I thank Jaime Jessop for picking-up this story and laying out so well the unviability of this potentially highly dangerous faux green experimental scheme which the government intends to foist upon unwitting UK residents.
The UK was running on 50% hydrogen prior to the discovery of natural gas in the 60s. Town gas is actually a 50/50 mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It can be transported and burned safely as I’m sure pure hydrogen can too.
Hydrogen is more expensive than natural gas but I think the business case is heating with hydrogen is cheaper than heating with electricity when all things are considered.
If hydrogen fuel needs ventilation for safety in case of any leaks, the prudent thing to do would be to have the boiler outside the house, in a ventilated separate building. The heat produced could then be piped into the house. Not too convenient, but safer. Another possible option would be to add a noxious smelling ingredient to the hydrogen, (if it can be done) so a leak would be noticed immediately. That’s how natural gas is treated.
As to whether H2 is effective in reducing global warming, I’m very skeptical. Correct me if I’m wrong, but when H2 is burned, the by-product is H2O, and H2O is a much greater greenhouse gas then CO2! In my way of thinking H2 is the last thing climate activists should be pushing.
Good point that H2 takes so much energy to produce that the only economical way to produce it is to use ‘surplus’ wind (or solar) energy that otherwise would be wasted. But then it’s still questionable economically, because of the additional energy needed to compress it.
Great analysis comparing energy density of H2 vs nat.gas in relation to volume.
The UK was running on 50% hydrogen prior to the discovery of natural gas in the 60s. Town gas is actually a 50/50 mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It can be transported and burned safely as I’m sure pure hydrogen can too.
Hydrogen is more expensive than natural gas but I think the business case is heating with hydrogen is cheaper than heating with electricity when all things are considered.
Going green ain’t cheap.
If hydrogen fuel needs ventilation for safety in case of any leaks, the prudent thing to do would be to have the boiler outside the house, in a ventilated separate building. The heat produced could then be piped into the house. Not too convenient, but safer. Another possible option would be to add a noxious smelling ingredient to the hydrogen, (if it can be done) so a leak would be noticed immediately. That’s how natural gas is treated.
As to whether H2 is effective in reducing global warming, I’m very skeptical. Correct me if I’m wrong, but when H2 is burned, the by-product is H2O, and H2O is a much greater greenhouse gas then CO2! In my way of thinking H2 is the last thing climate activists should be pushing.
Good point that H2 takes so much energy to produce that the only economical way to produce it is to use ‘surplus’ wind (or solar) energy that otherwise would be wasted. But then it’s still questionable economically, because of the additional energy needed to compress it.
Great analysis comparing energy density of H2 vs nat.gas in relation to volume.