ImageThe rising cost of fossil fuels has resurfaced some old ideas for replacement energy. Of course modern advancements such as using platinum-impregnated filters to separate electrons from neutrons to form a positive and negative pole, have given new meaning to the old thinking. Buzz words like "Fuel Cell" and "Hybrid" are just a couple of the catch phrases that surfaced in the new fuels market.

I'm all for what it takes to get this nation to the next level of self- sufficiency. Can you imagine making, distributing, and consuming our own products instead of forking over our economic resources to fund a  Third World country that doesn't care about child labor endangerment or environmental decomposition? I see people jumping on hybrid and fuel cell bandwagons with strong opinions, ready to commit the country's direction on alternative fuel without investigating what's going on.

Hydrogen is the reactant that pushes molecules through filtration which separates the neutron from the electron. The chemical makeup between the two molecules makes one positively charged and one negatively charged. This is how a positive and negative pole is formed from the fuel cell. But how much energy and waste is made from building a fuel cell and extracting hydrogen? Is it really easier on the environment?

Methods of Hydrogen Reforming
  • Steam Reforming
  • Electrolysis
  • Steam Electrolysis
  • Thermochemical Water Splitting
  • Photoelectrochemical Processes
  • Biological and Photobiological Processes
All the above mentioned methods other than biological reform refers to electrolysis. The electrolysis reaction produces some form of acid, in which case aid reclaim will need to be implemented to prevent gassing caused by the act of electrolysis, which creates smog.

As far as batteries are concerned, we all know the reliability issues with these devices. As time goes on the battery's memory becomes shorter. How many times have you replaced a failing cell phone that more than likely only needed a new battery to operate properly? Or you notice a change in your laptop's performance, because it sees a drop in voltage so it turns the processor down to save battery life, etc...

In 2004, a friend bought a Toyota Hybrid that initially got 42 MPG; that's pretty good. But by 2006 his mileage fell to 36 MPG, why? Because the battery memory became shorter over time, therefore it relied on the gas engine more. Toyota has an extended warranty on the battery for now. But what will we do when landfills start taking on the task of disposing of the huge batteries? Just like other marketing ploys, it'll cost nothing until the consumption becomes dependable, then you'll be bent over the barrel with Toyota in the background laughing all the way to the bank. You think that won't happen? Chew on this already-occurring scenario: I just bought an '06 truck and a tire disposal fee was automatically added to the new vehicle price ... I haven't even taken it home yet. The funny part of that is tires are ground down and reused for many other things!

How come no one is talking about Iceland's geothermal energy setup? They use the heat from molten lava to supply energy. If you live in Iceland, your house is plumbed with hot and cold running water from the city. The streets and sidewalks are heated, and it's all power that is generated by the earth. I'm not pretending to know the answer to the nation's power problems, I'm simply saying don't be a sheep and follow the pack blindly on issue you can investigate yourself.

This nation already has a system in place for distributing diesel fuel. Would it really serve us to completely revamp our fuel distribution chain? Who's going to pay for it? How many resources will it take? And how much pollution will it make?