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wwarnout t1_j5qijjz wrote

Reply to comment by mhornberger in Solar powered hydrogen facility being built in California by ForHidingSquirrels

Here's a thought:

Using solar directly is more efficient that using it to extract H2, which is subsequently used for essentially the same purposes.

However, there are times when solar or wind have to be turned off, because they are producing more energy than can be used at the time, and storage is still not well developed.

So, rather than turning the renewables off, they could redirect the energy to extracting H2. This would make much more sense than using solar for H2 extraction instead of using it on the grid.

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Surur t1_j5qrvic wrote

That logic especially holds when you overbuilt solar and have masses of excess solar that would otherwise go to waste.

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Nah-vi t1_j5qy4y0 wrote

Couldn't you collect the water after using the fuel to drink or at the very least water plants also? Meaning even if it isn't efficient ad a fuel source it has other valuable benefits.

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Ps1on t1_j5so25a wrote

Yes, but then you have to be able to have sufficient storage of H2. I'm not sure if that's there yet. It's a highly flammable, very light gas that needs to be stored in obscene quantities over a period of months.

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cybercuzco t1_j5qozy4 wrote

Sure but if you are going to convert that H2 back into electricity you will get more electricity back if you store it in batteries.

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killcat t1_j5r64k6 wrote

As a percentage, yes, but it comes down to energy density per dollar of storage cost, and there are applications for Hydrogen gas that raw electricity can't do.

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