“For those interested …”.

With all the mumbo jumbo, bulldust and lies that have been told about 'alternative energy’, there is no reason for anyone to be interested.

The major problems with hydrogen is that because it only liquefies at temperatures near absolute zero (-273C) and extremely explosive, it is both difficult and dangerous to store and transport and as a result very expensive.

It's as if the people on one of the Titanic lifeboats said join us and we'll go to Hawaii. Those dreamers include the IPCC, Prof Alan Finkel and the CSIRO, the latter claiming to have solved the hydrogen piping problem using ammonia. I'm puzzled why Toyota, Honda and Hyundai are making fuel cell vehicles perhaps they are chasing generous subsidies. Their pricey PEM fuel cells still use platinum and deteriorate quickly.

Rightly or wrongly thanks to cheap oil the world has gone for internal combustion engines (piston, turbine) using liquid fuel. We should use hydrogen to boost the energy content of such fuels such as the blue crude process. Small problem the fuel apparently costs $3 per litre to make so don't book that flight to London when oil based jet fuel has run out. Motorists can use battery vehicles for shorter trips and for longer trips plug-in PHEVs that sip synthetic fuel.

Back to IPCC, Finkel and CSIRO... if hydrogen is the best they can come up with perhaps we're condemned to face tough times.

Given Hydrogen is an explosive, especially in gas form:

1. Would banks back a Hydrogen industry?

- This is also given Hydrogen is a greenhouse gas because it needs to be burnt (producing carcinogenic carbon monoxide, etc) to work.

2. Would insurance companies insure an explosive Hydrogen industry/factory?

3. The risk of explosive Hydrogen tanks or factories in cities would be a gift to Terrorists.

Geoff, you need to get with the latest research. Using catalysts nitrogen is converted to ammonia (NH3) which is liquefied at low pressure and is easily transported. To use, NH3 is decomposed leaving nitrogen and hydrogen which can be easily separated because of the different size of the molecules. The hydrogen isn't burnt, it is used in a fuel cell to produce electricity. The nitrogen can just go back from whence it came.
Plantagenet. You had better study Chemistry 101. Burning hydrogen produce water. 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O

David

Scottish tweed was cleaned with urine ammonia. It's the fuel for tomorrow, BYO.