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0 points_hypx2y ago0 comments

People who have actually driven FCEVs will tell you they work basically identical to BEVs. They make it a point to mention that there are no problems with the cars themselves.

In reality, the moment hydrogen becomes comparably as cheap and available as gasoline or diesel, it is likely the end of the BEV. It is the availability of fuel that is the fundamental problem right now.

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theshrike792y ago

The availability will be the biggest problem for the next decade, unless governments force it with huge subsidies.

The EU has mandated that every "major highway" must have a H2 depot every 2-300km, can't remember exactly.

But still you need to get it made somewhere, preferably not from natural gas, because that's just stupid. It needs to be transported to a station, by truck, on a regular schedule or it'll stop working.

Compared to EV chargers which are, in essence, glorified power outlets.

_hypxOP2y ago

Pipelines are likely the cheapest option, with trucks for last mile deliveries.

The problem with "power outlets" is that they're heavily dependent on fossil fuel power plants. Since it is an unpredictable variable load, even more so than you think. Which is why it is really a transitional solution. From the beginning, it was about replacing distributed emissions with centralized ones, usually far away from cities. At some point, it became this green fantasy that could seriously replace fossil fuels. It is highly unlikely to do so in reality. Even BEVs will need hydrogen power plants to solve variable grid load problems. Eventually, you'll realize that hydrogen is a mandatory part of the problem, and the battery becomes redundant if not a negative.

theshrike792y ago

Hydrogen doesn't work with pipelines, the molecule size is too small. The losses would be uneconomical and possibly dangerous.

Currently the grid over here is producing 17g of CO2/kWh, pretty much 90-95% is either nuclear or renewables. We're also exporting a portion of our excess to neighbouring countries.

The fact that Americans can't modernise their grid doesn't apply to the whole world, you see.

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theshrike792y ago

The availability will be the biggest problem for the next decade, unless governments force it with huge subsidies.

The EU has mandated that every "major highway" must have a H2 depot every 2-300km, can't remember exactly.

Compared to EV chargers which are, in essence, glorified power outlets.

_hypxOP2y ago

Pipelines are likely the cheapest option, with trucks for last mile deliveries.

theshrike792y ago

Hydrogen doesn't work with pipelines, the molecule size is too small. The losses would be uneconomical and possibly dangerous.

Currently the grid over here is producing 17g of CO2/kWh, pretty much 90-95% is either nuclear or renewables. We're also exporting a portion of our excess to neighbouring countries.

The fact that Americans can't modernise their grid doesn't apply to the whole world, you see.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse