Originally published June 9 2005
Chewonki Foundation anticipates hydrogen will solve problem of renewable resources
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Last year America spent $180.7 billion on crude oil, comments Paul Faulstich at the Chewonki Foundation's sustainable energy conference. The foundation is in the process of installing a fuel cell system that converts water and solar power into hydrogen. Working in partnership with the Hydrogen Energy Center, they have spent $140,000 in materials alone to install a hydrogen fuel cell system that uses solar energy from solar panels and some electricity to run an electrolyzer. The three fuel cells can produce 3 megawatt-hours of power. Also on the horizon, the foundation is excited about "Bifuel" cars that switch between hydrogen to gasoline, and hydrogen-electric hybrids. Scientists predict these vehicles will be available by 2020, said Faulstich.
To that end, Chewonki is in the process of installing a fuel-cell system that uses well water and solar power to create hydrogen, which can fully power the environmental education group's energy-efficient headquarters for four days.
Along with portable solar panels, turbines to harness the currents of a tidal river and household-scale windmills, hydrogen fuel cells were presented as technologies that likely will become part of our lives over the next generation.
"Even though we have fossil fuels to keep us going for a long time, we can choose a better way," said Rick Smith of the Hydrogen Energy Center in Portland.
Last year America spent $180.7 billion on crude oil - not counting the defense spending required to keep sources secure, said Smith and his colleague Paul Faulstich.
The Chewonki Foundation, working in partnership with the Hydrogen Energy Center, has spent $140,000 in materials alone to install a hydrogen fuel cell system, which is expected to go on line this summer.
The system draws water from a well, then uses solar energy from photovoltaic panels on the roof and some power purchased from the electric grid (likely from a "green" power provider such as Maine Interfaith Power and Light) to run an electrolyzer, a machine that extracts hydrogen gas from the water.
"Think of hydrogen as like a battery," Faulstich said.
"Bifuel" cars, offering drivers the opportunity to switch from hydrogen to gasoline, vehicles equipped to run on natural gas-hydrogen blend, and hydrogen-electric hybrids already are being produced experimentally.
Working with Peter Arnold of Chewonki, he demonstrated hydrogen's power by filling soap bubbles with hydrogen gas, then touching a flame to a mass of bubbles cupped in Arnold's hands.
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