Energy Storage
We need to store energy until we can use it. To power our electricity plants. Our cars. Our planes. Our factories. And we have lots of stored energy. Mostly fossil fuels, which strangely are an ancient form of solar power (unless you believe in the abiotic oil theory). We also have some hydro & nuclear. But, let's move to a 95% hydrogen + oxygen society. It's 100% pure clean energy. We can use it whever we use hydrocarbons, with only simple modifications. For now anyway, say over the next 30 years, until ultra-batteries and flywheels and fusion and thin-film solar and who-knows-what-else comes on line.
But H2-O2 has problems. It's expensive to produce, hard to transport, and has a low energy density. Well, there are four proposals presented here to produce our energy cheaper than coal. Gore and Pickens will build the energy highway for us. And when we need it, we'll produce the H2-O2 at the end users location by electrolysis. As an example, let's convert a car to H2-O2 :
1) Existing Toyota Prius Probably the best green car around. Costs $ 30,000. Gets 50+ mpg. Weighs 3,000 #.
2) Carbon Fiber Body Weight reduced to 1,500 #. Milage increased to 100+ mpg.
3) Replace gas tank with H2-O2 tanks Metal hydrids and oxides? This one needs work!
4) "Plug it in" Everywhere. At home, at work, on the farm, while shopping. Automatically. You park it...it plugs itself into the grid.
5) On-board electrolysis Keep the H2-O2 tanks filled. All day long. Keep the battery (6) charged. All day long.
6) Peak Power The grid needs power? It turns on your car and the 100 KW battery/engine powers the grid! Get some money back.
OK. There're still many problems to be solved here. Jets and planes? Maybe cryogenics. Or biofuel karosene. Ships? More biofuels.
