08-09-2020, 09:37 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-09-2020, 09:39 AM by Cobaltblue.)
Although I am pleased that Elon Musk has managed to make big steps forward in Electric car technology I tend to find his pronouncements unhelpful.
My big concern with Hydrogen at the moment is the way its made.
We all know you can crack water into Hydrogen and Oxygen with nice off peak electricity.
In the main Hydrogen is made with what's known as SMR a quote from one of the many sources on the internet.
Steam methane reforming, or SMR, is the most common method for producing hydrogen at large industrial scales. SMR causes the methane found in natural gas to react with steam, producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide undergoes further reactions, generating more hydrogen and, crucially, carbon dioxide—a heat-trapping gas. Despite this, fuel cell vehicles driven on SMR-sourced hydrogen are still cleaner than their conventional counterparts, and produce even fewer emissions when the methane comes from waste, not natural gas.
I am sure we all know that Electricity isn't always made cleanly either I always find it disingenuous car manufactures claiming how clean these technologies are.
I am not directly involved but there were discussions about building combined EV charger/Hydrogen for garage forecourts where the hydrogen was produced in situ rather than transported. I can only guess at the thinking and technology behind this.
I was talking to one of my colleagues yesterday he has a 3 1/2 year old Hyundai IONIQ that he bought second hand just after Xmas this year.
He has a tariff that gives him electricity at 6p per KWH between 3:30 and 6:00 AM which is when he charges his car.
He is getting over 5 Miles/KWH on his 30 mile daily commute so 36p per day that's not the total end to end cost though because obviously you will put more power in than you get out but even allowing for that it will be under 40p per day.
It costs him so little he mostly doesn't even bother to take advantage of the free charging in the office
Unlike me
Cheers
Mike T
My big concern with Hydrogen at the moment is the way its made.
We all know you can crack water into Hydrogen and Oxygen with nice off peak electricity.
In the main Hydrogen is made with what's known as SMR a quote from one of the many sources on the internet.
Steam methane reforming, or SMR, is the most common method for producing hydrogen at large industrial scales. SMR causes the methane found in natural gas to react with steam, producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide undergoes further reactions, generating more hydrogen and, crucially, carbon dioxide—a heat-trapping gas. Despite this, fuel cell vehicles driven on SMR-sourced hydrogen are still cleaner than their conventional counterparts, and produce even fewer emissions when the methane comes from waste, not natural gas.
I am sure we all know that Electricity isn't always made cleanly either I always find it disingenuous car manufactures claiming how clean these technologies are.
I am not directly involved but there were discussions about building combined EV charger/Hydrogen for garage forecourts where the hydrogen was produced in situ rather than transported. I can only guess at the thinking and technology behind this.
I was talking to one of my colleagues yesterday he has a 3 1/2 year old Hyundai IONIQ that he bought second hand just after Xmas this year.
He has a tariff that gives him electricity at 6p per KWH between 3:30 and 6:00 AM which is when he charges his car.
He is getting over 5 Miles/KWH on his 30 mile daily commute so 36p per day that's not the total end to end cost though because obviously you will put more power in than you get out but even allowing for that it will be under 40p per day.
It costs him so little he mostly doesn't even bother to take advantage of the free charging in the office
Unlike me
Cheers
Mike T
It's rare and desirable
