Clean Hydrogen Production
Posted on April 21st 2010
The ability to produce clean, effective hydrogen for usage in hydrogen fuel cells on a regular basis has been one of the primary challenges that has been difficult to overcome in the past. This is due to the fact that although hydrogen is known to be the most abundant element in the universe being able to actively harvest it for usage. Most conventional methods to harvest hydrogen from common sources such as water are generally highly energy intensive due to the power necessary to separate hydrogen from other molecules, while additional energy is further necessary to compress the resulting molecules into liquid form for easier storage and transportation.
Although many attempts in the past have been made to utilize solar power and other renewable energy sources as a basis for hydrogen power production the actual ability to do this has been somewhat limited due to the technical aspects necessary in the process. Utilizing thin titania electrodes, for instance, has proven particularly challenging as any electrode design for the most part that has proven effective in successfully extracting hydrogen molecules has also proven particularly brittle in most users and therefore not very reliable as a whole.
New methods are also being explored into utilizing stressed crystal lattice networks powered by solar energy to successfully extract hydrogen particles for usage around the world in both private or commercial senses due to the ability of the crystal lattices to effectively store and release energy as needed. These have proven highly effective in some senses due to the fact the crystal lattice has proven more durable and reliable as an energy transfer conduit and can maintain steadier streams of energy flow, meaning that a system utilizing such a production method in an area as small as a 50×50 foot roof could potentially generate enough hydrogen fuel to provide enough power for a small home with a family of four.
The only downsides that need to be considered in many of these harvesting methods, from an ecological standpoint, is the overall environmental impact the production process may have on the surrounding areas. Magnetic energy, for instance, has proven to be an exceptional potential source of power for utilization in wind turbines and other energy producers, yet often to harvest enough materials to make magnets large portions of rain forest land need to be destroyed and cultivated to extract high enough quality minerals for magnetic production – something that may actually offset any potential benefits alternative energy may offer in at least the short-run if developers are not careful.
I have to admit I’m not the one most informed on the details required in this approach either. Yet, I tend to think that a stronger focus on developing geothermal power would allow a lot of other things to happen.
1) Since geothermal is somewhat related to volcanoes and other geologic features that bring heat along with other materials (including water containing metals and minerals) towards the surface of the earth. Getting heat to generate power may no be their only benefit. Some systems that cycle water, or similar heat carrying medium, may also extract valued minerals from the ground also. No doubt, the safety of the process with whatever it interacts with needs to be well monitored.
2) With more energy to work with it may also allow a cost effective way to develop means to work more processes fully contained underground. So surface environments are not effected by mining, or development of usable space for even environmental refuges if necessary. My experience has been that if you make a reasonably habitable place for living, about everything will invite itself in given the chance.
Farming itself may be a tad more fertile than is beneficial for the atmosphere given that bacteria breaking down material like recycling crop waste may be generating more methane, perhaps much more than are attributed now to cattle, or other ruminating wildlife. (Though I tend to really worry the most about the methane presently escaping from permafrost and the likes the most. I’d tend to want to get that stop with almost any reasonable method; then CO2 management may be enough to stabilize global temperatures) In a underground environment the methane can be contained and soon be separated and burned to even generate more CO2 for plant production.
I tend to hope for more carbon composite production. Such material would be ideal for wet high force conditions that one might tend to see most often underground. Bio-fuels may be able to help supply carbon for this purpose. Though coal is noted to be very high is carbon and could also help supply it where other methods come up short.
Sincerely, gdm
I didn’t intend to so strongly relate permafrost methane and underground containment of methane. I suspect the only reasonable way to control its release is to get the poles colder, at least during the coldest part of the year; so permafrost is not being impacted.