Hydrogen cell is a very big contender as alternative fuel or energy source. High energy demand and price would compel the automobile industry to change their flow sheet soon, similarly energy promoters would cease to invest in large hydropower projects due to availability of cheap energy from hydrogen cell. Can we say that large hydropower projects and proposals have bleak future in coming years and we should go for smaller hydropower projects which can be completed in 5-6 years and also have small physical and financial layouts. Small hydropower projects can be planned on Total Integrated micro watershed basis to have least or Zero adverse impact on environment as well as settlements & existing infra-structure. By the time hydrogen cell and other alternative energy sources replace thermal & hydropower mix energy, the small hydropower projects can supplement the energy demand in shortest possible time frame.
What would be the fate of large hydropower projects in next ten years from now?
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Feb
Vincent G
February 25, 2010 at 1:01 am
And where do you think that hydrogen would come from?
As it stands, hydrogen CANNOT be a source of power, as no free hydrogen exist around us, only hydrogen bound to other atoms (in water and hydrocarbon) that requires energy to have the hydrogen extracted. Hydrogen is not a source of energy, it is a mean to carry that energy around.
pallab938
February 25, 2010 at 1:06 am
Most of them will continue to serve.
apeweek
February 25, 2010 at 1:54 am
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What is largely missing from the public discussion of Hydrogen fuel cells is that Hydrogen, in the form available to us, is not a fuel. It is a battery – and the efficiency of hydrogen energy storage needs to be considered. In a fuel cell, we start with water, add electricity, and get hydrogen. Then at the fuel cell, we get water and electricity back out.
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This is a reversible chemical process, exactly what happens inside a battery. The hydrogen simply “carries” the energy provided by the electricity – no new energy is created – only the energy provided by the electricity is available. This hydrogen process is much LESS efficient – more energy is lost – than with ordinary battery technology.
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A fuel cell car is an electric car, with a fuel cell and hydrogen tank added. So it will always be more expensive than an electric car, because of the additional components. And it will always be more expensive to fuel, because hydrogen is less efficient at carrying energy than batteries (plus, you have to pay for the transport and storage of hydrogen.)
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The only advantage hydrogen had was fast fueling. But now that fast 10-minute recharge EV batteries are on the market (see this car: http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com ), even that advantage is gone.
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Take a close look at the Phoenix car from the link above – what advantage would there be to adding a tank of hydrogen to that car?
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