Korean Researchers Make Hydrogen From Water Look Easy

Korean researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research have successfully developed the processing technology necessary to mass produce Hydrogen from water. The researchers completed the development of the processing technology, which operates at normal temperatures with improved efficiency, to mass produce more than 3/4 of a gallon (3 liters) of Hydrogen from Hydrogen iodide.

This breakthrough is very positive as the least expensive way to produce Hydrogen is to separate Hydrogen from water molecules although the connection between Hydrogen and oxygen is very strong.

The Korean government aims to increase the proportion of Hydrogen used for energy to 0.1% by 2012, 3% by 2020, 7% by 2030 and 15% by 2040. Hydrogen is expected to account for 10% of the energy used in developed countries by 2030.

http://english.etnews.co.kr/news/detail.html?id=200801170002

Riding On Hydrogen In New Zealand

As part of the Panasonic World Solar Challenge in Australian Steve Ryan is getting ready to drive more than 1,800 miles (3000km) from Darwin to Adelaide on a blend of waste oil and water. Mr. Ryan, the founder of New Zealand based Bios Fuel, will use an old 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser with nearly 250,000 miles (400,000km) on the odometer for the challenge.

Bios Fuel began in 1996 when Mr. Ryan started tinkering with an old motorcycle engine in his Auckland garage. Mr. Ryan's concept became a reality two years ago when he rode a 350cc motorcycle powered solely on water for the CBS television show 60 Minutes.

Mr Ryan says the water based fuel system he is using allows Hydrogen to be housed safely in water and released. Although it is blended with waste oil for lubrication and a bonding agent, ultimately the power comes from water. He says the fuel runs via a normal combustion system and that the delivery system is the key, which he says must remain under wraps.

It is great to see people like Mr. Ryan hard at work proving to skeptics that the possibility of creating a Hydrogen Future is here and now.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4235846a13.html

Hats Off To The Hydrogen Man

Mike Strizki of Hopewell, New Jersey has rigged his home to run on Hydrogen in the winter and solar power in the summer. This one of a kind home has zero public utilities bills and produces zero pollution. Not only does his house run on Hydrogen but so does his speed boat, car and even his golf cart.

To generate electricity all Mr. Strizki has to do is turn on a flow of water, which leads to an electrolyzer machine that splits the water into its component parts of Hydrogen and oxygen. The Hydrogen then feeds into oblong metal tanks that fuels his house, his vehicles and boat. The Hydrogen can be stored in pressurized tanks for months or even years and when needed is funneled into a Hydrogen fuel cell where, when recombined with oxygen, free electrons are created and captured in the form of electricity. At the end of the process the only byproduct is water which is fed right back into the electrolyzer, where the solar energy splits it into Hydrogen once again.

Hats off to Mr. Strizki and his wonderful set up! Although this system cost around $500,000 it is great to see that living in a Hydrogen Future is definitely possibly as Mr. Strizki is proof of it today.

http://www.theolympian.com/524/story/236061.html

Good Day Sunshine

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Bioinorganic Chemistry in Mülheim, Germany have developed a promising new catalyst for splitting water using sunlight and storing the Hydrogen and oxygen produced.

The team of scientists found that titanium disilicide (TiSi2) can split water using a photocatalytic process similar to photosynthesis whereby chlorophyll molecules use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose. The semiconductor is also able to separate and store the Hydrogen and oxygen released.

Using simply the sun and no other fossil fuels to produce Hydrogen is about as clean as a method as one can find. Assuming this can be implemented on a large scale it will definitely be something that we can expect to see in the Hydrogen Future.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2007/October/01100701.asp