By: Jose Luis Caceres
One of the greatest challenges of our generation and presumably of the generations coming after us, is to confront Climate Change, and more specifically, the negative environmental effects of human-made carbon emissions as a consequence of burning fossil fuels.
This article constitutes part one out of three in the hydrogen series. These series explore the possibility of using pure hydrogen as a source of energy. A possibility in which the carbon component is obliterated, not used; and consequently constituting a process in which there is no contribution of infamous CO2 to the atmosphere.
The basics. From fossil fuels to hydrogen as a source of energy:
· Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum and natural gas) consist primarily of hydrocarbons.
· Hydrocarbons, as the name suggests, are chemical structures composed entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
· During the combustion of hydrocarbons, the carbon content is released to the atmosphere. Once in the atmosphere, the carbon atoms combine with oxygen and convert to carbon dioxide or CO2 -a greenhouse gas-.
· The production of energy derived of the combustion of fossil fuels, could not occur in absence of hydrogen. Carbon alone is not a source of energy; it is not a fuel. Conversely, hydrogen alone is a source of energy, it is a fuel!
· Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and serves as the fuel for the fusion reactions in stars, such as our own, the Sun! Hydrogen is the ultimate fuel, it is the cleanest and most efficient.
· Hydrogen is non-toxic, it is harmless to people and the environment. It is the lightest element on earth, thus, if released into the air, it disperses very quickly, reducing the potential for accumulation and unwanted or accidental combustion.
· Hydrogen can be burned as a fuel, with only water as the combustion product.
· Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells, which are similar to batteries, to power electric motors.
Hydrogen as a source of energy *The below definitions (categorized as virtues and limitations) were obtained (and adapted) from Wikipedia.
Its virtues:
Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel when burned with oxygen (if one considers water not as an emission) or used in a contained cell also capable of ‘reversing’ the reaction if needed. It often uses electrochemical cells, or combustion in internal engines, to power vehicles and electric devices. It is also used in the propulsion of spacecraft and might potentially be mass-produced and commercialized for passenger vehicles and aircraft.
In a flame of pure hydrogen gas, burning in air, the hydrogen (H2) reacts with oxygen (O2) to form water (H2O) and releases energy.
2H2(g) + O2(g) → 2H2O(g)
The energy released enables hydrogen to act as a fuel. In an electrochemical cell, that energy can be used with relatively high efficiency.
Its limitations:
Since there is very little free hydrogen gas in nature, hydrogen has to be produced, and that production always requires more energy than can be retrieved from the gas as a fuel later on. This is a limitation of the physical law of the conservation of energy.
But what if we could produce Hydrogen in a renewable and economically viable way?
There are several promising methods to produce hydrogen, ‘eH2Fuel’ technology is one that claims that hydrogen can be produced from water in an economically and viable way.
Hydrogen from water, using ‘eH2Fuel technology’
“Hydrogen liberated from water is a clean universal fuel that burns in the presence of oxygen like all fuels but giving out more energy on a per mass basis than oil, natural gas and coal combined, with only pure water vapor as its emission. Hydrogen could effectively produce clean electricity and electricity can produce renewable hydrogen, creating an energy loop that is repeatable, sustainable and harmless to the environment”
“Water is a low cost feedstock for hydrogen and without the burden of creating environmental disaster” –Karel Pesel, Founder, Owner – Energy Technologies CZ.
Water in relation to hydrogen:
1 cubic meter of water weigh’s one ton, and contains 111.18 kg /244.46 lbs. of pure hydrogen whereas a cubic meter of liquid hydrogen weight’s only 71 kg/156.2 lbs. Thus, water packs more mass of hydrogen and stores more energy per unit volume, than hydrogen itself because of its tight molecular structure.
‘eH2Fuel’ cost effective claim. The economics:
“Effective hydrogen from water is no longer the missing link in the Hydrogen Energy and Economy – Conversion Value Chain” –Karel Pesel, Founder, Owner – Energy Technologies CZ.
Energy Technologies CZ claims to have the proprietary knowhow and ability to produce the cheapest, most energetic non-polluting hydrogen based fuel. This is possible using an ‘outside the box and unconventional approach’ with help of nanotechnology inserted into the old process of water electrolysis.
Cost Efficiency: The most useful way of rating the efficiency of hydrogen generation is calculating the energy required to produce a kg of hydrogen. If the cost of electricity is known, it is simple to convert to the cost of a kg of hydrogen fuel. The approximate cost efficiency numbers according to information provided by GH2EG Executive Summaryare:
· ~50 cents per kg/2.2 lbs. any time, and all the time, based on 10 cents per kWh cost of electricity, and $5 per ton/ 264.2 gal/1000 liters of municipal tap water in U.S.
Cogeneration:
· eH2Fuel used in decentralized CHP (cogeneration of heat and power) can generate electricity to heat homes and commercial buildings.
· The value proposition for hydrogen technology and economy is that it is able to run and generate not just electricity but cogenerate heat and power. eH2Fuel/ImCHP (Independent micro Combined Heat and Power) is a ‘Renewable Green’ flexible co-generation system designed to run 24/7/365. With a small footprint, utilizing a Stirling engine or Micro Turbine, the system simultaneously generates all the electricity, space heat/cooling and hot water one would ever be able to use. All from only one source, the hydrogen fuel, easily reaching over 90% efficiency in fuel to useful energy conversion transfer without any dangerous emissions. Co-generation offers the best of both worlds and is a highly proven technology, adding eH2Fuel to the system makes it only better.
· The above proposition, is particularly strong for individual on site carefree co-generation in millions of residential and commercial buildings. In the majority of buildings the energy demand is around 60-70% for space heating/cooling and hot water, only some 30% energy demand is for electricity. Thus, the technology offers an opportunity to address real world energy needs and dramatic energy cost savings and not focusing only on electrical power delivery.
Other advantages of ‘eH2Fuel’ beyond the economic viability and cogeneration:
Energy Technologies CZ in its ‘GH2EG Executive Summary’, states a number of advantages of the ‘eH2Fuel’ technology:
· Scale: Hydrogen from ‘eH2Fuel’ technology, could be produced continuously in any desired volume; no storage or transportation is ever needed. Hydrogen has the potential to run virtually every application and therefore able to replace fossil fuels.
· This is the only technology without any limitations that has the capability over next 20-30 years to completely avoid the CO2 emissions and thus displacing the burning of fossil fuels, and consequently mitigating Global Warming.
· Energy storage: There is no more simple nor more efficient hydrogen storage than water.
· Hydrogen doesn’t need exploration, drilling, refining or even transportation. eH2Fuel is the only fuel that may be produced in any desired amount in only few seconds, and used directly on site, there is no need to wait millions of years to be created like all the fossil fuels.
· When burning hydrogen from water, there is a large amount of energy released, and it is capable of being recombined back to water. The cycle may be repeated over and over again.
· When it comes to fossil fuels; there is no recycling. Once burnt, fossil fuels are gone forever, but the CO2 released from its combustion stay in our atmosphere for some thousand years.
At which state of development is ‘eH2Fuel’ (as of August 2016)?
Below is an excerpt of a recent communication between myself and Karel Pesel, the founder, owner of Energy Technologies CZ, in regards to my inquiry of where the development of eH2Fuel sits at:
“eH2Fuel is real and tested just as described, we have currently only limited manufacturing capability of perhaps 3000 units per year and capable to manufacture 7 sizes of eH2Fuel generators with production per hour of 200 grams, 550 grams, 1000 grams, 1700 grams, 2 700 grams, 3400 grams and 5 600 grams. Additional scaling is possible to 100 kg or even 1000 kg or more without any problems, size is basically custom designed for specific applications in terms of how much fuel per hour the application need to burn for designed output. So our next task we working on and testing is to combine the fuel with application that we may drive to mass manufacturing. We are testing in Sweden this same unit as you see in picture as a complete energy system with output of 5 kWh electrical and 15 kWh thermal per hour with Stirling engine. This system is a size of two dishwashers and able to provide all the energy for very large house or 3-4 small homes, or small commercial building. Final product in this scale may look more like your typical appliance of double door refrigerator. If larger energy demand need to be satisfied the units may be connected in line up to 500 kWh electrical and 1500 thermal. For even larger energy demand we are working with micro-turbines that start at 60 kWh and go to 1000 kWh and again those may be connected in line up to 30 MWh controlled from one central panel. That is more than adequate to power even the largest public commercial buildings, hospitals, university campuses, hotels, resorts, military bases and like power all with clean eH2Fuel.”
· No carbon would ever need to be involved!
· Hydrogen is the most vigorous and universal of all the fuels.
· On mass basis, hydrogen stores over three times the energy of fossil fuels.
· When water is split and the hydrogen is burnt, it recombines again with oxygen in the air and reform back to water, releasing lots of clean energy in form of heat available for harnessing and use.
· It has the potential of providing energy independence.
· It has the potential to be economic without subsidies.
· Its use won’t increase use of fossil fuels.
· It wouldn’t increase prices of other sectors (like food).
· It wouldn’t create additional environmental problems.
· It would drastically reduce CO2 and therefore mitigate climate change.
· It would create millions of new long term job opportunities.
· It would provide independence from fossil fuels.
· It would reduce dependency on all energy imports.
· It would guarantee security of energy supply.
Insight and conclusions
If the idea of water to hydrogen energy and economy prospers, it has the incredible potential to radically redefine the world’s energy landscape.
Scaling-up the commercialization of hydrogen technology holds the promise of disrupting some of the world’s largest markets; mainly energy related. Though such possibility, might not necessarily sound good for some, it could -above all- be the catalyst for the next wave of wealth creation, and have the capability of addressing many of the world’s most pressing problems: Environmental, climate change, sustainability, energy independence, and military conflicts.
The technology discussed in this article is the product of the arduous work of some valiant and brilliant minds. I couldn’t help but to endorse the effort, even though I have yet to see ‘eH2Fuel’ working with my own eyes. History has proven that science has the ability to debunk conventionalisms and break paradigms. We will probably see ‘eH2Fuel’ in the spotlight soon and time will tell if it lives-up to the ‘breakthrough’ that it promises.
Special thanks to Robert Kellaway for proofreading this article.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_fuel
http://www.altenergy.org/renewables/renewables.html
GH2EG Capital Executive Summary – January 2016. Available online.
