August 24th, 2010
What does it mean for US Automakers when sales slow at Tesla?
The San Jose Business Journal and the Financial Times both reported that the year-to-year sales comparisons are down for Tesla. Until now, Tesla has been the poster-child for electric vehicle (EV) innovation. They were seen as the company that knew how to do EV manufacturing and marketing right. However, it appears that the technical disadvantages associated with EV’s are becoming apparent.
Now is the time to shift investment from next generation batteries to hydrogen convergence. Hydrogen Convergence is the process of converting our energy choices to a single abundant energy carrier. Early investment in hydrogen convergence will encourage domestic automakers to meet their 2015 production deadlines for introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
We at the ebTDesign Forum have always said that there was no real market for EV’s and that hydrogen convergence was the way to go. Even though, the car buying public has felt guilty about the environmental impact of auto emissions, it was the impractically of EV’s that has finally caught up with them. The unfortunate truth is that Tesla and other soon to be manufactures of fully electric cars almost got it right.
The problem is that they tried to scale up a child’s toy without introducing the necessary technology changes to meet the needs of a full size car. Everyone who has ever played with a model airplane knows that you can’t build a passenger jet using rubber bands as the motors. Now it’s time for EV enthusiasts to realize that you can’t satisfy the car buying public without hydrogen fuel cells.
We would advise US automakers to fully commit to the development of hydrogen convergence. They have already made the investments necessary to prove the viability of the technology. Now they must team with both local and national partners to change the conversation about what constitutes an EV. Any delay will shift the production timeline costing working and middle class jobs.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: automakers, EV, fuel cell, hydrogen, TeslaAugust 22nd, 2010
Should we cut Obama Team some slack for Environmental Missteps?
The Obama Administration not only deserves the criticism they receive from environmental groups they actually court it. Secretary Chu didn’t have to attack hydrogen convergence. Once Congress restored 2010 hydrogen research funding, they could have played nice instead of trying to cut it again in the 2011 budget.
The President went to Ohio last week and failed to recognize the advances in hydrogen fuel cell innovation. Even though, the state has invested heavily in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. It takes courage to speak truth to power. However, the Obama team needs to hear it before it’s too late.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: fuel cell, hydrogen, Obama, OhioJune 14th, 2010
Let the Mainstreaming of Hydrogen Convergence Begin
Contrary to popular beliefs energy efficiency and performance are a function of time. Technologies never enter the marketplace fully formed. In fact, many overnight successes are really scientific curiosities that have been bumping around the lab for decades. Mainstreaming is process of getting to know a new technology and understanding its efficiency and performance characteristics.
The mainstreaming of hydrogen convergence will soon kick into overdrive because of the work being done by Professor David Ramaker and the George Washington University (GWU) Chemistry Department. Professor Ramaker is doing pioneering work on “X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to study absorption of small molecules on catalysts during fuel cell operation.”
We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise our readers and social media followers that they should follow this technology because of the potential for real world observation. The biggest disconnect at the Department of Energy has been the belief that hydrogen convergence is still in the research phase. Hopefully, the funding of XAS research signals a realization that hydrogen convergence mainstreaming is finally underway.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, fuel cell, GWU, hydrogen, XASJune 7th, 2010
Hyundai-Kia ups the stakes in race for Hydrogen Convergence
We at the ebTDesign Forum have always contended that the 2015 date for introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles was a means of dampening expectations. As loyal readers and social media followers, you know that we suggested that 2013 was the whisper date for introduction of mass produced hydrogen cars. Now Hyundai-Kia has moved the hydrogen convergence goal posts even closer. They are saying that they will have cars available by 2012. Finally, there is a company that’s listening to the American car buying public.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: fuel cell, hydrogen, Hyundai-Kia, postcardJune 7th, 2010
What would bringing Formula Zero to USA mean for auto racing?
Last week, we at the ebTDesign Forum started looking for information on Formula Zero (hydrogen car) racing. The goal is to find a way to engage young entrepreneurs in hydrogen convergence. So, they can find meaning in their future career choices. Now we are asking, “How would America be better if motor sports were cleaner environmentally?”
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is the fastest growing sport in America and quickly becoming the national pastime. However, NASCAR is deeply mired in the fossil fuel era with all its baggage. Increasingly, NASCAR and auto racing in general will be put into the untenable position of being the primary enablers of big oil.
We would suggest that the only thing that could slow down the advance of the NASCAR nation is if the interests of auto racing are pitted against the interests of fisherman and hunters. Furthermore, we would propose that replacing fossil fuel sponsors and technology with hydrogen convergence supporters and technology would future-proof NASCAR’s business model.
What would it mean to young people and future generations if American auto racing abandoned internal combustion engines and gear shifting for fuel cells and hub motors? Would it matter that race car drivers could actually hear the roar of the crowd while they were pushing themselves and their cars to the limits. Could anything be more American?
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: Formula Zero, fuel cell, hydrogen, NASCARJune 2nd, 2010
Looking for Info on Formula Zero Racing in the USA
As the summer heats up, a young person’s pulse starts to quicken and their thoughts may suddenly turn to heavy metal bonding. They may also feel the need to for hydrogen speed. With this context in mind, we at the ebTDesign Forum are looking for information on the development of Formula Zero Racing in the United States.
Formula Zero Racing is a class of motor sports built on hydrogen fuel cell technologies which are deployed in a kart form factor. If you are already involved in Formula Zero Racing we’d love to hear from you. Or if you are simply young at heart, stay tuned and we’ll let you know what we find out.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: Formula Zero, fuel cell, hydrogen, racingMay 27th, 2010
Hydrogen Convergence enters Liquid State with Hydrnol
The most difficult challenge for mainstream adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology is hydrogen storage. Historically, the only thing that DOE confounders and hydrogen advocates have agreed on is that hydrogen storage is the key to unleashing the benefits of hydrogen convergence. However, the commercial introduction of Hydrnol may provide a solution. Hydrnol acts a liquid storage medium for hydrogen.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: fuel cell, hydrnol, hydrogen, postcard, storageMay 27th, 2010
More signs of Hydrogen Convergence thaw at DOE, Excluding Infrastructure
The Department of Energy (DOE) is holding a fuel cell bus workshop on June 7th, 2010. This workshop will cover everything associated with the development and deployment of fuel cell buses except for infrastructure. However, we at the ebTDesign Forum would caution our readers and social media followers against undue optimism.
Of late, the DOE has been actively soliciting project ideas for the development of fuel cells that run on fossil fuel. Last year, the confounders at the DOE introduced the strategy of removing hydrogen from the name of all fuel cell related programs. The United States Congress stopped them through the appropriation process.
This year the confounders have redoubled their efforts. It was very telling that in President Obama’s Memorandum Regarding Fuel Efficiency Standards there was no mention of hydrogen. Community leaders and industry pioneers would be well-advised to view this tactic by the DOE as more of a misdirection rather than a dinosaur attack. When the DOE starts talking about the challenges of deploying hydrogen infrastructure then we’ll know that they are serious about hydrogen convergence.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: bus, DOE, fuel cell, hydrogen, misdirection, ObamaMay 18th, 2010
Whisper Date: 2013 for Hydrogen Convergence Upsurge
Recently, BMW announced that they were testing a new hydrogen fuel cell hybrid drivetrain for introduction in 2014. Contrary to DOE confounders and other industry experts, the goalposts are constantly moving closer. We at the ebTDesign Forum have always held that the more probable date for introduction of mass-produced hydrogen cars is 2013.
Last summer, the major automakers went before the United States Congress and assured them that hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles would be available by 2015. We suggest that this is just the outside date. Markets tend to reward companies that under promise and over deliver so beating the date by one year would be beneficial.
Post-Globalization, markets are all interconnected so there is no insulation from competition in other regions of the world. German hydrogen convergence community leaders expect 70% market penetration by 2015. Automakers must move much faster to keep from being shut out of the European marketplace. To that end, it is rumored that Ford has started testing its hydrogen fuel cell powered Escort in Scandinavia.
The ownership or financing structure for the 2013 releases of mass-produced hydrogen cars is unclear. However, German automakers will be starting to lease hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the United States this year. We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise readers and social media followers to ignore the head fake and prepare for the upsurge in hydrogen convergence.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: BMW, confounders, Ford, fuel cell, hydrogenApril 13th, 2010
Hydrogen Convergence doesn’t lead to Electric Vehicles
The community leaders and pioneers in the hydrogen convergence colonies are not difficult people. They are not the kind of people who go around looking for a fight. However, saying that a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is a hybrid because it has a battery is like saying that every traditional car with an internal combustion engine is a gas-electric hybrid.
Many of our readers and social media followers are willing to work for a compromise on the issue of hydrogen car versus electric vehicle (EV). However, we at the ebTDesign Forum would caution against accepting the premise of this argument. Electric Vehicles are the obvious choice because they have been a part of Saturday Sci-Fi movies since the 1950’s and in Sci-Fi magazines even earlier.
We would suggest that community leaders and pioneers think of hydrogen convergence and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as the optimum choice. Hydrogen cars are lighter and have better payload capacity. They have a longer range. To discard these advantages for the sake of communal bliss undermines the value of early investment in hydrogen infrastructure. Leadership requires that we tell the truth even when it’s uncomfortable.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: EV, fuel cell, hydrogenMarch 31st, 2010
Beware of Greenfield Scenarios for Hydrogen Convergence
Greenfield scenarios may in fact hide a more sinister dinosaur attack. Confounders would have you believe that hydrogen convergence won’t succeed because we have to start at ground zero. However, our friends at Proton Energy Systems remind us that there are large hydrogen production facilities close to almost every major city in the United States.
The United States produces about 9 million tons of hydrogen a year and that the 53 percent devoted to transportation would fuel approximately 21 million hydrogen cars. So the only missing piece for full blown hydrogen convergence is mass production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. And, confounders know that they are on schedule for market introduction in 2015.
There is almost never a need to start from ground zero with a cleantech cluster in an established community. There may be a need to upgrade the skill sets of one sector or another. Our research has shown, industry clusters are not formula driven cookie-cutter organizations. They survive and thrive based on unique regional differences and that those attributes are historic.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: confounders, dinosaur attack, fuel cell, hydrogenMarch 29th, 2010
Will Hydrogen Convergence fuel the next Arms Race?
Many historians like to characterize human evolution by the dominate weapon systems deployed at the time. The first was the Stone Age then the Bronze Age and then the Iron Age and so on so forth until you reach nuclear. We at the ebTDesign Forum would like to talk to readers and social media followers about the start of the hydrogen convergence era.
At the ebTDesign Forum, hydrogen convergence has always been used as a metaphor for energy security. Now, we would like to talk about the necessity of using hydrogen convergence to completely modernize our tactical arsenal. While America’s strategic deterrent may have become the envy of all but a few, we are loosing our edge when it comes to both conventional and asymmetrical warfare.
The reason is because the United States has been slow to deploy new systems based on hydrogen convergence. Having said this, the problem doesn’t lie with the war fighter or even the Department of Defense (DOD). The real impediment to defense related hydrogen convergence is the policy at Department of Energy (DOE). When the DOE was the most hostile toward hydrogen convergence, the DOD continued to fund hydrogen fuel cell projects.
The DOD understands that tactical situations are a lot like natural disasters. Personnel may at anytime be cutoff from traditional power generation and isolated from reliable energy reserves. They operated under special circumstances where it can be very difficult to maintain troop security by deploying solar cells and wind turbine assets. These are the kinds of environments where hydrogen convergence would be most suitable.
However instead of doing the heavy lifting, the DOE has gone out of its way to make transition from fossil fuels to hydrogen convergence almost impossible. Unless this policy changes, the United States Armed Forces will be forced to buy their hydrogen fuel cell technology from foreign suppliers. And, the kicker is that the new technology will probably be based on hydrogen innovation developed in American labs.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOD, DOE, energy security, fuel cell, hydrogenMarch 22nd, 2010
Need for Hydrogen Convergence of Transportation Sector
This weekend on Clean Skies Sunday, Henry Lee co-author of the Belfer Center study said that it was going to be hard to meet the global carbon reduction targets on cars and trucks without higher gasoline prices. He suggested that lawmakers in the United States look at vehicle miles traveled when designing new climate change policy. We at the ebTDesign Forum would suggest looking at hydrogen convergence.
Mr. Lee advocates gasoline prices in the $7 range as means of curtailing vehicle miles traveled. Gasoline prices at that level would severely limit job opportunities of many working and middle class families. At $4 a gallon, they had to decide between going to work and paying their mortgages. Many employees could be forced into company towns which would make them even more vulnerable to economic booms and busts.
Small trucking companies would also be placed under extreme pressure because their costs are driven by fuel prices. This could limit the availability of food choices and strengthen the hand of unscrupulous employers. We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise policy makers to heed the warnings of the Belfer Center study because it was gasoline prices that triggered the financial meltdown not sub-prime mortgages.
Hydrogen Convergence, on the other hand, could provide relief for small trucking companies. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are approaching gasoline equivalents of 10 cents a mile which is comparable to the costs of driving internal combustion engines. However, we at the ebTDesign Forum expect the relative fuel costs to be lower for consumers and small trucking companies because hydrogen can be produced regionally and most of the distribution costs can be saved.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: fuel cell, gasoline prices, hydrogen, trucking companiesMarch 19th, 2010
Why the DOE should Heavily Invest in Hydrogen Convergence
Yesterday, a long time reader asked why we at the ebTDesign Forum are so fixated on the DOE’s role in hydrogen convergence. They said, “Why shouldn’t the DOE instead fund the roll out of Fuel Cell Vehicles? Infrastructure is only one half of [the solution.] The reason is because we are concerned about the creation of a hydrogen divide.
It’s been over a decade since the introduction of high-speed Internet and there are still communities in the United States that can’t connect. And, lawmakers are just starting to write legislations that would provide universal access to high-speed Internet. Even though, the negative consequences for small town communities have been known for years.
The DOE’s job is to insure a secure energy future for all Americans and we propose that should include deployment of hydrogen infrastructure. Rural and suburban communities cannot afford to wait until all the good-paying cleantech jobs have been moved offshore. Hydrogen Convergence needs to be used to fix the problems that delayed access to high-speed Internet has caused.
If the DOE were truly doing its job then it would heavily invest in research that would show why hydrogen convergence is working along the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana and Texas. They already have hydrogen production facilities and pipelines. This would lay the foundation for sustainable cleantech job growth that would take us into the next century.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, fuel cell, hydrogen, hydrogen divideMarch 17th, 2010
Denying Americans their Hydrogen Convergence Futures
We at the ebTDesign Forum have noticed an increase in “dinosaur attacks” on hydrogen convergence colonies. Dinosaur Attacks are outlandish accusations leveled by climate change confounders and industry tourists to slow adoption of game changing technology like hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Fortunately, we have been expecting them and are prepared to help readers and social media followers defend themselves.
Dinosaur Attacks should not be confused with “downsider effects.” As previously published, downsiders are the far edge of the mainstream who are slow to react to technology upgrades. The difference is that downsiders are natural constituents of every technology innovation while dinosaur attacks are contrived utterances of paid mercenaries.
Readers and social media followers are warned to respect the danger of dinosaur attacks because dinosaur lobbies are well funded. And, they are very quick to defend their well padded nets. The real challenge is in discerning the difference between real-stakeholder concerns and dinosaur tactics that are contrived to deny Americans their hydrogen convergence futures.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: confounders, dinosaur attack, fuel cell, hydrogen, touristsMarch 16th, 2010
Future of Natural Gas Declines without Hydrogen Convergence
The most recent natural gas forecast by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) suggests a significant decline in consumption. The rationale for the decline is based on the assumption that natural gas will primarily be used in power generation and will eventually compete with renewable energy. We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise our readers and social media followers that the impact of hydrogen convergence was not included in their forecasts.
In fairness to the EIA, their forecast assumes that carbon legislation plays a greater role in determining the future of natural gas than we do at the ebTDesign Forum. They imply that there will be no increase in natural gas consumption due to the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into the transportation sector. They also don’t take into account any of the other non-environmental reasons for hydrogen convergence like business continuity.
Given the limitations that the EIA set for itself, their analysis of the future of natural gas is logical. However, they failed to take into account the impact of electricity production on regional water supplies. We propose that using algal carbon sequestration in conjunction with hydrogen production will help overcome many of today’s water challenges. And, that hydrogen convergence alone will spur growth in the natural gas sector.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: EIA, fuel cell, hydrogen, natural gas, waterFebruary 2nd, 2010
Hydrogen Convergence delivers twice the Value for Airports
As readers of the ebTDesign Forum and loyal twitter followers know, hydrogen convergence will provide airport management and airlines with a hedge against radical changes in energy prices. Hydrogen Convergence will also provide the air traveling public and surrounding community with reduced noise pollution.
Many in the cleantech sector can cite the benefits of hydrogen convergence as a means of reducing the carbon footprint of a given facility. But very few are as quick to recognize the benefits of noise reduction when building their case for early investment. This is understandable because most non-readers can only visualize fuel cell usage in airplanes at airports.
Noise restrictions limit the development of prime commercial real estate. Adjacent properties are made unviable because of sound proofing requirements. These limitations cost local communities millions and even tens of millions in potential tax revenues and multiplies airport expansion costs by increasing land use requirements.
Further, busy executives would cherish the opportunity of living closer to airports. This would reduce their commutes and positively enhance their lifestyle choices. Put simply, any significant noise reduction would immediately increase the property value of surrounding neighborhoods and benefit all involved.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: airports, fuel cell, hydrogen, noise reductionFebruary 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, hydrogenDecember 15th, 2009
Hydrogen Convergence Colony Uncovered at Sandia National Labs
We expect to see a hydrogen convergence colony at NASA but not at the Department of Energy. After Secretary Chu attempted to delete funding for hydrogen research, we would have expected that all vestiges of hydrogen convergence would have been removed from all DOE Labs. Fortunately, this was not the case.
The Fuel Cell Dispatch revealed the existence of this hydrogen convergence colony as a part of a story on Sandia National Lab’s 60th Anniversary. We at the ebTDesign Forum applaud those brave souls for their willingness to do basic hydrogen research in light of the stance taken by Secretary Chu. They continued to make advances with polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells and we thank them.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, fuel cell, hydrogen, PEM, SandiaDecember 14th, 2009
Promoting Hydrogen Convergence of Bunker Fuels at COP-15
One of the most interesting discussions reported in the ICTSD’s Half Time at COP-15 is the discussion of bunker fuels. Bunker fuels are used to power ships and aircrafts that carry material products internationally. The discussion centers on how to bring bunker fuels into the Kyoto Protocol.
We at the ebTDesign Forum would advice readers to follow these talks because they provide a means of paying for hydrogen convergence. As you know, the best way to avoid climate change is by switching to fuel cells and hydrogen infrastructure. Bunker fuels provide another much needed hydrogen convergence onramp.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: bunker fuels, COP-15, fuel cell, hydrogen, ICTSD, onramp