:::nostress::: ...(please?)

Waterstof, een onuitputtelijke en schone brandstof, is de weg naar een duurzame toekomst. Wist u dat er al auto's, bussen, fietsen en mobiele telefoons zijn die door waterstof van energie worden voorzien. En dat Poul la Cour, een deense wetenschapper, al in 1893 waterstof gebruikte voor de verlichting van een school? Vindt hier meer over waterstof en toepassingen.

Waarom waterstof, waarom nu?

In de toekomst zal waterstof de brandstof zijn voor het opslaan van energie en onze afhankelijkheid van olie, kolen en kernenergie sterk verkleinen. De vrije beschikbaarheid van waterstof (het is uit water te verkrijgen) en het feit dat het niet vervuilend is maakt waterstof uit politieke- en milieuoverwegingen de brandstof voor de toekomst. Zo ziet zelfs Amerika in waterstof de energiebron van de toekomst omdat het haar afhankelijkheid van olie uit het Midden-Oosten sterk verminderd. Juist deze combinatie tussen politieke en milieunoodzaak zal de verdere ontwikkeling van waterstof een sterke stimulans geven.

http://www.yourenergy.nl/read/waterstof

De eenvoudigste manier om waterstof te produceren is door elektrolyse. Hierbij wordt water onder invloed van elektrische stroom omgezet in waterstof en zuurstof. Dit proces is eenvoudig en zeer goed gekend maar energie-intensief. De efficiëntie bedraagt 50-85%. Momenteel wordt het grootste deel van de waterstof geproduceerd uit fossiele brandstoffen aan de hand van thermochemische reformtechnieken. Reforming is een chemisch proces waarbij H-houdende brandstoffen in aanwezigheid van stoom en/of zuurstof worden omgezet in een H2-rijk gasmengsel. De belangrijkste thermochemische reformtechniek is stoomreforming van aardgas. De efficiëntie van stoomreforming bedraagt 70-80% De productie van waterstof uit biomassa is ook mogelijk maar bevindt zich nog in een ontwikkelingsfase.

Momenteel bestaat er in België reeds een waterstofdistributienetwerk voor leveringen aan de industrie!!!

http://www.emis.vito.be/autoverbruik/index.asp?pageChoice=Waterstof&Bc=Brandstoffen

De NWV-kennisbank bevat artikelen en presentaties met gevalideerde informatie over de toepassing van waterstof in de duurzame energiehuishouding. De inhoud van de kennisbank is grotendeels in het Engels.

http://www.waterstof.org/

De wagen van de toekomst zal waarschijnlijk uitgerust zijn met een brandstofcel. Waterstof wordt hiervoor de energiebron. Er zijn echter nog vele technische en economische problemen te overwinnen. Zo zullen de kosten voor de uitbouw van een distributienet voor waterstof gigantisch zijn. Daarom werken sommige constructeurs aan voertuigen met een brandstofcel, die benzine kunnen tanken i.p.v. waterstof. Aan boord wordt de benzine dan omgevormd tot waterstof. Daarbij komt weliswaar nog CO2 vrij, maar aldus wordt de consument vertrouwd gemaakt met de nieuwe technologie. De stap naar de brandstofcel op waterstof wordt hierdoor heel wat kleiner. Jammer genoeg zijn de katalysatoren die gebruikt worden voor de chemische transformatie van benzine tot waterstof, eveneens uitermate gevoelig voor zwavel.

http://www.febiac.be/nl/content/default.asp?T=7&C=7&S=5&FID=417

Air Liquide heeft beslist om een waterstof-productie-installatie te bouwen op de vestiging van BASF in de Antwerpse haven in België. Dit belangrijke investeringsproject is een nieuwe stap in het partnership tussen BASF en Air Liquide.

De nieuwe waterstofinstallatie wordt de grootste productie-eenheid van Air Liquide ter wereld. Ze illustreert de ambitie van Air Liquide om een hoofdrol te spelen op de waterstofmarkt. De vraag naar waterstof in de chemische industrie en de olieraffinage stijgt contstant. Raffinaderijen zetten waterstof in voor de ontzwaveling van brandstoffen en de beperking van emissies door motoren. Door deze investering zal Air Liquide raffinaderijen in de buurt kunnen bevoorraden.

http://www.basf.be/nl/nieuws/persberichten/20020620.html

http://www.novem.nl/default.asp?documentId=115508

Een Home-Refueler is een mini-waterstoftankstation.

http://www.project-h.org/waterstof-nl/homerefueler.htm



An undeniable truth of life: choices involve consequences. As far as our energy choices go, choosing to burn fossil fuels almost exclusively for the last century and a half has brought tremendous development and opportunities, but it has not been without consequences.

Although we will continue to use petroleum for some time, we have reached the point in human history where we must evolve to a lighter, cleaner fuel. Browse our site to learn more about hydrogen. We have the technology to begin making a transition now. It is time to take it up on ourselves to make better energychoices for the 21st century.

http://www.hydrogennow.org/

The Hydrogen Economy

Mankind's energy needs have evolved for centuries and are continuing to evolve today. From wood and animal fat, to coal, to petroleum, to propane, to natural gas, we have used a succession of fuels to heat us, manufacture our goods, light our lamps, and move about our planet. Hydrogen is the latest in the succession of energy providers, with many social, economic, and environmental benefits to its credit.

The technology is now available to begin converting from a petroleum-based economy to a hydrogen-based economy.

All three energy sectors (transportation, industry, and heating and cooling buildings) stand to benefit. Of these, the transportation sector will likely have the most profound immediate effect.

Transportation
Research is advancing on fuel cells and many other hydrogen technologies; so we need to begin building the supply and distributionsystems to energize these products.

We will not immediately dispose of the 800 million vehicles that are presently in the World. Millions of new internal combustion engine vehicles will be produced before the transition to manufacturing totally clean vehicles can be completed. These new and older cars will be on our roads for at least the next 30 years. If they are powered with hydrogen, billions of tons of greenhouse gases and pollutants will not be thrust into the air.

Converting internal combustion engines in automobiles can be easily done, with something as simple as a kit that a trained mechanic installs. We nearly have the technology in place, ready to be commercially produced, for such a conversion to hydrogen for about $2000-5000, an amount that may be eligible for rebates from local DOE Clean Cities programs.

After conversion, a dial on the vehicle control panel can vary the mixture of hydrogen with gasoline from 0-100%, according to availability of refueling sources. This means we will have uninterrupted travel while the country builds or converts the present fueling system to include hydrogen.

Emissions tests for hydrogen-converted vehicles show that the hydrogen system can actually clean the ambient air of hydrocarbons and prevent a host of other pollutants.

Sources of Hydrogen
Currently, natural gas (methane) and petroleum products are the primary sources for producing hydrogen.

We will rely on petroleum for years to come. Converting now depends on working with natural gas and petroleum companies to incorporate their existing production and marketing infrastructure into needed means of producing, transporting, storing and dispensing hydrogen. This will enable the petroleum industry to use the precious remaining petroleum for valuable products such as plastics, lubricants, fabrics and pharmaceuticals.

Research is striving to improve renewable methods of generating hydrogen (from livestock waste, landfill biomass, waste-water sludge, chemical reactions and electricity from solar, wind and water power). As fossil fuel companies become basic energy companies, harvesting hydrogen from these sources can make it a completely renewable resource.

A Series of Transitions
Converting to the hydrogen economy is a series of transitions: first, a transition when both conventional fuels and hydrogen will be available, and used, for example, in the same internal combustion engine, and second, when hydrogen alone will be used. The complete transition will stretch at least a decade. It could even take 20 years or more before we produce hydrogen from completely renewable resources. The transition can be done in a very short period of time if all people of the world put their collective efforts into it and demand that it be done.

The world's energy systems continue to evolve, and no single source of energy will meet all mankind's needs forever.

Let's start this important next step together! Now!

http://www.hydrogennow.org/Facts/HydroEcon.htm



The Fuel Cell Bus Club comprises the participants of the fuel cell bus projects who intend to introduce fuel cell transit buses to their fleets and establish a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in their cities.

http://www.fuel-cell-bus-club.com/

Partners

Iceland offers an ideal opportunity to study the effects of an evolving hydrogen economy. An island with abundant geothermal energy and hydropower resources, Iceland has a self-contained road transport system and can produce hydrogen at low cost.

Shell Hydrogen is involved, through the Icelandic New Energy Ltd, in a pioneering project that will see the complete transition to a hydrogen economy in the coming decades. In the first phase, three hydrogen-powered buses, fuelled by compressed hydrogen, will be introduced onto roads. Later, the entire public transport fleet will be hydrogen driven, followed by other passenger vehicles, trucks and eventually shipping.

http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=hydrogen-en&FC2=/hydrogen-en/html/iwgen/leftnavs/zzz_lhn6_1_0.html&FC3=/hydrogen-en/html/iwgen/projects/iceland_1204.html

http://www-static.shell.com/static/hydrogen-en/downloads/brochures/brochure_iceland.pdf

http://www-static.shell.com/static/hydrogen-en/downloads/projects/background_iceland.pdf

just another face of the same multinational...

On May 19, 1998 SAPREF's alkylation unit malfunctioned, resulting in the release of 5 tons of hydrogen fluoride into the atmosphere. Exposure to large amounts of hydrogen fluoride can cause death. Inhaling hydrogen fluoride can damage your lungs and heart. Long-term exposure can lead to a condition called skeletal fluorosis.
In February 2000 the refinery management admitted that they under reported their sulphur dioxide emissions to Government authorities by up to 12 tons a day since 1995.
On January 23, 2001 a fire occurred at the Crude Distillation Unit number 2 at SAPREF. On the same day 1000 litre's of bunker fuel spilled into the Durban Bay.
On March, 22, 2001: A tetra ethyl lead (TEL) tank failure, resulted in 25 tons of TEL leaking out of the tank. It leaked for 4 days.
On June 19, 2001 a flare failure resulted in the release of unburnt gases including a substantial amount of hydrogen sulphide on to the surrounding communities.
On July 7, 2001 a petrol pipeline leak resulted in the release of more than 1 million litres of petrol into the soil under residents houses. The leak was discovered and reported by residents. On the 1st of August a second pipeline leak was discovered resulting in residents demanding an immediate inspection of the pipeline. The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, a coalition of community organisations from residential areas in Durban south, has called on SAPREF to replace all its pipelines as a matter of urgency. Most of the pipelines, like the refinery are forty years old.
On August 15, 2001 SAPREF's Bitumen plant malfunctioned resulting in the release of soot, smoke and hydrocarbons.
On the 14th October 2001, during a ship refueling, fuel oil spilled into the harbour. SAPREF claimed that only 20 litres of fuel leaked, but the harbour authorities claim that closer to 2000 litres of fuel oil leaked into the harbour.
On the 30 December 2001, 15000 litres of fuel oil spilled from a SAPREF pipe into the harbour.
On the 9 July 2002, during SAPREF excavation activities a diesel pipeline developed a leak resulting in 1000 litres of diesel spilled into a south Durban residential area.
On the 19th November 2002, 15000 litres of crude oil were released from SAPREF's off shore facility into the ocean.
On the 4th February 2003, during a maintenance test on a fuel oil pipeline, 1000 litres of fuel oil leaked into a concrete tunnel near Island View. The fuel oil was then pumped into Durban harbour.

http://www.groundwork.org.za/Pamphlets/Shell.htm

HYDROGEN IS GOOD THOUGH!!!
IT WILL END THE OIL MADNESS!!!
AND MAYBE END THE WAR OF ALL WARS...




more energy: nanotechnology: don't try this at home