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Big Advance In Hydrogen Production Could Change Alternative Energy Landscape

Posted by Soulskill on from the or-we-could-keep-burning-dead-dinosaurs dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at Virginia Tech say they've had a genuine breakthrough in alternative energy production that could shake up the world's energy structure. Specifically, they've hit on a way to derive large amounts of hydrogen from any plant source. The method uses renewable natural resources, releases almost no greenhouse gasses, and needs no costly or heavy metals. The key is using xylose, the most abundant simple plant sugar, to produce a large quantity of hydrogen that previously was attainable only in theory."

12 of 340 comments (clear)

  1. Not a replacement yet by tech.kyle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    At least for use in cars, I believe there's still the problem of storing enough of that hydrogen to get any decent range. Nice to hear we're making progress though. Yay humanity!

    --
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    1. Re:Not a replacement yet by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Funny

      You could take that H2 and combine it with some carbon and some oxygen. I believe these new fuels are called hydrocarbons. My understanding is that these revolutionary molecules have a high energy density and combusting them should be a reasonable way to use it to power vehicles.

    2. Re:Not a replacement yet by chill · · Score: 4, Funny

      It is my understanding that they require platinum series metals.

      Sounds like a couple of women I've dated.

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    3. Re:Not a replacement yet by polar+red · · Score: 4, Informative

      converting plant matter into electricity or hydrogen wouldn't be efficient : photosynthesis converts 3-6% of solar energy and converting this chemical energy into hydrogen and theninto electricity won't improve on this; while a decent solar panel reaches at least 10% (more like 14-19%), into electricity.

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      Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
    4. Re:Not a replacement yet by Gabrill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The goal is energy storage and mobility. Stored hydrogen is much more efficient than a solar panel at night or under ground, for example.

      --
      Always going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse.
    5. Re:Not a replacement yet by kenaaker · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's called a Sabatier reaction. It is the reaction of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, under pressure, at 300-400 C, in the presence of a nickel catalyst to produce methane and water. The methane can be transported in the existing natural gas pipeline system or used by a reforming fuel cell. The methane can also be used in one of the variations of the Fischer-Tropsch reactions to make liquid fuels.

    6. Re:Not a replacement yet by Gr8Apes · · Score: 4, Informative

      Solar panels are now close to 40%.

      What you overlook is that this process uses biomass (ie, waste plant matter) to produce H2 in a process with 100% energy gain (the energy out is more than the energy in) not to mention that the energy put in could be waste heat, resulting in essentially free H2. H2 can be used in portable capacities, such as cars. Solar cannot fulfill these particular needs, although it could be used to create H2, at a much lower level of efficiency.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    7. Re:Not a replacement yet by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 4, Informative

      Top-tier solar panels are now close to 19.2%. Solar collectors using polished metal parabolic reflectors concentrating sunlight onto sterling engines are close to 40% (38% actually).

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  2. Re:How is this a win? by Coreigh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The majority of input energy would be solar, growing the plants. the machinery used to harvest and transport it wouild run on electriciy and fuel cells just like everything else. It is just a matter of A) generating enough plant matter, and B) getting the infrastructure to critical mass to become sel sustaining.

    Sure, it sounds far fetched. But hey, you have to start some where some time. Right?

    --



    "Waitress I need two more boat-drinks..."
  3. Efficiency more than 100 percent by Qwertie · · Score: 4, Funny

    TFA says "Even more appealing, this reaction occurs at low temperatures, generating hydrogen energy that is greater than the chemical energy stored in xylose and the polyphosphate. This results in an energy efficiency of more than 100 percent â" a net energy gain." Truly we will have to reexamine the laws of thermodynamics in light of this discovery!

  4. Re:Meh by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am sure big oil would gladly shift to a new technology.
    Here is the problem...
    Gasoline offers the following advantages. High Energy Density. Can be stored and shipped easily, relativity safe (compared to other that would kill you at the first smell or explode more violently) Doesn't require a high infrastructure to deal with.

    Now if we can get Hydrogen cheap and fuel cells cheap enough to make affordable cars that people will buy. I can see the big oil companies starting to shift to the hydrogen market. They already have ways of shipping, and retailers for their product. They will just switch products.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  5. factor in the plant mass by Chirs · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There is energy in the plant mass. The full equation is

    plant mass + input energy = output hydrogen energy + waste plant mass

    Entropy is still preserved in the overall system.