[extropy-chat] fuel cell bike & local hydrogen generation

[Dan Clemmensen]

Mike Lorrey wrote:

>There is a design for a device that produces hydrogen by using a low
>current to oxidize aluminum wire in water, producing hydrogen. The
>amount of energy required is significantly less than electrolysis. The
>energy consumed in refining the aluminum is generally power plant
>energy, ergo most efficiently generated, and the smelter generally buys
>it at a cost far below anybody else, because the smelter uses so much
>of it. Recycling the spent aluminum oxide is as simple as collecting it
>and shipping it back to the smelter, who will enjoy it as it takes less
>energy to refine this material than raw bauxite.
>
>  
>
Assume we find a way to use scrap aluminum (e.g., soda cans.) the
soda cans could otherwise be recycled directly with a much lower cost
than the cost of converting the aluminum oxide back into aluminum.

I speculate that it's cheaper to use crude photovoltaics to generate
hydrogen by electrolysis. This avoids the usual problem of photovoltaics,
which is how to make efficient use of low voltage.

I think the main problem with any local hydrogen generation is 
pressurization
and storage. Oddly enough, this problem may end up being an advantage
at the system level. use of the pressurized hydrogen in the vehicle may 
pay for
the pressurization and storage system, which can then also be used to 
solve the
storage problem for the fixed installation "for free."