in the transportation game with fueling stations and also one of the ways to get the gas is to fracture natural gas into it’s component parts… Batteries are far more energy efficient…

By: Texas

Texas — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:41:17 +0000

NZDavid, I agree with just about every you said in your #73 post but not about the compressed air range extender being the future. I think the future is advanced battery technology. So simple, no moving parts, highest efficiency, etc. However, I’m not sure what will happen. Several projects are worthy of massive amounts of R&D. Compressed air is one of them. There are also projects to use compressed air to fill huge underground caverns for base load storage. Exciting times!

By: NZDavid

NZDavid — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:46:55 +0000

#72 Perry
The batteries get recycled.
H2 also has to be compressed. Unlike air, H2 has to be made first which uses up even more energy.
H2 is a dead end street for vehicles.

#71 Jimee#10. You are correct. I think the range extender using compressed air is the future, unless the algae biofuel industry gets up and running.

By: Perry Kravec

Perry Kravec — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:22:39 +0000

"Lutz: Why Do You Need Fuel Cells?"

Because making and disposing of batteries would cause many problems. Hydrogen fuel cells are the long term solution.

The air car is not efficient. It takes too much energy to compress the air and you can’t produce enough power to weight.

By: Jimee#10

Jimee#10 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:15:54 +0000

Just think, anyone could have a air station, and it wouldn’t have to be one of the big oil companys. Stores, restraunts, McDonalds, Walmart etc. With that kind of competition, prices would be very good, and you could also do it at home.

By: Jimee#10

Jimee#10 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:12:31 +0000

Compressed air really is the answer. The MDI company has been working on them for many years and are suppost to offer them to some countries for different applications shortly. The moisture and freezing problems are not to much of a problem.

By: Guy Incognito

Guy Incognito — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:20:20 +0000

"Lutz: Why Do You Need Fuel Cells?"
Its good to hear you talk that way Bob, I always had you pegged as an idiot & oil company stooge. Now I’m beginning to think otherwise.
Even Bob Lutz knows that fuel cells are still a long way off; they’re a put-on fostered by the oil companies and the Bush administration to kill the electric car. They’re still pushing the ‘fool cell’ when they should be pushing the serial plug in hybrid vehicle instead.
Be careful Bob, by bad-mouthing the fool cell you may have made a lot enemies. Fortunately I am not one of them.

By: Texas

Texas — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:08:15 +0000

About the compressed air solution. I kind of like the idea but was wondering if anyone worked though the water problem. When you compress air you not only get a lot of heat but also water. You need expensive air dyers for many locations because there is so much water in the air (100 percent humidity days). Thus, I’m thinking about cold weather locations where you are dealing with massive temperature changes as well as massive amounts of standing water. Cold plus water is not good. I wonder what the air car engineers have to say on the matter.

By: NZDavid

NZDavid — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:10:30 +0000

#66 Neutron Flux, Thanks for the link.

#64 Eco. H2 is doable now, its just a bad idea for vehicles as I explained in post #3. it is not energy efficient. It would be better to use compressed air if you want massive range and short recharge times. Long term stripping is out of gas won’t work (peak gas). There is no way of getting past the 2nd law of thermodynamnics, as #6 Ter pointed out there is ALWAYS a energy loss each time you convert from one energy form to another.