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Originally Posted by Craig
Fuel cells have LOTS of potential, but everyone has to remember that obtaining H2 requires extracting it from water, which requires at least as much energy as is obtained when it is recombined with O2 to form energy and water again. H2 is not really an energy source, it is a way to transport and store energy. From an environmental and energy conservation point of view, it really only helps if the energy used to originally extract the H2 is "clean."
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I agree, using H2O as a source for H2 requires too much energy.
For your consideration is the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, which can use ethanol or methanol directly as a fuel source.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct-methanol_fuel_cell
Use of ethanol/methanol fuels would require very little modification to the infrastructure we know of today, the 'gas' station would become a fuel station and pump ethanol or methanol.
I see promise, and a lot of difficult development.
Today and for the immediate future, the gasoline fueled, internal combustion, Otto cycle engine seems to be the most cost-effective power source we have for automobiles.
There is, of course, human power, such as walking and bicyling, but that is best left for another discussion thread...
Best Regards,
Jim