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I mentioned week or so ago that I wanted to get some things off of my chest - and we can have fun engaging in a
civil conversation. Today's rant is about the current oil crisis, and the sudden renewed push for drilling in previously protected areas for more oil.
The Problem
For those of you who have been living under a rock here in the US, and for those of you who are not American and therefore aren't as informed about our "discussions" concerning how we respond to the latest oil crisis, here's what's going on. There are many conservatives (and some supposed "democrats") who are using this crisis as an opportunity to renew their push to drill in protected areas of the US, such as Alaska and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The worst part is that there are some supposed "eco-friendly" politicians, such as Senator (and Republican Presidential candidate) John McCain. In the past he has opposed drilling in protected areas, and now he is in favor of "exploring" drilling in these areas.
So, why am I upset about this?
The Addiction
Because this is hypocritical for one thing; but the main reason is this isn't providing a solution, it is simply extending the problem. Face it, folks: we, as a society, are addicted to oil. We're acting like crack or meth addicts - we're having a problem getting our "fix", and we're willing to do anything, destroy anything, pay anything necessary to get our fix and keep our habit going. My father was an addict, and I've seen this before, in the micro; our country is an addict
in the macro. And it is sad.
The "Feel Good" Illusion
Oh, and those of you who think technologies like hybrids are a solution -
Give me a break. Hybrids are simply a window dressing to make us, as a society, "feel good" that we're "doing something". It is an illusion, folks. Hybrids simply extend the gas mileage a bit, and there are other cars - non-hybrid - that get similar (or even better) gas mileage than a hybrid, in the "real world". The other problem with hybrids is that the battery cells eventually go bad - and they cost
tens of thousands of dollars to replace. Often the cost to replace the battery cells is more than the car is worth, effectively totalling the car when they fail. Oh, and the warranties don't cover these costs, and insurance doesn't either.
Hybrids are NOT a solution, they're just "window dressing".
The Solution
And here's the thing that
really pisses me off:
We are very, very close to a solution. The technology is proven, and all we need to do is put some more money behind the innovators in this field to bring it to reality. What is this solution?
Hydrogen fuel cell technology
If you're not familiar with Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology, here's a brief description (from about.com,
here):
The hydrogen fuel cell operates similar to a battery. It has two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, separated by a membrane. Oxygen passes over one electrode and hydrogen over the other.
The hydrogen reacts to a catalyst on the electrode anode that converts the hydrogen gas into negatively charged electrons (e-) and positively charged ions (H+).
The electrons flow out of the cell to be used as electrical energy. The hydrogen ions move through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode electrode where they combine with oxygen and the electrons to produce water.
Unlike batteries, fuel cells never run out.
Hydrogen fuel cells are the future of power in this country, and probably the world. Hydrogen fuel cells can be made small enough to work in a cell phone, a car (more on this later), a
bus, and large enough to power buildings. In fact, many companies have been working on a home-sized hydrogen fuel cell system to provide all the power needed for your home. One project will offer
units to homes in japan for under $10,000 - and it will provide ALL of the power needed for the home.
In fact, Honda is now
selling hydron-powered cars in California. The car is called the Clarity, and you can read more about it
here. Honda is also working with other companies to provide a "hydrogen economy" for these cars, so that they can find affordable refueling stations in their area. This is an exciting first step towards a sustainable hydrogen economy, and is a great first step towards reducing/eliminating our dependence on petroleum.
Change Our Ways, Invest in the Future
So, here's why I'm upset. We're talking about spending TONS of money to drill in more places such as protected areas and the ocean. This will cost an inordinate amount of money, and I just think that we need to quit talking about getting off of our dependence on petroleum and we need to JUST DO IT. Now is the time, we have a technology that is proven to be a valid alternative, and all we need to do is invest the money to make it economically feasible - because the petroleum alternative is simply a way of extending the eventual REAL problem of petroleum becoming an unsustainable and unusable resource.
Here's a bit more info on fuel cells that I think you'll find interesting. From
Hydrogen Fuel Cells: Innovation for the 21st Century
Fuel cells have been around for over 150 years and offer a source of energy that is inexhaustible, environmentally safe and always available. So why aren't they being used everywhere already? Until recently, it has been because of the cost. The cells were too expansive to make. That has now changed.
In the United States, several pieces of legislation have promoted the current explosion in hydrogen fuel cell development: namely, the congressional Hydrogen Future Act of 1996 and several state laws promoting zero emission levels for cars. Worldwide, different types of fuel cells have been developed with extensive public funding. The United States alone has sunk more than one billion dollars into fuel-cell research in the last thirty years.
In February, 1999, Europe's first public commercial hydrogen fuel station for cars and trucks opened for business in Hamburg, Germany. In April, 1999, Daimler Chrysler unveiled the liquid hydrogen vehicle NECAR 4. With a top speed of 90 mph and a 280-mile tank capacity, the car wowed the press. The company plans to have fuel-cell vehicles in limited production by the year 2004. By that time, Daimler Chrysler will have spent $1.4 billion more on fuel-cell technology development.
In August, 1999, Singapore physicists announced a new hydrogen storage method of alkali doped carbon nanotubes that would increase hydrogen storage and safety. A Taiwanese company, San Yang, is developing the first fuel cell powered motorcycle.
Where do we go from here?
There are still issues with hydrogen-fueled engines and power plants. Transport, storage and safety problems need to be addressed. Greenpeace has promoted the development of a fuel cell operated with regeneratively produced hydrogen. European car makers have so far ignored a Greenpeace project for a super-efficient car consuming only 3 liters of gasoline per 100 km.
This article was written in 2000, so things are even better now - but we're not there yet. And I hate seeing our country continue down a dead-end path when we have the alternative technology identified and available to us; we simply need to invest in this technology a bit more to reduce the economies involved and make this a viable, widespread alternative.
Yeah, it sounds like I'm an eco-flowerchild; but I want to get off the stupid "petroleum train to disaster" and begin on a new path. I am firmly convinced that hydrogen fuel cell technology is the future of energy generation in the US and beyond. We can't wait anymore - and now is the time. Drilling is not the answer - we can't throw good money down a dead-end road, we might as well invest in the future, now.
Rock