Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyLugNut
I have mentioned metal hydride storage schemes, complex hydrated polymers and hydro-carbon liquids with carbon from the biosphere.
None are widespread in use, but all are viable storage schemes.
One idea is to extend the work of a company called Hythane. Basically they are mixing 10% hydrogen gas by volume with methane (though a much higher percentage of hydrogen could be used). The affinity of hydrogen to the carbon atom through the weak molecular bond keeps the hydrogen from migrating into the metal containers. The methane could be composed of producer hydrogen with the carbon from biosphere sources. The mixture is easily transported, as now, in the natural gas pipelines we have in existence. The energy can be used in both natural gas vehicles and stationary uses.
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Yes, so what?
My argument that the container outweighs the gas still stands, whether it is hypercompressed, hypercooled, bound with palladium or methane.
Natural gas pipelines are in use to transport natural gas. In Holland almost all houses are connected to the natural gas network.
The pipelines, shutters, controllers etc are designed to work with the gas composition from our giant well in Slochteren. Nowadays gas from other sources gets used too, which meant we needed vast adaptations to our network to keep it safe. Just closing a valve on a main transport line causes a violent bang as the flow of a vast amount of gas is suddenly stopped. So the shutters have a shock absorber to cushion the blow. A different composure of the gas means those need to be redesigned. And so do the sniffers that test for leakage, pumps, etc.
Our gas network could not be used for transporting hydrogen, not even if it were not in use for natural gas anymore, but definitely not within a few years.
If hydrogen becomes economically viable, then the infrastructure for it will be built up, either piece by piece or by a vast investment scheme. In fact it would be hard to stop it from happening. Until then, it won't. Nobody wants to lose money until it is certain the investment will pay back.
Hydrogen needs to be cheap or it won't be a thing.
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