Auto Makers Rev Up Support for Hydrogen Stations (in Japan for now)
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/02/12/auto-makers-rev-up-support-for-hydrogen-stations/Feb 12, 2015
[font size=5]Auto Makers Rev Up Support for Hydrogen Stations[/font]
By Yoko Kubota
[font size=3]Japan’s top three auto makers say they are teaming up to build more hydrogen stations, although they’re not saying yet how much they’ll spend.
Hydrogen is the buzzword of the moment after Toyota Motor Corp. in December started selling its Mirai fuel-cell car, which runs on hydrogen. Initial consumer interest has been strong, but the cars could suffer from a chicken-and-egg problem: Few people will buy them if they can’t find a place to refuel nearby, but companies are hesitant to invest in new hydrogen stations if there aren’t a lot of fuel-cell car owners.
Thus the new team effort: Toyota, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday they were looking at paying part of the expenses of operating hydrogen stations. Details and budget weren’t disclosed.
“Our aim is to support the activities that are necessary to create new demand for fuel-cell vehicles,” said Kayo Doi, a Toyota spokeswoman. The cooperation will take place only in Japan, she said.
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Yes!
and Japan leads the way
Building Hydrogen stations isn't as difficult as the H2 detractors would have everyone believe.
Why is that?
anywhere there is water and electricity.
Meanwhile,
Think Your Tesla Is Saving The Environment? Think Again.
Reuben Brewer |The Motley Fool | February 14, 2015
Power from where?
The problem here is that how much good you're doing for the environment depends on where you get your electrical power. If you're like most people, your local utility powers your outlets. Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science summed the issue up nicely during a recent interview with the Associated Press: "Unfortunately, when a wire is connected to an electric vehicle at one end and a coal-fired power plant at the other end, the environmental consequences are worse than driving a normal gasoline-powered car."...snip
more: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/02/14/think-your-tesla-is-saving-the-environment-think-a.aspx
I think the conventional energy interests are into it, natural gas interests in particular.
The EERE and DOE have supported H2 with research funds and studies, posted here ad nauseum, but I don't seem them demonstrating a bias in favor of H2.
We do agree that this is about strapping us with an infrastructure dependency and keeping the power centralized.
Sad, because EVs are really egalitarian little vehicles, charge at home charge at work, charge at your friend's house, and it's only with the longer trips that they become a pain.
NRG and PG&E are about to deploy thousands of stations, I'll use them when I can.
DC Fast Charging isn't quite widely available enough and not in a form factor I like, so I bought a used Volt to replace my tired Prius, and I'm loving it!
