Fueling U.S. Transportation: The Hydrogen Economy and Its Alternatives

Heiman, Michael K.; Solomon, Barry D.

doi:10.3200/envt.49.8.10-25

Cited by 33 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…Heiman and Solomon (2007) note that small-scale hydrogen economies are suited for localities such as Iceland or Hawaii, which are well endowed with renewable energy resources. A silicon economy is better suited to the large scale distribution and storage of renewable energy to make optimal use of sustainable global energy resources for the collective good.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Technology permitting, a sustainable global silicon energy economy would be much simpler than the hydrogen economy because the latter would have to pervade all aspects of society down to hydrogen outlets over a myriad of roadside fuel stations -an infrastructure that would require some considerable investment to create (Heiman and Solomon, 2007). In contrast, the envisaged silicon energy economy would comprise just the silicon-powered shipping of fuel silicon to large power stations generating additional electric power which is distributed through existing electricity grids.…”

Section: A Sustainable Global Silicon Energy Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, increasing concerns about climatic change may be a factor in addition to purely economic considerations (Heiman and Solomon, 2007). Also, the suggestion has been made that a modified energy market might be formulated so that technologically immature systems will not be able to compete in the initial stages of development (Madlener and Stagl, 2005).…”

Section: A Sustainable Global Silicon Energy Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is even questionable whether hydrogen generation from renewable energy within a given nation is actually desirable for the purpose of reducing global warming, because the argument can be made that the renewable energy is more effectively used to directly substitute existing emission-generating electricity sources (Heiman and Solomon, 2007). A more international view of the hydrogen economy might see large-scale hydrogen generation from those nations favoured with significant renewable energy resources, with export for usage around the world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Sustainable Global Energy Economy: Hydrogen or Silicon?

Bardsley

2008

Nat Resour Res

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A sustainable global silicon energy economy is proposed as a potential alternative to the hydrogen economy. This first visualisation of a silicon energy economy is based on largescale and carbon-neutral metallic silicon production from major smelters in North Africa and elsewhere, supplied by desert silica sand and electricity from extensive solar generating systems. The resulting "fuel silicon" is shipped around the world to emissionfree silicon power stations for either immediate electricity generation or stockpiling. The high energy density of silicon and its stable storage make it an ideal material for maintaining national economic functioning through security of base load power supply from a renewable source. This contrasts with the present situation of fossil fuel usage with its associated global warming and geopolitical supply uncertainties. Critical technological requirements for the silicon economy are carbon-neutral silicon production and the development of efficient silicon-fired power stations capable of high-temperature rapid oxidation of fuel silicon. A call is made for the development of research effort into these specific engineering issues, and also with respect to large-scale economical solar power generation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Sustainable Global Silicon Energy Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Sustainable Global Silicon Energy Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Sustainable Global Energy Economy: Hydrogen or Silicon?

Bardsley

2008

Nat Resour Res

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“…Major price rises over the [2004][2005][2006][2007][2008] period suggest that supply has difficulty in keeping up with expanding demand for conventional mineral oil and natural gas. It is moreover expected that production of these fossil fuels will start to fall in the not too distant future, which will necessitate replacement (GAO 2007, Heiman and Solomon 2007, Bentley et al 2008, Kaufmann and Shiers 2008. There is concern about the geopolitical implications of most of the remaining conventional oil and gas reserves being in a limited number of countries (Heiman and Solomon 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fuels for the future

Reijnders

2009

Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences

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There are unconventional fuels that may serve as near term major replacements for conventional mineral oil and natural gas. These include fuels from oil shale and bitumen, liquid fuels from coal, methane from methane hydrates, biofuels and the secondary fuel hydrogen. Here, these fuels will be reviewed as to their presumable stocks and life cycle wastes, emissions and inputs of natural resources. The unconventional fuels are usually characterized by a relatively poor source-toburner energy efficiency when compared with current conventional mineral oil and gas. Apart from some varieties of hydrogen and biofuel, their life cycles are characterized by relatively large water inputs, emissions, and wastes. The unconventional fuels shale oil, bituminous oil, coal liquids, and methane from methane hydrates are based on natural resources which are practically finite. This does not hold for biofuels, but the sustainable supply thereof is severely limited when large numbers of people also have to be fed. In view of the problems associated with unconventional fuels, there is a case to consider fuel-less replacements for many fuel applications.

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