Have too much clean renewable energy? Make Hydrogen

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Small islands north of Scotland had too much energy from renewable sources that the grid couldn't handle it. So they would have to shutdown wind farm equipment to lower power generation.

Now they decided instead to lead the Hydrogen Revolution and use the extra energy from wind and tidal farms to create hydrgen using electrolysis. They have already converted cars to hydrogen and are working on using it to provide heat to a school. They are also working on a hydrogen transportation ship for a clean fuel burning ship.

Pretty cool stuff

This small island chain is leading the way on hydrogen power

By Hanna Ziady, CNN Business Too much clean energy. It's an unusual problem to have, and one that's spurred a group of islands off the northern coast of Scotland to become an unlikely...

www.wicz.com

Wind turbines needed to be switched off on a daily basis, as power cables reached capacity, leaving clean energy unused.

Rather than waste the excess electricity, the islands decided to harness it. It was here that in 2017 the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), in a world first, used tidal energy to split water and make hydrogen — a process known as electrolysis.

That was just the beginning. The success of that project spurred collaboration between EMEC, Community Energy Scotland and others to do the same with excess wind energy. Surf 'n' Turf, a project funded by the Scottish government, combined excess electricity from tidal and wind turbines to create hydrogen, another world first.

Producing hydrogen power remains expensive, but Orkney's success in creating hydrogen using clean energy demonstrates that it can be done at scale. The islands are already using hydrogen to power vehicles, and it will soon be used to heat a local primary school.

Now, Orkney is hoping to use hydrogen fuel cells to power a seagoing vessel able to transport both goods and passengers.

Click to read more...

 

[Stink Star]

Hydrogen is dead. Fuel cell vehicles aren’t going to happen

 

[Flyn]

One downside to using Hydrogen...

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

There are plenty of things that need hydrogen that this makes sense. Besides, you burn hydrogen and you get water vapor. So it does make sense to use it if you can make it for 'free'.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Yeah if you've got the juice to use it's not a bad way to self contain it. I used to do this for fun back in the day. 2Ls of hydrogen are fun with a Zippo.

 

[Flyn]

I'm all for using hydrogen in industry where they take safety precautions. Back when I did work on nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen tanks, the rules were strong concerning what could not be done around the hydrogen tanks.

I don't want to see it used widely in cars with people pumping their own hydrogen and getting in crashes. Too many idiots.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I'm all for using hydrogen in industry where they take safety precautions. Back when I did work on nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen tanks, the rules were strong concerning what could not be done around the hydrogen tanks.

I don't want to see it used widely in cars with people pumping their own hydrogen and getting in crashes. Too many idiots.

I'll agree and disagree at the same time. Gasoline is a hell of a thing in its own right. All the Menards trucks are LPG which is actually in its own right a bigger hazzard (it sinks into ditches etc vs rising away into the sky if let loose.) That says nothing of there being more than a few fleets of LPG and CNG powered vehicles as well.

 

[Flyn]

You see the videos of the guys spraying gas all over while pumping? Those are the people I don't want anywhere near hydrogen. I agree with you that most people are OK with it but how many wouldn't be?

I used to be concerned about oxygen, too, until I was on site while a service tech was fixing an oxygen leak while smoking. I asked if that was OK and he held the cigarette in the leak. It glowed brighter. Almost shit my pants.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

You see the videos of the guys spraying gas all over while pumping? Those are the people I don't want anywhere near hydrogen. I agree with you that most people are OK with it but how many wouldn't be?

I used to be concerned about oxygen, too, until I was on site while a service tech was fixing an oxygen leak while smoking. I asked if that was OK and he held the cigarette in the leak. It glowed brighter. Almost shit my pants.

Well, Compressed oxygen in a fire go boom.

but just straight up oxygen venting? Doesn't nearly as much. Oxygen is an Oxydizer, it makes other flammable things make way bigger booms.

Fill a balloon with Oxygen, light it on fire. It just pops.

Fill a balloon with Hydrogen, light it on fire, makes a fast ball of flame and is then done.

Fill a balloon with 2 parts Hydrogen, 1 part Oxygen? Light icon fire from far away and cover your ears.

 

[Flyn]

Yeah, you can see the picture of the balloon filled with hydrogen further up the page.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

Found a classroom video. Same shit I learned in grade school.

Hydrogen balloon first, Oxygen 2nd, and combo's later.

 

[Flyn]

Yeah, I get it. We used to fill those inflatable punch dummies with acetylene and oxygen and wrap toilet paper around their necks for a fuse. Run about 6' of TP out, light it and run like hell. You could feel the explosion.