GM's hydrogen proponent, Larry Burns, set to retire
One of the most public proponents of hydrogen-powered vehicles at GM, Larry Burns, will announce that he is retiring soon, according to the Detroit Free Press. Burns has worked at GM for 40 years, and currently serves as vice president of research, development and strategic planning there. He spoke to AutoblogGreen many, many times about the need for more investment in H2-powered vehicles. He was also the lead GM representative at the PUMA launch earlier this year. Even though the Freep says that Burns decided to retire a month ago, when GM emerged from bankruptcy last week, CEO Fritz Henderson said that executive shake-ups would be part of the New GM.Pro-hydrogen blogger Greg Blencoe will miss Burns, and wrote the following about him:
On April 2, 2008 at the National Hydrogen Association annual meeting in Sacramento, he gave what I think is the most important speech ever given on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.More here.It was the first time I heard an influential person urgently stress the need to get started on building the hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Since that time, other car companies have been much more vocal about the need to get the hydrogen fueling stations built.
I think history will look upon that speech as one of the key turning points on the path to getting large numbers of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paulwesterberg 1:40PM (7/14/2009)
Larry Burns leaves a legacy of failure despite billions of taxpayer dollars wasted on hydrogen research at companies like GM.
Greg Blencoe
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paulwesterberg 1:42PM (7/14/2009)
Darn html filter cut off my post.
Greg Blencoe hearts failure & Larry Burns & wants more of our money wasted on his pipedream.
jeff 2:22PM (7/14/2009)
For a second, I thought that was a signature, and Mr. Blencoe suddenly had a change of heart.
I think history will look upon Greg Blencoe's assertion that energy efficiency isn't important as a thinly veiled attempt to promote his own interests.
BillySharps 1:49PM (7/14/2009)
I hope this is permanent. I'm betting they don't appoint a new hydrogen proponent. Hopefully the new GM will drop hydrogen altogether.
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vfx 2:49PM (7/14/2009)
Out with the old.
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AnotherDave 3:10PM (7/14/2009)
Hey Larry, maybe you can build a real Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in your garage like the several hundreds of people that have built battery electric vehicles already. Maybe you can get the parts you need from the "Old GM" cheap. I hope all the Hydrogen lobbyists and cronies fade into oblivion like the value of my "GM" stock did. Alas, I expect you will get paid off with some sort of job at a fuel cell partnership and will still be around as a shill for Hydrogen.
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DasBoese 3:54PM (7/14/2009)
Now, don't be so harsh with the man.
Imagine what it must feel like, having worked on hydrogen technology for your entire career, but then witnessing the continuing improvements in batteries and biofuels make it utterly obsolete. Knowing deep down that the dream you worked for all those years will never come true and that you'll probably live just long enough to see a new generation grow up that won't even remember it -and you.
Heartbreaking, isn't it? ;)
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Nozferat 5:18PM (7/14/2009)
Honestly you sound like an ignoramous. Do you know what sort of research and technology developments are actually being done in the hydrogen field? Are are you just talking out of you ass like ChrisM?
Chris M 5:39PM (7/14/2009)
Yeah, like the guys at AT&T that thought the Picturephone would be the next big thing in the 1960's, and who pushed it despite the fact that the price was way too high to make economic sense. The test market failed utterly, and made the phone companies so leery that they dropped it completely. Ironically, if they had waited until the technology had improved and the costs had come down to reasonable levels, it would have been a success - but that would have taken 30 years.
That should be a warning to the H2 promoters - put something on the market when the price is still far too high, and it is bound to fail.
Chris M 5:48PM (7/14/2009)
Yes, Noz, we do know, we see all those excited announcements from H2 hypers like Burns and Blencoe. What we haven't seen is efficiency that comes anywhere close to existing battery electrics, or anything even close to affordability, or, for that matter, anything actually available for sale.
What we have seen is dramatic improvements in battery technology, and a revival in the EV and PHEV markets that threaten to make H2 FC cars obsolete before they arrive.
DasBoese 7:25PM (7/14/2009)
@Nozferat
Yeah, I follow hydrogen research among other fields of science that interest me. Being a student of aerospace engineering, I am very interested in improving ways to make and store hydrogen, it is an excellent rocket propellant after all! The same goes for fuel cells, which can be useful for a number of space- and ground-based applications.
For cars, other technologies are better, both in the short and the long term.
No realistic (!) improvements in hydrogen technology are going to change that. Ever.
Nozferat 7:50PM (7/14/2009)
ChrisM to the rescue!!!!
Sorry but putting a technology that hasn't matured for full commercial use yet is a completely different issue than not being able to overcome the hurdles to do so. In your usual fashion, this outlook is a complete flip-flop from going from impossible to "just not ready yet." No surprise coming from you.
You fail to represent the true efficiency of battery vehicles by not considering the efficiency of charging via your imaginary infrastructure. Using solar panels brings efficiencies to very low levels (since this is such an important point for you) and using the extremely expensive 30% efficiency solar cells we use here at JPL to power the rovers the "cost" advantages you keep blowing off steam about.
If you come out of your shell, you'll realize that extremely important and commercially viable advancements in hydrogen storage and technology have been made in the last 5+ years....thanks in part to material technology advancements. Much of it lies with nano-technology usage.
I suggest you learn to focus of what's being said rather than what's bouncing around in your head when it comes to discussing hydrogen usage. Your scope is very limited in terms of what's actually out there...probably because you like to cherry-pick only the things you believe in.
Let's be thankful there are extremely smart, hardworking, and open-minded scientists and engineers working on both sides of the new technology grids who will bring us advancements in future energy currencies that your closed-minded attitude has no business spouting opinions about.
Nozferat 7:52PM (7/14/2009)
DasBoese,
Then I suggest you research harder...because frankly you come across as not knowing the new technologies that are being developed.
Some of the new developments in material usage for fuel cell and H2 storage are astounding and extremely promising.
DasBoese 9:16PM (7/14/2009)
Guess that's what I get for trying to be reasonable with unreasonable people. Repeated insults to my intelligence.
Since you're obviously not interested in a honest discussion, as evidenced by your failure to talk facts, instead choosing to repeat your ad hominem attacks, I really don't see a point in continuing this. Good night, sir.
Nozferat 4:08AM (7/15/2009)
Oh please....spare me the whining.
Attacks?? Oh you mean the kind of condescending crap you fling at myself and others who happen to have a different viewpoint than you? That medicine you dish out doesn't taste too great does it.
If you want a decent conversation, you can start off by treating people with differing opinions than yours with a little respect. That goes a long way for return respect.
Have a good night.
jpm100 6:21AM (7/15/2009)
"What we have seen is dramatic improvements in battery technology, and a revival in the EV and PHEV markets that threaten to make H2 FC cars obsolete before they arrive."
$40,000 for a Volt. $80,000+ for the Tesla.
Much of that price driven purely by the battery. Yeah, electric is really ready for prime time, isn't it?
Sean 6:18PM (7/15/2009)
@Nozferat:
"Honestly you sound like an ignoramous"
"Are are you just talking out of you ass like ChrisM?"
"No surprise coming from you"
"you like to cherry-pick only the things you believe in"
"your closed-minded attitude has no business spouting opinions"
These are called attacks. Intstead of giving facts or logical reasoning to suport your argument you either resort to personal attacks or demad we blindly trust people you deem trustworthy.
@jpm100
30k for an Aptera, 40k for a Volt 57k for a Tesla S... not exactly cheap, but vastly cheaper than any Hydrogn FCV. Electric cars are not ready to replace economy cars, but they will be sooner than you think.
Nozferat 4:39AM (7/19/2009)
Sean,
School yourself a little about research in other areas as well...not just EV and battery stuff. Perhaps then you'll stop whining like the rest. You people are a serious bunch of hypocrites...you sure know how to dish out your drivel but get bent out of shape when someone dishes it back.
Chris M 10:07PM (7/19/2009)
Nozferat, you do seem to be having problems with logical fallacies, particularly the Ad Hominem and Strawman and Non Sequiteur fallacies. Here is some information that can get you up to speed:
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/
Chris M 10:14PM (7/19/2009)
jpm100 quote: "$40,000 for a Volt. $80,000+ for the Tesla. Much of that price driven purely by the battery. Yeah, electric is really ready for prime time, isn't it?"
Expensive, yes, but they are a fraction of the cost for automotive H2 fuel cells and H2 storage, and the Tesla is for sale now, and the Volt will be available at least 4 years before any H2 fuel cell car. That means that EVs are a lot closer to "prime time" than any H2FC car.