Can You Embrace

Hydrogen Technology Today?

        Gas prices are over four dollars a gallon in most places, and seem destined to go much higher. Environmentalists are worried about drilling for oil in sensitive areas and/or offshore. The twin dilemmas of Global Warming and terrorism confront us daily with concerns for our future. All of these issues combine to give us cause to pause, and look for alternatives to fossil fuels.

       Yet, which way should we go on the “Alternative Fuels Highway”? Some people push for ethanol, as it can be done by a simple change to the internal combustion engine. But, ethanol needs corn or sugar cane to truly be productive. The problem there is that it takes food away from the general public.

       What about electric cars? Yes, they have the virtue of zero-emissions, but they still have to be charged. So, where does that power come from? Well, some would say you just plug into any outlet, and you are set. Still, there is the little matter of where that power comes from. Most power plants these days are coal, oil, or some other fossil fuel. So, even an electric car can contribute the problems of Global Warming, dependency on foreign oil, and so forth.

            This is where hydrogen fuel comes into play. Now, some people would argue against it. The technology is not ready; the infrastructure is not in place etc. Well, the technology is here! If you do a simple search online with something like Yahoo, MSN or Google, you will find a slew of devices that make use of hydrogen technology. To fully convert your car to run on hydrogen is expensive, but you can go with a hybrid, and the cost is only a few thousand. Here again, that may sound like a lot, but when you consider that you will then be able to “thumb your nose” at high gas prices, and save a bundle; it is a wise investment.

        Of course, some people will ask where you are expected to get the hydrogen to fuel your car. Here again, the basic technology is there. You can set up your own little mini-pump to collect and store the hydrogen. As for the issue of widespread distribution (a viable infrastructure), that is being implemented even now. The state of California has mandated that hydrogen fuel stations be setup across the state. And, as California has a huge number of vehicles on the road – many millions, the state has an enormous influence on the nation, and on the automotive industry. If California pushes for something, and gets it, you can be assured that the rest of the nation will follow their lead in very little time. So, hydrogen stations will start to appear, even as more and more hydrogen vehicles enter the marketplace.

        Yes, the cars do cost more, but look at all the pluses. They produce water as “pollution”, you have no need of high-cost gasoline, and you will not be contributing to the problem of Global Warming. Add to that, you won’t be sending your money overseas to nations that do not have our best interests at heart. With all of those factors on the “plus side”, it is easy to see that hydrogen technology is the wave of the future..