...Who the f*ck is running the show at the Department of Energy.
I been wondering this for so many years that I have given up and
do not expect rational energy programs to originate with the U.S.
government...This energy thing is a job for individuals, not politians.
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Fuel Cells allow a simple approach to that has an efficiency
greater than normal ICE internal Combustion Engine…It would
be better to use a fuel cell in an electric frame vehicle than an
ICE, for example.
The problem is when competing against the efficiency of
utility power plants, they are about equal because the power
plant can afford to upgrade their plants thermal efficiency, because
equipment weight is not an important factor
Another problem is that most (natural) CGN sources are not
refined unless you count pulling propane gas out of the stream.
That means that all pollutants in the stream are eventually going
to make their way into the atmosphere. With utility plants, again
they can afford to implace scrubbers in the exhaust part of the plant
and there are rules in place for this. Individuals will most likely
not implement exhaust scrubbers, especially for things like radon
gas.
So I think hydrocarbon fuel cells and related equipment are a
very expensive way to generate power in a way that is more
dirty then it is currently being done…with a fuel cheaper than
electricity in terms cost…currently, slightly.
Quite frankly we want to stop individuals from burning hydrocarbon
fuels with their own equipment in the future solutions to the energy
problem.
Things like nuclear, wind and solar don’t have these problems.
One must’nt let the benefits and the parameters of hydrogen fuel
cells from being usurped by those proposing to use hydrocarbon fuel
cells without looking at the detailed differences.
:S:MarkSCoffman