February 1st, 2010
Exploring Hydrogen Convergence Onramps at Airports
The ebTDesign Forum is proud to announce a new Hydrogen Convergence Airports initiative. As loyal readers and twitter followers, you know that aviation and airport operations were suggested as one of the top three hydrogen convergence onramps. Onramps are points of market entry that provide the best opportunity for cleantech mass market success.
We have not given up on hydrogen cars. But we have become frustrated with the direction that the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market has taken. Automakers have decided to combine their hybrid, electric vehicle (EV), and hydrogen car marketing strategies. This has resulted in increased market confusion and the glossing over of hydrogen car benefits.
Selling hydrogen cars as hybrids ignores the competitive advantages that hydrogen convergence brings to the marketplace. We at the ebTDesign Forum believe that this market confusion caused by the automakers will delay adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and put the United States Economy at risk. It is the inevitable, sometimes radical, increases in energy prices that will keep job growth slow and lead to the next economic decline.
Airports and the aviation system provide certain low-hanging fruit that could potentially overcome the hydrogen car delay. As you know, there is transportation in around airports. This includes buses, taxies, and limos. There are the snowplows and baggage movers. The baggage movers are of particular interest because there may be an opportunity to reuse the hydrogen fuel cell terminal tractor that is being developed by Capacity of Texas and Vision Industries or the Navy’s “yard dog” platform.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: airports, aviation, cars, fuel cell, hydrogen