Hydrogen cell to provide electricity (Maine)

[jpak]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/coast/060829hydrogen.shtml

WISCASSET A hydrogen fuel cell unveiled Monday at the Chewonki Foundation campus was billed as the first of its kind in Maine.

<snip>

The new energy system will provide backup power and heat to the educational center building in the winter. Hydrogen energy advocates said they hope the project will serve as a model in using hydrogen to produce energy.

<snip>

Gov. John Baldacci (edit:D) signed an executive order at Monday's event that authorizes the formation of the Maine Hydrogen Energy Fuel Cell Partnership, which Baldacci said would speed the development of commercially viable hydrogen production, storage and distribution.

"Some of Maine's greatest economic assets are the vast renewable energy resources we have right here at home," the governor said.

<more>

[hunter]

1. Three One kilowatt fuel cells.

Right?

Let's all dance.

[jpak]

2. May I cut in???

:evilgrin:

For a home-sized dwelling, how much more do you want for storage capacity???

[tomreedtoon]

3. Flashlight Battery Discovered in Maine!

In an important scientific advance, it was discovered that the state's miraculous flashlight contains something called "batteries" that can be exchanged, to restore the device's brilliance.

"This is an important discovery," said Mr. Peabody, the state's Scientific Advisor and the nation's only talking dog admitted to high office. "This means that we will not have to pay exorbitant costs to have an entirely new flashlight shipped from Hong Kong when this one fails."

COME ON, people! Politicians always talk up these "developments" and they dribble away into nothingness, like the flying cars on the cover of old Mechanics Illustrated magazines. Call us when you get a hydrogen cell plant, or a business that runs on hydrogen cells, or something significant - not some politico pretending to advance ecological causes!

[jpak]

4. Yup, R&D sucks and man was never meant to fly

Dirigo

[Sven77]

5. some more links

http://www.h2eco.org

http://www.chewonkih2.org

very interesting stuff. hydrogen is part of the future. i think it will be adopted by the oil companies as a new model to control energy.

[Chemical Bill]

11. Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.

>i think it will be adopted by the oil companies as a new model to control energy.

[mainegreen]

6. Handy as power cuts out a lot in Maine due to weather.

It would be nice to see commercial versions of this come out for home use. A lot of people here could use those. Especially as it seems power is out for some people I know about a month total every year!

[jpak]

7. Honda (and others) is developing domestic hydrogen fuel cell systems

They currently use hydrogen reformed from natural gas, but there is no reason why they can't use electrolyzers to produce H2 from renewable electricity.

Japan will lead the way on this (just like they did PV and hybrid vehicles)...

[hunter]

9. Connected to the grid, I'd rather have someone else "store" my energy.

Not connected to the grid, I'd rather not have a utility room full of complicated equipment.

My own measure of civilization is indoor toilets, warm showers, reading lights, an internet connection, and a way to wash my clothes that doesn't involve beating them on rocks on a riverbank. Warm food is nice too. None of these things require the high technology of a hydrogen fuel cell system.

[Sven77]

8. one more link

Hydrogen power system unveiled in Maine

By JERRY HARKAVY, Associated Press Writer Mon Aug 28, 4:52 PM ET

WISCASSET, Maine - A $250,000 demonstration project that produces hydrogen energy to provide backup lighting and warmth at the Chewonki Foundation's environmental education center was hailed at its unveiling Monday as the first of its kind in the nation. The nonprofit foundation teamed up with the Portland-based Hydrogen Energy Center to develop the system that was touted as an example of the kind of cutting-edge technology that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and help ease global warming.
"Hydrogen represents a huge growth industry, and the creation of this partnership will put Maine on the leading edge as this industry expands," said Gov. John Baldacci, who signed an executive order to promote the development of hydrogen energy in Maine. The system unveiled at Chewonki uses renewable power — from solar panels atop the center and purchases of "green" electricity — to produce hydrogen from water through a process known as electrolysis. New technology that produces the gas at high pressure eliminates the need for a costly compressor. Developers of the system said it's the nation's first publicly accessible direct high-pressure hydrogen energy system as well as the first complete hydrogen energy system in Maine. Because hydrogen is flammable, the electrolyzer and eight cylinders with an overall capacity of 2,080 cubic feet of the gas are stored in a wood and concrete shed in the woods behind the center. The gas is then piped into the center, where three fuel cells can each convert it into one kilowatt of electricity. That power will be available in the event of an outage to supply four days' worth of lighting, operation of the building's water pump and warmth for animals that include a turtle, an iguana and an alligator.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060828/ap_on_sc/hydrogen_project_1

[Chemical Bill]

10. It takes much more energy to make hydrogen...

than you get from it.

Bill