Diesel / petrol banned by 2040 what do we do then

Posted on 20/07/2017 17:38 by Grumblewagon

Forget batteries as the primary power source - use hydrogen fuel cells to produce electricity.  The only exhaust product is water vapour.  If the infrastructure was in place, you could fill up just like using LPG, so you wouldn't have the long recharge time.   

Posted on 14/07/2017 17:57 by DreamMachine

the government has annouced the banning of all new diesel & petrol cars by 2040 !

so what do we do for tow cars after then -  or Motorhomes for that matter ?

 

I can't see how electric cars are going to be upto the job so is it back to using horses ?

Posted on 20/07/2017 17:38 by Grumblewagon

Forget batteries as the primary power source - use hydrogen fuel cells to produce electricity.  The only exhaust product is water vapour.  If the infrastructure was in place, you could fill up just like using LPG, so you wouldn't have the long recharge time.   

Posted on 21/07/2017 22:11 by ChemicalJasper

And how exactly are we producing all of this hydrogen?

Hydrogen is not particularly safe, it has the widest explosive range of any gas and the lowest ignition energy (as in the static from your cloths), so ANY leak and you are going to get an explosion.

It is also the smallest molecule, so will find the smallest of leak paths. It is also more difficult to store as the H2 can become 2H's and diffuse into metals. If a second H joins it, it can become H2 again and literally a hydrogen blister can form in the metal.

Most importantly though, the primary methods of producing hydrogen are:

Natural Gas Reforming / Gasification (using fossil fuel and producing carbon monoxide / dioxide along with the hydrogen - can also be made from coal, another fossil fuel).

Electrolysis (uses electricity generated from ....fossil fuels, unless you live in Norway).

Still some hurdles then!

Posted on 22/07/2017 00:19 by obbernockle

Are you sure? 

Posted on 21/07/2017 22:11 by ChemicalJasper

And how exactly are we producing all of this hydrogen?

Hydrogen is not particularly safe, it has the widest explosive range of any gas and the lowest ignition energy (as in the static from your cloths), so ANY leak and you are going to get an explosion.

It is also the smallest molecule, so will find the smallest of leak paths. It is also more difficult to store as the H2 can become 2H's and diffuse into metals. If a second H joins it, it can become H2 again and literally a hydrogen blister can form in the metal.

Most importantly though, the primary methods of producing hydrogen are:

Natural Gas Reforming / Gasification (using fossil fuel and producing carbon monoxide / dioxide along with the hydrogen - can also be made from coal, another fossil fuel).

Electrolysis (uses electricity generated from ....fossil fuels, unless you live in Norway).

Still some hurdles then!