January 29, 2003
Bush on Hydrogen
Bush in his State of the Union Address last night, President Bush proposed $1.2 billion to research hydrogen powered cars. Hydrogen is, at the tail pipe, the cleanest of energy sources. When burned, it simply recombines with oxygen creating water vapor. Yet, what Bush failed to mention is that the only economically viable source of hydrogen today is Natural Gas, a product of the petroleum industry. Processing Natural Gas involves high temperatures and releases carbon dioxide. Other sources of hydrogen include electrolyzing water. Electricity can be used to break water into hydrogen and oxygen yet the amount of electricity required is greater than the amount of energy released by the reformation. Further, the source of this electricity has to be taken into account when one is seeking a truly “Green” fuel for vehicles. It makes no sense at all if you are burning oil, coal or running a nuclear power plant to create hydrogen for your car.
So the current administrative push for hydrogen powered cars is an attempt to sound like an environmentalist, to express a little concern clean air, but in fact it is another bone thrown to the petroleum industry and to create new markets for natural gas.
Interesting point on the current ways to produce hydrogen. I too found it striking that the administration chose to put that little diddy in the state of the union adress. Pure pandering without any qualms or reservations whatsoever when it is obviously an antithesis to every act they have have performed in the last two years. The "people" of america are being led down a blind path by power hungry oilmen who do not care for the environment or the people of this country.
Posted by: The Chef on February 5, 2003 07:49 PM