Is hydrogen a distraction or complement to wind power?
By Tony Bartelme
The Post and Courier
A fuel cell is tested at the Center for Hydrogen Research, a lab that opened in 2008 in Aiken.
South Carolina's effort to build an offshore wind industry is just a puff compared with its work on hyrdogen fuel cells.
State taxpayers have chipped in $12.3 million to hydrogen fuel cell efforts, while federal, municipal and private sources have invested an additional $115 million in South Carolina, said Shannon Baxter-Clemmons, executive director of the S.C. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance.
A shining new building complex in Columbia and a billboard touting hydrogen's potential greet motorists in the capital city.
The University of South Carolina, meanwhile, has lured some of the nation's top hydrogen researchers and is working with five private companies on hydrogen-related projects, including General Motors, Boeing, LG Electronics and the Savannah River National Laboratory.
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The hydrogen group also has developed some political muscle.
When the Obama administration proposed cutting millions of dollars in federal hydrogen research to focus more on electric cars, the state's congressional delegation and Columbia officials successfully lobbied to restore the money.
State lawmakers, such as House Speaker Bobby Harrell of Charleston, are big hydrogen supporters. But Gov. Mark Sanford generally has opposed state funding for hydrogen research.
Baxter-Clemmons said the state's work on hydrogen would complement a wind power push. That's because wind power could be a clean way to produce hydrogen and because hydrogen fuel cells would be a good way of storing energy when the wind isn't blowing.
Reach Tony Bartelme at tbartelme@postandcourier.com or 937-5554.
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Comments
DougHuffman (anonymous) says...
If 'hydrogen' or windmills are such good ideas then why is the Obaminable government involved? Could it be that they're 'good for us' ideas being rammed down skeptical throats?
If they're good ideas then why don't we see tinker-engineers with backyard windmills powering hydrogen hotrods?
August 23, 2009 at 7:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eatmorecollards (anonymous) says...
I personally think our future energy needs will be met with something pertaining to a hydrogen based system.
August 23, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
They compliment each other. Both will help ween us off the oil teat.
August 23, 2009 at 10:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sdr35hw (anonymous) says...
Wind power...minimal impact
Hydrogen....wont work
Tidal and wave.....maybe something there
August 23, 2009 at 11:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wjhamilton3 (anonymous) says...
The push to get the national car fleet off oil is because petroleum is destroying the economy. Fuel cells are being used on hybrid buses now, bit I haven't seen any cheap enough and small enough to work in a private automobile.
Most of the buses in New York are now Hybrid Electric Fuel Cell articulated flyers. They carry over 100 people, bend in the middle and use a combination of gas engine, electric propulsion, regenerative braking and fuel cell storage. The orange objects on the roof are the fuel cell equipment which generates hydrogen and then turns it back into electrictiy without burning it through an electro chemical process.
Because buses start and stop so often and operate in urban areas, they perfect for hybrid vehicles. Unfortunately in the Lowcountry CARTA has to use diesels because so many roads here flood and saltwater would destroy the newer style buses which are lower to the ground and have electrical equipment under the bus for propulsion.
Charging the fuel cells from the grid at certain bus stops might be possible using equipment similar to that used to power electric trains.
Of course street cars in Charleston used to run directly on electricity supplied from overhead wires. There are busses in Seattle which work this way, fairly old ones. Electric trolly buses can also be seen in Toronto, Vancouver and San Francisco.
August 23, 2009 at 1:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zekemire (anonymous) says...
Drop the stupid agenda of wind energy and spend valuable money on usefull projects! Projects like offshore drilling, new refineries, new nuclear power plants, new lakes and dams for hydro plants and the like! This ignorant stupid foolishness of solar, wind, geo energy providing even a minimal amout of energy is completely moronic and wastefull!!!!
August 23, 2009 at 8:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LocalHero (anonymous) says...
I'm curious to know how "wind power could be a clean way to produce hydrogen" as stated in this article.
Anyone know?
August 24, 2009 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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