Alternate energy. (Letters From Our Readers).I greatly appreciated the hydrogen economy cover story. However, I have one serious caveat: Although energy systems will surely evolve, trying to guess and then force one certain technology can result in expensive failures. If every technology that looked good at first blush Adv. 1. at first blush - as a first impression; "at first blush the offer seemed attractive" when first seen had prevailed, we might hop into our Stanley Steamer Stanley Steamer: see automobile. cars to drive to work while listening to our eight-track stereos. On the way we might pass the nuclear fusion nuclear fusion Process by which nuclear reactions between light elements form heavier ones, releasing huge amounts of energy. In 1939 Hans Bethe suggested that the energy output of the sun and other stars is a result of fusion reactions among hydrogen nuclei. power plant--just 20 years away from practical operation ... since 1960! We might fly off to Hawaii on a passenger blimp blimp: see airship. or (for serious shudders) an atomic airplane. As Amory Lovins (who is deservedly featured in your suite of articles) and others have preached for decades, society could implement more efficient technologies and get the same services with much less energy. If society doubled efficiency, we might dunk along for some decades without needing the massive investments entailed in the hydrogen economy. There are also the possibilities of finding new fossil fuel fossil fuel: see energy, sources of; fuel. fossil fuel Any of a class of materials of biologic origin occurring within the Earth's crust that can be used as a source of energy. Fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. deposits and of using other methods to store energy, including methanol, natural gas, metallic powders, systems based on superconductors and sugar fuel cells. "The Hydrogen Economy" is a snappy title, but what about, "The Hydrogen Economy--or Something Better." Roger V. Carlson, via e-mail In E's cover package on hydrogen, I found only one reference to methanol fuel This article is about Methanol used as a fuel. For other alcohols used as fuels, see Alcohol fuel. Methyl alcohol, wood spirits, and Methanol Methanol has been considered as a fuel, mainly in combination with gasoline. cells, and that was in a picture caption: "This tiny NEC (NEC Corporation, Tokyo, www.nec.com, www.necus.com) An electronics conglomerate known in the U.S. for its monitors. In Japan, it had the lion's share of the PC market until the late 1990s (see PC 98). NEC was founded in Tokyo in 1899 as Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. methanol-powered fuel cell could be the next generation of computer battery." Direct methanol fuel cells, which convert methanol to electricity without the need for a chemical reformer, were first announced three years ago, but they seem to be the world's best-kept secret. I have seen nothing about the technology in the newspapers, but after reading E, I checked on the Internet and found that there is now a booming business in methanol fuel cells, from toys to power supplies that run for 100 hours. Methanol sure beats hydrogen in convenience. I have a feeling that a number of people, including Amory Lovins, are so hooked on the hydrogen era concept that they have turned a blind eye to methanol's potential. Robert Spenger, Fullerton, CA |
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