Twenty-first century solutions for age-old problems

Edd Doerr (arlinc.org)

 Wash Post. May 13. Page 1. “Toyota’s bet on hydrogen: The future or an eco-dream?” Here’s the response I posted on line. Comments?   ---

     

Toyota, Hyundai and Honda are to be commended for introducing hydrogen powered cars. But if hydrogen can power cars, it can also power trains and ships and electric power generation. With coal, oil and natural gas all contributing to climate change and resource depletion, hydrogen could go far in replacing those dirty fuels. Environmentalist Lester Brown's new book, The Great Transition, makes the case for shifting from fossil fuels to solar, wind and geothermal energy, but notes that solar and wind are variable. OK, well, hydrogen power could solve that problem. Of course it takes energy to break water down to hydrogen and oxygen, but that could be done using solar, wind and geothermal, thus evening out energy availability.

What about all the people working in the coal and oil industries? Retrain them to work with solar, wind, geothermal and hydrogen energy production.

Twenty-first century solutions for age-old problems. And this is not rocket science.