NOTES: Solar hydrogen begins with solar energy. Efficiency of capture and conversion and low cost are the key factors for capturing diverse solar energy and changing the worlds energy system. We will look at a half dozen thin film technologies. The promoters behind each of these technologies claim that they can get the cost down to one dollar per peak watt. Boeing has by far the best conversion efficiency with a concentrator cell, and they have a megawatt contract. If solar can improve one X then solar hydrogen will rapidly become a reality.
Greetings and Introductions: Chapter President, John Gotthold, greets all attendees and asks each attendee to state their name and a short synopsis of their background and what they hope to learn by attending the meeting. 10 minutes.
1. Transportation: Honda now says mass production of its fuel cell cars will begin in 2018 and GM is talking 2030. Have the car companies made a deal to sell the world a round of deep hybrids, such as the Chevy Volt, shown last week at the Detroit auto show, before they repeat the exercise with fuel cells? Lets see - 700,000,000 vehicles on the planet times 2. That should cover Detroit's profits for a few years in the future. How about a diesel powered vehicle that gets 330 miles per gallon? Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation, for fuel cell powered racing cars. The "Hydrogen 500" will be run in 2009. Two hundred and fifty nine hydrogen fueling stations now around the world.
2. Technology Update: Fuel cells, fuel cells, fuel cells. New fuel cell players begin to hit the market. We will review several fuel cell market niches.
3. Government Support for Hydrogen: Gov. Schwarzenegger wants to be the Terminator of Carbon Emissions in California. Once the Air Resources Board lays out the implementation, fuel will start to change across the board. Deep hybrids with E85 engines, that get 650 miles to the fill up, will be a good start.
4. Global Warming and Oil Depletion: China buys Kazakhstan oil field and connects pipeline to ship oil 3,000 miles east. Russia temporarily cuts off oil pipeline to Europe.
Gee, are other countries in charge of our oil destiny? Forcasters expect toasty 2007, predicted to be the hottest year on record. Warning! Ethanol creation will outstrip supply of corn. Price of Mexican tortillas up fifty percent, blamed on Ethanol production. Are we all going to be hungry drivers?
5. Hydrogen Business: Nothing, nada, zip. No announcements this month, other than show demos. Where's the production? Lots of solar, lots of wind, zip for hydrogen.
6. Video: (Web site) 1978, Jack Nicolson driving a hydrogen powered Chevy.
7. Speaker: Have confirmed speaker from the solar company for February. Currently the principals are too busy trying to close funding to build their production plant. They claim to be able to produce solar array at 1/10 current cost. Again, a great breakthrough, if real!!
