Quote:
Originally posted by Moses
You're right, but the reality is that hydrogen generation is old, old science. New technology cannot re-write the laws of thermodynamics. To generate hydrogen gas from water, for instance, the bond strength of H2O must be overcome by the addition of energy. Water can be "separated" chemically, electrically, or even with photocells. All of these reactions cost more "energy" than we get in return during the combustion of the hydrogen. Basically, there is no free lunch.
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You are right that hydrogen is basically an energy storage mechanism, but a very efficient one at that.
When compared to the losses involved in charging a battery and all the nasty wastes that are involved in their creation and disposal, that is the beauty of the hydrogen fuel cell.
In addition to making hydrogen by forcing water apart, there are also chemical methods of doing so using hydrocarbon fuels, allowing us to use our black crude resources even more efficiently and cleanly than before.
The laws of thermodynamics are always followed. What hydrogen and other alternative fuel sources are about are cleaner and more efficient delivery systems.