The libertarian Reason Foundation released a report this week that puts hydrogen vehicles in their place. The "soundbite" quote is this: "Instead of depending on Middle Eastern oil, we would be reliant on the Middle East's natural gas." Reason Foundation's vice president of research, Adrian Moore, says, that the production challenges to a hydrogen economy too (conventional) energy intensive to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, adding that "Hydrogen isn't the quick-fix we've been led to believe it could be." Huh? Who has ever claimed hydrogen was a quick fix?
William J. Korchinski, the study's author, says scrap the plans to build the infrastructure for the hydrogen economy and instead put money into solar, wind and "safe nuclear power." You can download the full report from here.
Reason makes the point that in order to supplying the hydrogen for fuel cell cars in the U.S., would "significantly increase the need for foreign-produced natural gas. The countries with the largest natural gas reserves are Russia, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates." That's a pretty pointed list, and it is true that the Middle East and Eastern Europe do have the most natural gas reserves, according to the Department of Energy. NaturalGas.org makes the point, though, that there is plenty of the irreplaceable fossil fuel in America, at least for now. Plus, there are other ways to make hydrogen (electrolysis), as our readers surely know.
UPDATE: I wrote this post before I saw a note from tipster Domenick, who writes: While I may agree with some of their thoughts on the subject, it is always good to remember where some of these foundations get their money. "Reason Foundation has received $381,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998."...according to http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=63
[Source: Reason]
William J. Korchinski, the study's author, says scrap the plans to build the infrastructure for the hydrogen economy and instead put money into solar, wind and "safe nuclear power." You can download the full report from here.
Reason makes the point that in order to supplying the hydrogen for fuel cell cars in the U.S., would "significantly increase the need for foreign-produced natural gas. The countries with the largest natural gas reserves are Russia, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates." That's a pretty pointed list, and it is true that the Middle East and Eastern Europe do have the most natural gas reserves, according to the Department of Energy. NaturalGas.org makes the point, though, that there is plenty of the irreplaceable fossil fuel in America, at least for now. Plus, there are other ways to make hydrogen (electrolysis), as our readers surely know.
UPDATE: I wrote this post before I saw a note from tipster Domenick, who writes: While I may agree with some of their thoughts on the subject, it is always good to remember where some of these foundations get their money. "Reason Foundation has received $381,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998."...according to http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=63
[Source: Reason]
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