February 5th, 2010
Why has NASA failed to Answer Call for Hydrogen Convergence?
There is a global competition going on to produce the first commercial hydrogen fuel cell aircraft. Examples of it can be seen on the Hydrogen Convergence YouTube channel. Unfortunately, NASA has not publicly entered the fray. NASA is by far the biggest consumer of hydrogen and hydrogen technology in the United States but it has not devoted any resources to help maintain America’s competitiveness.
Today Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 fame shed some light on the delay. In a Huffington Post article, Mr. Aldrin described the colossal system failure which has left the National Aeronautics and Space Administration a shell of its former self. Working and middle class Americans will not be shocked to hear the story of one more ponzi scheme that has robbed them of yet another critical asset.
President Barack Obama in his Fiscal Year 2011 budget has increased substantially funding for Earth Sciences Programs. However, President Obama has done nothing to help the United States remain competitive in the race to develop the first commercial hydrogen fuel cell aircraft. This task has been left to service members in the Air Force and Navy to handle with monies they’ve scrounged.
The plight of America’s Aviation Industry cannot be blamed on the Department of Energy. It can’t be dismissed as just another example of Secretary Chu not believing in hydrogen convergence. This actually points to a much bigger concern that was voiced by Frank Borman, another NASA pioneer, in a different time when he spoke of a “failure of imagination.”
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: Air Force, aviation, hydrogen, NASA, Navy, ObamaFebruary 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