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1. fisha - Member

   But isn't hydrogen also moving the problem along, because the energy you'd be using to charge your battery is instead going into producing the hydrogen?

   Yes, but it could be generated from renewables, and as already mentioned there is already a distribution network to transport these types of fuels.

   As far as I'm aware, the environmental impact of building a fuel cell is far less than that of creating batteries to sit in a car.

   I once read about a project that was put on the board based around Hunterston. They've built a number of turbines at West Kilbride, and that part of the plan was to build a hydrogen plant at the nearby powerstation site. In low demand, the turbines were to be used to create and store the hydrogen, then at peak demands the stored fuel used to create additional power back into to the grid.

   whats to stop that creation to be used for generating hydrogen fuel for vehicle use.

   hydrogen is the future imho. batteries just a stop gap

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. TheBrick - Member

   Yes and no. Different forms of transport for different people for different journeys. AS a society we have become such a car culture that we expect one type of transport to for fill all of out transportation needs, except for really long distance where we fly. The best move forward is for people to get accustomed to use different forms of transport more for different journeys and in fact many journeys to become multi modal.

   Even when we consider cars we do not all have the dame needs and we should not expect all cars tobe able to do all jobs. One person may need to drive for 5 + hours regularly and for them maybe a fuel cell car but many, infact most people don't. An electric car will cover 99% of their needs and a hire car for the occasional journey over 100 miles or 150 miles depending on the range. Electric cars could easily cover most peoples car needs most of the time and if it's a second car in a house hold very few would not be satisfied by an electric car.

   Creating hydrogen off of wind power is a good idea to smooth supply and demand but doing it to power all car would be wasteful. Run the cars that can be run from electricity directly rather than loose the energy via conversion.

   Even hydrogen is not the answer you can not have more and more people travelling greater and greater distances. Especially in the inefficient means such as a car.

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. TandemJeremy - Member

   whats to stop that creation to be used for generating hydrogen fuel for vehicle use.

   Transportation and storage issues - these are serious and difficult to overcome. It just escapes from normal containers and pipes

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. monkeyfudger - Member

   Urgh this thread should be merged with 'tother one!

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. STATO - Member

   My missus drives 1 mile to work. I suggested an electric car, but no, she insists on taking our Volvo S80 which is much too big for a 1 person commute.

   Seriously? seriously? what does she do? does it involve carrying 20kg of something cos if not thats terrible.

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. Pickers - Member

   With no particular agenda, what about vehicles that are larger than small cars?
   No agenda cos I don't know, and don't pretend to know.
   You'd need a pretty big battery to run an artic lorry, a bus or even a Transit; fuel cell too whichever way it goes.

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. TandemJeremy - Member

   Thre are some electric trucks running about - i saw one in Edinburgh7.5 tonne I think

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. MrOvershoot - Member

   TBH I would be fine with an electric car for day to day as if I can't ride my bike. I drive 15 miles on my own into a city & park up at a place that uses 1.6MW per day so an itty bitty car plugged in ain't going to show up & drive home (possibly via a few local shops) where it sits till morning!

   I checked out where I had driven in the last year & apart from a trip to Scotland in April that was the furthest I had drive in my 2ltr turbo diesel estate

   Now here's the problem's:
   1. I already own a car with no debts on, so I have no more outlay apart from servicing etc.
   2. I would have to buy another car (probably at a premium price)
   3. My wife is disabled so when we go further away we ironically take an electric buggy & a wheelchair in the back of the estate car.

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. MrSalmon - Member

   But isn't hydrogen also moving the problem along, because the energy you'd be using to charge your battery is instead going into producing the hydrogen?

   Yes, but it could be generated from renewables, and as already mentioned there is already a distribution network to transport these types of fuels.

   The renewables bit goes just as well for batteries as hydrogen though. And as far as I'm aware the distribution network for hydrogen doesn't exist- it's very difficult to store and transport so it's not as simple as just reusing the existing infrastructure.

   Obviously batteries aren't the be all and end all, but neither are any solutions really and as others have said the solution will probably involve a change in the way we use cars as well as what those cars are.

   Posted 1 year ago #

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