 |
|
Leeds researchers fuelling the 'hydrogen economy'
November 28, 2007Scientists at the University of Leeds are turning low-grade sludge into high-value gas in a process which could make eco-friendly biodiesel even greener and more economical to produce.
Biodiesel - motor fuel derived from vegetable oil - is a renewable alternative to rapidly depleting fossil fuels. It is biodegradable and non-toxic, and production is on the up. But for each molecule of biodiesel produced, another of low-value crude glycerol is generated, and its disposal presents a growing economic and environmental problem.
Now researchers Leeds have shown how glycerol can be converted to produce a hydrogen rich gas. Hydrogen is in great demand for use in fertilisers, chemical plants and food production.
Moreover, hydrogen is itself viewed as a future 'clean' replacement for hydrocarbon-based transport fuels, and most countries currently reliant on these fuels are investing heavily in hydrogen development programmes.
The novel process developed by Dr Valerie Dupont and her co-investigators in the University's Faculty of Engineering mixes glycerol with steam at a controlled temperature and pressure, separating the waste product into hydrogen, water and carbon dioxide, with no residues. A special absorbent material filters out the carbon dioxide, which leaves a much purer product.
"Hydrogen has been identified as a key future fuel for low carbon energy systems such as power generation in fuel cells and as a transport fuel. Current production methods are expensive and unsustainable, using either increasingly scarce fossil fuel sources such as natural gas, or other less efficient methods such as water electrolysis."
"Our process is a clean, renewable alternative to conventional methods. It produces something with high value from a low grade by-product for which there are few economical upgrading mechanisms" says Dr Dupont. "In addition, it's a near 'carbon-neutral' process, since the CO2 generated is not derived from the use of fossil fuels."
Dr Dupont believes the process is easily scalable to industrial production, and, as the race towards the 'hydrogen economy'(1) accelerates, could potentially be an economically important, sustainable - and environmentally friendly - way of meeting the growing demand for hydrogen.
Dr Dupont's research has been funded with a £270k grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under the Energy programme, and is in collaboration with Professors Yulong Ding and Mojtaba Ghadiri from the Institute of Particle Science and Engineering, and Professor Paul Williams from the Energy and Resources Research Institute at the University. Industrial collaborators are Johnson Matthey and D1-Oils.
1. A 'hydrogen economy', reliant on hydrogen fuelling fuel cells and producing electrical power, instead of the low energy efficient internal combustion engines,is proposed to solve the ill effects of using hydrocarbon fuels in transportation, and other end-use applications, which causes the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the atmosphere. Whilst it's likely to be many years before a full hydrogen economy can be achieved due to infrastructure and storage issues, biodiesel is a forerunner to this as a sustainable, more environmentally friendly fuel, to be used in combustion engines.
University of Leeds
Moreover, hydrogen is itself viewed as a future 'clean' replacement for hydrocarbon-based transport fuels, and most countries currently reliant on these fuels are investing heavily in hydrogen development programmes.
The novel process developed by Dr Valerie Dupont and her co-investigators in the University's Faculty of Engineering mixes glycerol with steam at a controlled temperature and pressure, separating the waste product into hydrogen, water and carbon dioxide, with no residues. A special absorbent material filters out the carbon dioxide, which leaves a much purer product.
"Hydrogen has been identified as a key future fuel for low carbon energy systems such as power generation in fuel cells and as a transport fuel. Current production methods are expensive and unsustainable, using either increasingly scarce fossil fuel sources such as natural gas, or other less efficient methods such as water electrolysis."
"Our process is a clean, renewable alternative to conventional methods. It produces something with high value from a low grade by-product for which there are few economical upgrading mechanisms" says Dr Dupont. "In addition, it's a near 'carbon-neutral' process, since the CO2 generated is not derived from the use of fossil fuels."
Dr Dupont believes the process is easily scalable to industrial production, and, as the race towards the 'hydrogen economy'(1) accelerates, could potentially be an economically important, sustainable - and environmentally friendly - way of meeting the growing demand for hydrogen.
Dr Dupont's research has been funded with a £270k grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under the Energy programme, and is in collaboration with Professors Yulong Ding and Mojtaba Ghadiri from the Institute of Particle Science and Engineering, and Professor Paul Williams from the Energy and Resources Research Institute at the University. Industrial collaborators are Johnson Matthey and D1-Oils.
1. A 'hydrogen economy', reliant on hydrogen fuelling fuel cells and producing electrical power, instead of the low energy efficient internal combustion engines,is proposed to solve the ill effects of using hydrocarbon fuels in transportation, and other end-use applications, which causes the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the atmosphere. Whilst it's likely to be many years before a full hydrogen economy can be achieved due to infrastructure and storage issues, biodiesel is a forerunner to this as a sustainable, more environmentally friendly fuel, to be used in combustion engines.
University of Leeds
Hydrogen Economy Current Events and Hydrogen Economy News RSSComputer predicts reactions between molecules and surfaces, with 'chemical precision'
Good news for heterogeneous catalysis and the hydrogen economy: computers can now be used to make accurate predictions of the reactions of (hydrogen) molecules with surfaces. An international team of researchers, headed by Leiden theoretical chemist Geert-Jan Kroes, published on this subject this week in the journal Science.
Researchers demonstrate reversible generation of a high capacity hydrogen storage material
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory have created a reversible route to generate aluminum hydride, a high capacity hydrogen storage material.
Synthetic catalyst mimics nature's 'hydrogen economy'
By creating a model of the active site found in a naturally occurring enzyme, chemists at the University of Illinois have described a catalyst that acts like nature's most pervasive hydrogen processor.
1 sponge-like material, 3 different applications
A new sponge-like material that is black, brittle and freeze-dried (just like the ice cream astronauts eat) can pull off some pretty impressive feats.
Revealing new applications for carbon nanomaterials in hydrogen storage
An international research team, involving Professor Rajeev Ahuja at Uppsala University and researchers in the USA, set out to understand the mechanism behind the catalytic effects of carbon nanomaterials.
Iowa State engineer works to clean and improve engine performance
The five engines in Song-Charng Kong's Iowa State University laboratory have come a long way since Karl Benz patented a two-stroke internal combustion engine in 1879.
Closing the hydrogen economic loop
The inventor of the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) technology used for building batteries for countless portable electronic gadgets and now hybrid gas-electric cars believes the hydrogen economy is already upon us.
New aluminum-rich alloy produces hydrogen on-demand for large-scale uses
Purdue University engineers have developed a new aluminum-rich alloy that produces hydrogen by splitting water and is economically competitive with conventional fuels for transportation and power generation.
NIST building facility for hydrogen pipeline testing
Efforts to create a "hydrogen economy" to reduce U.S. oil imports will get a boost from a new laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that will evaluate tests, materials, mechanical properties and standards for hydrogen pipelines.
Engineered eggshells to help make hydrogen fuel
Engineers at Ohio State University have found a way to turn discarded chicken eggshells into an alternative energy resource. The patented process uses eggshells to soak up carbon dioxide from a reaction that produces hydrogen fuel. It also includes a unique method for peeling the collagen-containing membrane from the inside of the shells, so that the collagen can be used commercially.
More Hydrogen Economy Current Events and Hydrogen Economy News Articles
 |
The Hydrogen Economy by Jeremy Rifkin (Author) The road to global security," writes Jeremy Rifkin, "lies in lessening our dependence on Middle East oil and making sure that all people on Earth have access to the energy they need to sustain life. Weaning the world off oil and turning it toward hydrogen is a promissory note for a safer world." Rifkin's international bestseller The Hydrogen Economy presents the clearest, most comprehensive case for moving ourselves away from the destructive and waning years of the oil era toward a new kind of energy regime. Hydrogen-one of the most abundant substances in the universe-holds the key, Rifkin argues, to a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable world. |
 |
The Hydrogen Economy by Jeremy Rifkin (Author) The message of The Hydrogen Economy is resoundingly simple: The earth is depleting its oil reserves and even the most generous estimates show oil reserves peaking in about forty years. The specter of global warming and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the oil-rich regions of the earth worsen the problem considerably. The answer, asserts Rifkin, is to embrace a new energy source that is just now gaining public attention: hydrogen. This abundant element, found everywhere on earth including in air and water, can be transformed, using sustainable methods, into a potentially limitless form of clean-burning fuel. But this potential will founder unless we act now to create the necessary global infrastructure before the factors above overtake us. If we embrace this momentous... |
 |
The Possiblity of a Hydrogen Economy: Renewable Energy Future by John Smith (Author) The book's intent is to share an idea with people interested in a renewable energy future. Much of the content is based on connecting existing ideas and progress towards a renewable energy based economy. The authors hope is to inspire other people, groups, and organizations to continue to move towards a hydrogen economy. The book touches on a variety of topics which includes wind, solar, biomass, and nuclear power. A historic perspective is highlighted throughout the book which plays an important factor, as does attitudes and trends that exist in the world today. In the opinion of Smith, this book is a great resource where people can start learning about topics in renewable energy. |
 |
Materials for the Hydrogen Economy by Russell H. Jones (Editor), George J. Thomas (Editor) Hydrogen offers a promising alternative for supplying clean and sustainable energy to meet increasing demands worldwide. However, materials are key to transforming the technology into a viable industry. Materials for the Hydrogen Economy describes the technical challenges and the current efforts in developing materials possessing the properties required for handling each stage of the hydrogen fuel chain. Thorough coverage offers newcomers as well as experienced engineers and researchers a reliable and fully scalable foundation in this field. This book covers all seven of the current hydrogen production methods, as well as distribution, storage, and utilization technologies, particularly fuel cells. It details the chemical reactions, processes, types of feedstock, and commercial... |
 |
HHO -- Do it Yourself Economy Kit-- WATER4GAS water for fuel Hydrogen Generator by HHOPartsOnline.com, LLC This is a "Do it Yourself" kit containing most every part needed for your HHO project. Start that project now to save on your fuel costs!! All Items are In Stock and ship within 24 hours of payment! Please see terms and conditions at our website. Instructions can also be downloaded at our website. HHOPartsOnline dot com. |
 |
The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities and Challenges by Michael Ball (Editor), Martin Wietschel (Editor) In the light of ever-increasing global energy use, rising costs of energy services, concerns over energy supply security, climate change and local air pollution, this book centers around the question of how growing energy demand for transport can be met in the long term. Responding to sustained interest in and controversial discussion of the prospects of hydrogen, this book highlights the opportunities and the challenges of introducing hydrogen as alternative fuel in the transport sector from an economic, technical and environmental point of view, and with a global geographic scope. Through its multi-disciplinary approach the book provides a broad range of researchers, decision makers and policy makers with a solid and wide-ranging knowledge base concerning the hydrogen economy. ... |
 |
Hydrogen Hawaii Directed By: Richard D. Masters Also With: Richard D. Masters (Producer) |
 |
Light, Water, Hydrogen: The Solar Generation of Hydrogen by Water Photoelectrolysis by Craig A. Grimes (Author), Oomman K. Varghese (Author), Sudhir Ranjan (Author) The development of a direct, inexpensive, and efficient method for converting solar energy into a portable, clean fuel would allow elimination of the growing problems associated with the ever increasing use of fossil fuels and the reality of their rapid depletion. As the title suggests, Light, Water, Hydrogen: The Solar Generation of Hydrogen by Water Photoelectrolysis, considers the combination of water and light with a suitable semiconductor to achieve a safe, renewable and therefore inexhaustable means for hydrogen generation via the splitting of the water molecule, or photoelectrolysis. The authors consider the impact of recent advances in nanotechnology on the water photoelectrolysis field, providing specific examples as well as the theories and methods necessary for... |
 |
60 Minutes - Schwarzenneger (December 21, 2008) Airdate 12/21/08 It's good that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger likes a challenge. In December, he warned of financial armegeddon as California faced a huge budget deficit that threatened jobs, roads, schools, and public safety. At the same time, he's pushing some of the world's toughest environmental laws to make California a leader in fighting climate change. Throughout it all, he still loves to drive his Humvee. Scott Pelley reports. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. |
 |
Power to Change the World: Alternative Energy and the Rise of the Solar City by S.L. Klein (Author) After WWII, in a memoir entitled "The Gathering Storm," Churchill described the buildup to war in terms that evoke uncomfortable comparisons. Today, the palpable sense of another storm gathering demands attention as the sources of instability, once underestimated, reach the headlines. But something crucially different underlies this new threat, something not seen before. While we have previously faced the growing popularity of utopian, totalitarian ideologies with global aspirations, we had not until now experienced a looming U.S. energy crisis inextricably intertwined with the threat. In the worst scenario, taking the brunt of this coming storm could result in a global economic, political, social, and ecological disaster. My book, which is the result of a uniquely broad-based,... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |