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Atworkwasalreadytake t1_j55o8vd wrote

Reply to comment by SolarPunkLifestyle in The race to make diesel engines run on hydrogen by FDuquesne

> It is strange that the focus is on making a diesel engine run with some hydrogen when hydrogen fuel cells would be a better fit for this type of truck.

Interesting thought, but you answer your own concern right here:

> less of an issue for mining trucks like the electric drive Liebherr t282b, which has a price tag of $5 million

The main point being:

> say they have successfully modified a conventional diesel engine to use a mix of hydrogen and a small amount of diesel,

Meaning you wouldn’t need to replace, just modify existing, expensive, equipment.

It’s a transition technology not an end-state.

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Zephyr104 t1_j55u6me wrote

And considering how tumultuous a situation we are in we need as many answers possible to minimize the situation we are headed towards. The technology that comes out of this could also make a huge dent in agriculture and logistics as well. Cutting diesel with green hydrogen from solar and wind would be a boon for all heavy equipment, not just mining.

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SolarPunkLifestyle t1_j59kuzj wrote

> minimize the situation we are headed towards

agreed but the roll out of hybrids was the kind of distraction that slows this stuff down more than saves overall. The first hybrid was 1997 and it never took over because it was surpassed by full electric, obviating the technology from an enviromental perspective.

if this tech can be quickly spread and integrated for mining, agriculture and logistics in 2-5 years, great. but if its going to take 15 years to get to first production then it makes sense to hold out for higher standards.

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SolarPunkLifestyle t1_j59kgdp wrote

but diesel work trucks are not free? The point was that a fuel cell was less significnat component of cost in something that costs 5 million vs 50,000

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Atworkwasalreadytake t1_j5ahcah wrote

> but diesel work trucks are not free?

But the diesel work truck has already been built and purchased in this instance.

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