On Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:18:46 +0100, MissRiaElaine
wrote:

On 09/09/2019 23:43, Recliner wrote:

Certainly, hydrogen is better at the consumer level: the cars are lighter,
quicker to fill, and have more range. They also don't need so much exotic
materials as batteries do.

But the industry would need to crack the problem of producing and
distributing clean hydrogen, probably from solar or wind power, on an
industrial scale, at an affordable price. I really hope that happens, but
it's obviously not imminent. So, in the mean time, low emissions cars will
have to use batteries.

When hydrogen does become viable, it'll probably come first to heavy, long
distance vehicles, like trains, tracks and high performance highway cars.
Short range city cars will probably stick with batteries, but they'll get a
lot quicker to charge than current ones.

Here in Aberdeen, we have a local car club, where people can hire cars
for short periods from an hour upwards. There are all types, from
standard petrol cars to diesel vans and electric cars such as the
Renault Zoe. There are also a few hydrogen cars, initially the LHD-only
Hyundai ix35 (which was lovely to drive) and also now some Mitsubishi
Mirai cars, which are amazing.

Fuelling and range are problems, but there is a fleet of hydrogen buses
here in the city, so the cars can use that, and there is also another
car-only fuelling station. Range is the main problem though, it's just
possible to get to Edinburgh and back on a tank-full, but I wouldn't
want to push it..! The next station south is Sheffield, so you see the
problem..!

It's quite possible to generate hydrogen locally at the filling station,
there is at least one such installation in London that I'm aware of,
although I don't recall the exact location. Solar power is ideal; there
are numerous wind turbines in this area, when not required for the grid,
they could be used to generate hydrogen.

There are small surpluses of wind power from time to time, and
generating hydrogen is indeed a very good way to use that power. But
there's not enough for a mass switch to hydrogen power. I think some
Scottish islands export hydrogen produced from their surplus wind
power.

Distribution shouldn't be that
much of a problem, we already have a large fleet of petrol tankers, they
would just need adapting.

The tankers would need replacing, not adapting. Hydrogen needs new
high pressure tanks and all-new piping.