For some reason, I can't get the Hindenburg out of my mind.
For some reason, I can't get the Hindenburg out of my mind.
In August, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz led a delegation of senior political and business leaders on a trip to Canada. Desperate for every joule of primary energy he could get his hands on, Scholz’s primary mission was to beg Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to consider fast-tracking the approval of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities along Canada’s Atlantic Coast, something Trudeau has consistently been loath to consider.
Despite historic spreads between the price of natural gas in North America and the rest of the world, the drama-teacher-turned-cosplay-Prime-Minister professed to be unable to find a compelling business case for the proposal (although he did leave the door open for further consideration). In Trudeau’s fossil fuel-free vision of the future, such multi-billion-dollar investments will be obsolete before they could generate an economic return. How embarrassing it must have been for members of the European elite to submit themselves to the whims of the ultimate “legacy” admission to the political arena.
Instead, the two countries entered into a bizarre agreement to develop a “transatlantic hydrogen supply chain” (emphasis added throughout):
“Canada and Germany say a new hydrogen pact will kick-start a transatlantic hydrogen supply chain, with the first deliveries expected in just three years. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck signed the deal on Tuesday in the port town of Stephenville, N.L., where they attended a hydrogen trade show along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The five-page agreement is a ‘declaration of intent’ to create a hydrogen alliance between the two countries. ‘The world is going to need energy in the coming decades,’ Trudeau said. ‘It also is going to need to make sure that that energy is net-zero.’”
In August, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz led a delegation of senior political and business leaders on a trip to Canada. Desperate for every joule of primary energy he could get his hands on, Scholz’s primary mission was to beg Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to consider fast-tracking the approval of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities along Canada’s Atlantic Coast, something Trudeau has consistently been loath to consider.
Despite historic spreads between the price of natural gas in North America and the rest of the world, the drama-teacher-turned-cosplay-Prime-Minister professed to be unable to find a compelling business case for the proposal (although he did leave the door open for further consideration). In Trudeau’s fossil fuel-free vision of the future, such multi-billion-dollar investments will be obsolete before they could generate an economic return. How embarrassing it must have been for members of the European elite to submit themselves to the whims of the ultimate “legacy” admission to the political arena.
Instead, the two countries entered into a bizarre agreement to develop a “transatlantic hydrogen supply chain” (emphasis added throughout):
“Canada and Germany say a new hydrogen pact will kick-start a transatlantic hydrogen supply chain, with the first deliveries expected in just three years. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck signed the deal on Tuesday in the port town of Stephenville, N.L., where they attended a hydrogen trade show along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The five-page agreement is a ‘declaration of intent’ to create a hydrogen alliance between the two countries. ‘The world is going to need energy in the coming decades,’ Trudeau said. ‘It also is going to need to make sure that that energy is net-zero.’”
The problem of storing and shipping hydrogen economically has been solved.
Hydrogen can be stored and transported anywhere quite safely as a solid, as opposed to a liquid or a gas.
Previously, the solid used for this was titanium, which made this cost prohibitive.
However, titanium coated aluminum, which is rather cheap, works as an acceptable substitute. Also, no flame risk of any kind, no Hindenburgs. The metal is entirely reusable.
The problem with this approach is not storage, the problem is the efficiency of cracking hydrogen on the one end, including the energy losses, and the limited lifespan of fuel cells, plus their extreme costs, on the other end. Similar to LNG, the process becomes not only energy wasteful, but also rather expensive.
The Germans have coal and hydro electricity, and they should use that.
The problem of storing and shipping hydrogen economically has been solved.
Hydrogen can be stored and transported anywhere quite safely as a solid, as opposed to a liquid or a gas.
Previously, the solid used for this was titanium, which made this cost prohibitive.
However, titanium coated aluminum, which is rather cheap, works as an acceptable substitute. Also, no flame risk of any kind, no Hindenburgs. The metal is entirely reusable.
The problem with this approach is not storage, the problem is the efficiency of cracking hydrogen on the one end, including the energy losses, and the limited lifespan of fuel cells, plus their extreme costs, on the other end. Similar to LNG, the process becomes not only energy wasteful, but also rather expensive.
The Germans have coal and hydro electricity, and they should use that.
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