Chasing Clean Air rolls ahead of the clean car curve, and talks about myths and facts regarding America's emerging hydrogen economy.
I attended the California Air Resources Board (CARB) press briefing at UCLA to learn how California is encouraging clusters of hydrogen fueling stations to support a rollout of clean hydrogen-powered cars.
Hydrogen cars of our future are hitting the road with test drivers now.
CARB workshops will be discussing details about $7 million in grant money to build successful hydrogen fueling stations. For info. click here.
Above photo is James Provenzano, author of "The Hydrogen Age" standing in front of his loaner, a GM Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle.
The Equinox is part of General Motor's Project Driveway: 100 cars on local roads with real drivers in NY, Washington, DC and California.
I drove the Equinox around the block, and found the ride to be extremely smooth & light as a feather.
GM isn't alone.
Honda, Shell, Mercedes, Daimler, and more are innovating with hydrogen fuel cells. And California has reached out all along the way.
Who hasn't heard of the Hydrogen Highway?
For years, Governor Schwarzenegger spoke of creating a Hydrogen Highway from British Columbia, Canada to Baja, Mexico to power hydrogen cars at hydrogen fueling stations, which would enable cars to leave clean water vapor trails.
Clean enough to drink.
Clean enough to breathe.
NASA astronauts drank their hydrogen fuel that propelled them into space!
And if hydrogen is good enough for the astronauts to zip to the moon, the thinking goes, it's great for soccer moms, bloggers, Joe the Plummer, and Jim the General Contractor to drive to Whole Foods and even better Cars and Coffee in Irvine.
In fact, Jim the General Contractor (also known as Jim Salomon) did just that when he sported Honda's Clarity about town, taking cues from its voice recognition and navigation control system,
"Nearest fueling station is..."
And in his own words, Jim the General Contractor enjoyed, "lots of torque, a smooth ride, and all the conveniences of a luxury car, including refrigerated seats."
Plus another perk.
"At Cars and Coffee in Irvine, a group shows up with very expensive luxury vehicles. When I show up a mob comes around, including females."
So I'd like you to consider two words:
Hydrogen Cluster.
The Hydrogen Highway vision was by definition spread out.
Today studies suggest it'd be optimal to cluster hydrogen stations in densely populated areas where there are lots of cars.
Like Los Angeles County and nearby areas that last year boasted approximately 11 million cars in use.
San Francisco, Sacramento, New York, Washington, DC, are on the Hydrogen Cluster map, too.
There are many benefits to driving on hydrogen, which include:
1. CO2-free driving when hydrogen is created by electrolyis using renewable energy, which will curb climate change and eliminate toxic emissions.
The only emissions these hydrogen fuel cells make are water vapors.
2. Hydrogen is the only fuel that makes its own feed stock, which is water.
3. A multi-billion dollar investment in hydrogen would mean adios to Middle-eastern oil dependence at a time when we can't be 97% dependent on fossil fuels.
4. A hydrogen vehicle can drive up to 200 miles on one fueling. (Some say they will go up to 300 miles on one fueling)
There are many myths about hydrogen.
One myth I'd heard was hydrogen fuel cells freeze at 32 degrees. Not true, I was told. Fuel cell cars have operated in Albany, New York for three years.
Then there's hydrogen safety.
I learned from many experts, including Jim Martin of Shell Hydrogen, Frank Ledesma, Captain of the L.A. County Fire Department, Stephen Ellis of Honda's Fuel Cell Marketing, Dave Barthmuss of General Motors, David Kantor of Calstart, and James Provenzano author of "The Hydrogen Age" (to name a few) that hydrogen cars are safe.
More safe than petroleum-fueled cars.
Hydrogen fuel cells are very light and float up. So if there were a fire, they'd float up and disperse.
Occasionally, people reflect on history and talk of the Hindenburg disaster when a blimp burst into flames. Rumors say it burst due to hydrogen but this simply is not true.
According to Fire Captain Frank Ledesma there was flammable paint on the outside of the Hindenburg, which caught fire.
In a worse case scenario, if your hydrogen car were in an accident, unlike petroleum that leaks down and is flammable, hydrogen quickly floats up and away.
Even if hydrogen were to catch fire, as I understand it, the fire would be smaller as it quickly disperses up.
Automakers are working to develop technology to enable us to fuel our cars with hydrogen from home; most likely from the same lines that bring gas for our stoves.
Ledesma said we might want to have holes toward the top in our garages for potential hydrogen vapors that might leak if punctured.
Also there are inexpensive sensors that can sense hydrogen, and warn of leakage.
A DOE 1997 study found that hydrogen was safer than petroleum. (This study was referenced. I haven't looked into it yet.)
But I was assured that hydrogen fuel is well-encased in vehicles, and there are no worries.
A case in point: I believe it was Honda that supplied Mayor Hahn years back with 5 hydrogen vehicles that were parked in government parking structures with no ventilation for years. In turn, there were no problems, no leaks, no fires.
Nada.
The reason the Shell hydrogen fueling station on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles has big warning signs for No Cell Phone Use is because when giving out permits, the fire regulations were such that hydrogen was judged by codes meant for major industries, not fueling stations.
Should you want to open a hydrogen fueling station, it's suggested to do so in one of the focused high-density cities--Hydrogen Clusters--which will lead us into a clean-air hydrogen age.
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, New York and Washington, DC.
According to Dave Barthmuss of GM's Project Driveway, 40 stations in the Los Angeles Metro area by 2015 would work. Ditto in other cluster cities.
When constructing a hydrogen fuel station, talk to everyone you'll need permit approval from before starting. Ask what's our limitations? What can we put in? Other safety procedures?
That way, suggestions can be made to prevent potential problems before construction begins.
Hydrogen is developing as a fuel choice in other countries, as well.
Take Norway.
Norway is on track to completing the world's first hydrogen highway with five fueling stations on a 360 mile highway by 2009. It's my understanding their environment and lifestyle are better suited for this layout, whereas we'll benefit most from clusters of hydrogen stations in densely populated areas.
We're in this clean the air, cool the planet, get off fossil fuels world together. In whichever way you're comfortable, I encourage you to do your part.
Hydrogen is one of many clean air answers.
There are more.
I communicate about clean air solutions, and walk more than I drive.
Canoe when I can.
You may lease and eventually buy a hydrogen fuel car. (Or plug-in electric or hybrid)
If you've got deep pockets, finance a hydrogen fueling station.
Ride a bike. Take the bus. Buy a canoe. (I learned on my summer vacation to clean air British Columbia that I love canoeing. You can read and see pictures here.)
Let's encourage industry to hit a home run into cleaner air with our buying decisions.
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