• phx@lemmy.ca
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    9 days ago

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this feels like a good place for Hydrogen power to step in.

    One of the oft repeated concerns is that generating hydrogen to power vehicles the takes a lot of energy, which often comes from dirty sources.

    One of the oft repeated issues for solar (or wind etc) is that it’s available at certain times and not in and of itself storable or transportable, so excess is lost.

    So, take the excess solar energy, produce hydrogen and store for off-peak times or to distribute.

    Seems like a win to me.

    • DreamlandLividity@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      And this involves only driving in summer when there is excess energy? Or getting through winter by storing enough hydrogen to make the Beirut explosion look like a firecracker in comparison?

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        8 days ago

        That’s funny, but modern solar panel power plants don’t care that it’s winter. The panels rotate and an arid area isn’t getting that much more cloud cover.

        • DreamlandLividity@lemmy.world
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          8 days ago

          The article says the ones it talks about do. Also, rotating panels can’t stop days from being shorter during winter.

          • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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            8 days ago

            I’m not saying it’s not lower. I’m saying it’s not nearly as big of a deal as people say it is.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      So, take the excess solar energy, produce hydrogen and store for off-peak times or to distribute.

      Storing hydrogen is difficult and expensive. Not even to say it can’t be done, but it would require the energy companies to invest money in capital, and they hate doing that.