Hydrogen Gets More Funding from US Congress

Hydrogen doesn't seem viable to me because it is expensive to produce, difficult to store, and with the high price and low efficiency of fuel cells wasteful to use.

The electric light bulb didn't seem viable to most except Edison a hundred yrs ago. We must go into this believing we can solve the challenges......

Hydrogen will surely be a major source of power in terms of its use in fuel cells. There are few very promising technologies under research and development. I believe that it is not in too far future that we will notice hydrogen cell power being in commercial use. Abu Dhabi has already taken lead in its Masdar Carbon Free City Project. qsurti@gmail.com

Regarding the pricing, storage and efficiency of fuel cells, you might be surprised at how much major progress has been made recently or how some of the challenges have been solved. This is why so many in the hydrogen and fuel cell industries have been urging Congress to make sure that the development continues--because many products are positioned to turn the corner from R&D to commercialization. This is an exciting time!

You can find out more about common myths, progress and other useful things here: http://www.h2andyou.org

Hydrogen is actually much more practical than many believe. It is already competitive with gasoline on a cost per unit of energy basis. I strongly recommend those of you interested in this check sites such as http://hydrogendiscoveries.wordpress.com/, www.sciencedaily.com, the National Hydrogen Association, and the American Hydrogen Association to find out the facts. Most of the technical issues really have been resolved (storage, production, etc.) What we need is the national commitment to mass produce and commercialize the technology on the supply and use ends. Companies such as Ballard Power in Canada and Jadoo in California are already selling fuel cells and related tech. United Technologies has made significant investments. AC Transit in Oakland, CA is operating fuel cell buses, today! If you examine all the factors (economic, environment, effciency, etc.), there really is no option but hydrogen. We are backing ourselves into a corner if we continue the past trends. If we put H2 tech on the market, the market will sort out what is best, cost effective, practical, etc. If we don't make the commitment, we will never know how good it could be.

We have the technology, Plug Power NYSE:(PLUG), Ballard Power NYSE:(BLDP) have been around for years. They are marketing their products, they have years of experience, we can get fuel cells popularity by showing the American public the practicality of these devices, but only when people stop saying: "It can't be done". Questioning the economics of producing Hydrogen Gas, is an excuse, hasn't anybody considered how much it costs to produce a gallon of gasoline, diesel or home heating oil? Aren't people aware of the fact that the efficiency of a fuel cell is especially high and can provide not only electricity for a home, but heat and a source for absorbtion based air conditioning. If fuel cells were installed in homes as a primary source of electric power, power generation and distribution companies would not have to maintain power lines, transformers, switchgear and miles and miles of right of way. There are a lot of plusses, we need only get off our posteriors and get the job done, versus hauling our kids in an SUV over to McDonalds and complaining about the cost of gas and how our "diet" isn't working. We just finished celebrating the 40 year of placing men on the moon, sure as I'm breathing air we can put hydrogen in the forefront.

Coal is underground. Getting it out is pretty ugly.