Colorado project will use wind to produce hydrogen

by Mike Magda (RSS feed) on Dec 17th 2006 at 8:43AM

As part of a $2 million joint project of Xcel Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, researchers will study the idea of using wind power to help produce hydrogen. Only small amounts are expected in the beginning but the team will try to set the stage for large, commercial operations in the future. The project is part of Pres. Bush's $1.2 billion hydrogen fuel initiative.

[Source: Steve Raabe / Denver Post]

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hydrogen, Carbon Offset

Tags: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory, steve raabe, SteveRaabe, Xcel Energy, XcelEnergy

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Howard Lee Harkness 9:05AM (12/18/2006)

There are reasons why wind-power has not taken over by storm, starting with the higher cost per kwh, due to the high initial cost of the machinery, high cost of the large amount of real-estate required, and the time and cost for maintenance. Then there is the uncertainty of wind, and the fact that wind-power has consistently been disappointing in its capacity shortfalls. These factors tend to be glossed over by wind-power supporters. Wind power just isn't ready for prime time, which has been demonstrated for us several times now.

With all of those problems, it is idiotic to impose yet another layer of inefficiency by using the wind-generated electricity to produce hydrogen. The fully-loaded cost of such idiocy is several times that of dinosaur juice, and will require massive taxpayer subsidy (or government coercion) to be marketable.

It is way past time to end all subsidies for hydrogen, and let it stand on its own merits -- if it can find any to stand on. Political Correctness makes bad science, bad economics, and bad public policy.

↓↑report

Tim 11:41AM (12/28/2006)

A terrorist’s dream is to have a giant tanker of Hydrogen parked next to a big fat target. Spilled bio-diesel (or electricity for that matter) is less toxic to the environment than salt or sugar.

“Hydrogen may be considered to be one of the most destructive gases to escape into the atmosphere. It will destroy ozone in an irreversible process, reduce oxygen levels and produce water vapor in the stratosphere.” http://www.ozone-depletion.com/. Hydrogen is a very small molecule.

↓↑report

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