Is Solar Power a Viable Alternative?

On December 1, 2005, The Hydrogen Super Highway Post introduced the Interstate Traveler Company and their vision of delivering a break-through high speed mass transit network that also generates hydrogen by breaking down water via solar power.

On December 10, 2005, Bill B. voiced a very sceptical view of Solar Power:

"Sorry to be a 'wet blanket' but all the hype on hydrogen fuel omits one critical item; where do we get the hydrogen? Whatever the process, obtaining hydrogen requires a tremendous amount of hydrocarbons or electrical energy. So why all the hype about hydrogen powered cars????????

The most practical and efficient source of hydrogen is from hydrocarbons (oil or gas). This proven process will require the importation of even more oil and gas.

Another, more costly source is the use of electrical energy (lots of energy) to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in water. Since most electricity is generated from coal (with its serious pollution problems) or oil and gas. All of these processes produce a tremendous amount of greenhouse gasses.

When I read of solar plants being THE SOLUTION, I recall a comment by our Sierra Club leader who also happened to be an engineer with a power company. Although he worked for a power company he was very concerned about the environment. While on a bus taking us to the mountains for a backpacking trip we passed a giant solar power plant out in the desert. Our leader pointed out that in spite of the tremendous area covered by the solar panels there was only one relatively small cable to transfer power from the plant to the electrical grid.

Even a very large plant located out in the sunny California desert was not capable of producing much power. It's a nice dream but bicycles are still a more practical solution."

On December 15, 2005, Timm of the Interstate Traveler Company delivered a strong counter-argument:

"Now I think your statement was referring to energy conversion and what’s more practical and efficient but you have it backwards. You see, gasoline comes from crude oil a very thick almost tar-like substance and yes, there is hydrogen in it. Now look at water, there is also hydrogen in it as well. Looking at a gallon of each side by side, which one looks like it just might be easier to get hydrogen out of? Water only has two things in it, 2 molecules of hydrogen & 1 molecule of oxygen while crude oil has many, many components to it mostly of which is carbon, which is waste.

It takes many more times units of energy to extract hydrogen from oil than water. Burning fossil fuels puts billions of tons of poisonous gases into the atmosphere while burning hydrogen produces NO poisonous gases at all if fact it produces water vapor--- good for the environment.

The second part of your concern about electricity is well noted, except the part about using it to electrolyze water that is efficient especially if the power is produced by solar. The Interstate Traveler produces 850,000 watts of power/mile of track so a 100 mile section would produce 85 mega watts. The Eisenhower road system is 54,000+ miles.
You do the math, ya think there's enough power to make some hydrogen?

It only takes 4200 watts to make a cubic meter of hydrogen. Solar PV technology TODAY is capable of delivering 80% of full rated power during any daylight-hour, that is as long as the sun rises they work. The good news, we don't have to wait till 2030 but by then PV tech. will be cheaper than dirt.

AS for the comment from the guy that was an Engineer from a power company and saw a solar power field and said the cable was too small. He's the reason there’s power outages in the country... probably rides a bike to work. I'm still laughing about that one."

Well, I am no scientist. However, it seems to me that the United States of America better get serious about finding alternatives to fossils fuels RIGHT NOW!

Consider this: The human population on planet earth is approx. 6.2 Billion. The USA has 280 Million people, China 1.3 Billion, and India 1 Billion. Americans consumed more energy than any other country during the 20th century. As the Chinese and Indian economies accelerate, they will consume more and more fuels. This added demand will further bid up the price of non-renewable fossil fuels. We are just beginning to see the effects of this trend. Unless we change "business as usual" the future will be very painful for everyday Americans.

We are at a cross-roads. Will America develop clean, renewable sources of 21st century power and transportation; or will we leave it up to the Chinese or Indians to solve this problem and then buy the technology from them? The choice is ours. Will America Lead?

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