Interview: Hydrogen next addition to the energy mix
Date: December 21, 2006
When did you start the research on Hydrogen and for what reason? The LH2/LOX - Ariane motor was the starter. I was in that days (the 70s and 80s of the last century) heading the German Rocket Test Center in Lampoldshausen. We were - and most probably still are - the heaviest liquefied hydrogen user in Germany. - Then, in 1973, the first oil crisis occured, and the Federal Governement asked us ("us" is the Energy Research Department of the German Aerospace Center) to try to "bring down to earth" what we had learned in space - and later in aviation. Major "products" of our research and development were the H2/O2-steam generator for spinning reserve application; the German/Saudi Arabian HYSOLAR
project, installing for the first time in the world a solar hydrogen production and utilization plant under the real conditions of the highly insolated Arabian peninsula where insolation is highest; and not at all least, the first LH2 BMW 3-series which was in that days the beginner of decades long development efforts of BMW; now, it is displayed in the BMW museum in Munich. How were the reactions about this new venture then? What we had to learn was that processes like this ususally follow three steps:
The first one was lacking understanding among audiances when you stood up and gave a talk on the forthcoming hydrogen energy economy, "funny what he brings, where
in general he seems to be a proper chap!"; the second step was fighting back with verbal injuries and the like, but that was already a confession that there might be something real in it, but, sorry, that it was not brought forward by us; and the third step is bringing the subject to
market. If you look back: What were the difficulties you faced in all these years of development? We faced not really difficulties, money was not a problem, not to speak of great ideas and enthusiasm of my staff. - Perhaps one thing is worth mentioning: We researchers were sometime a little too "early" with our work packages.
The public, industry or the political arena were not yet readily prepared to except our results and carry them further. Many of the outcomes of that early days are still in a waiting stage, only piece by piece they are taken
over by market forces. Of course, that applies for applied research results. What could Hydrogen be used for in the future?
Hydrogen energy and its technologies are one out of a number of economic growth engines of the future! The hydrogen energy economy is on the verge to replace more or less the complete hydrocarbon economy, in place since more than two centuries and a half: Climate change abatement will not be feasible without hydrogen energy;
decarbonization of fossil fuels is only possible through hydrogenation; storing and transporting renewable energies and, thus, their participation in the
global energy trade will be facilitated by hydrogen; environmentally and climatically clean transport on land, at sea, and in air and space, here again hydrogen is key; and finally, hydrogen energy and its technologies help avoiding price dictates and irrational supply shortages,
energy import depending nations particularly suffer under! Which are the critical steps that will have to be taken in order to make Hydrogen more useable as it is theses days? On principle, novel energy technologies need time! Hydrogen energy technologies make no difference.
Many decades up to almost half centuries are necessary to bring new energy technologies to market, irretrievably. And another point: In democratic
societies, people have to have a certain insight into a matter before voting for it. Still, hydrogen energy needs more popularization. People need to understand what is beneficial and where the backlashes are. - And then,
another point: Money! The hydrogen energy economy will not be introduced at a shoestring. What you need is not millions, not billions, you need trillions! Because what we have before us is the revolvement of something
which was installed over centuries, the hydrocarbon energy economy! 6.) In terms of cars: How do you see the new Hydrogen 7 by BMW? BMW is a forerunner. Excellent to see that a world ranking company is bringing the first LH2 ICE propelled limousines to market. More or less all the other competitors have to follow suite. They prefer the hydrogen fuelled fuel cell under the hood. For the engineer, the competition between the ICE and the fuel cell is a highly exciting race. And by far, that race is not
yet decided. Let's wait for the market result. The customer has not yet had the chance to make up his mind and decide. Your facit: Hydrogen energy is not the silver bullet. After the renewable energies of the first solar civilization, in operation until far into the 18th century; after coal in the 19th; and oil, natural gas and nuclear fission in the 20th; now at the start of the 21st century all sorts of energy efficiency gains, the renewable energies, now of the second solar civilization, and hydrogen energy are the consequent next additions to the energy mix.
project, installing for the first time in the world a solar hydrogen production and utilization plant under the real conditions of the highly insolated Arabian peninsula where insolation is highest; and not at all least, the first LH2 BMW 3-series which was in that days the beginner of decades long development efforts of BMW; now, it is displayed in the BMW museum in Munich.
The first one was lacking understanding among audiances when you stood up and gave a talk on the forthcoming hydrogen energy economy, "funny what he brings, where
in general he seems to be a proper chap!"; the second step was fighting back with verbal injuries and the like, but that was already a confession that there might be something real in it, but, sorry, that it was not brought forward by us; and the third step is bringing the subject to
market.
The public, industry or the political arena were not yet readily prepared to except our results and carry them further. Many of the outcomes of that early days are still in a waiting stage, only piece by piece they are taken
over by market forces. Of course, that applies for applied research results.
decarbonization of fossil fuels is only possible through hydrogenation; storing and transporting renewable energies and, thus, their participation in the
global energy trade will be facilitated by hydrogen; environmentally and climatically clean transport on land, at sea, and in air and space, here again hydrogen is key; and finally, hydrogen energy and its technologies help avoiding price dictates and irrational supply shortages,
energy import depending nations particularly suffer under!
Many decades up to almost half centuries are necessary to bring new energy technologies to market, irretrievably. And another point: In democratic
societies, people have to have a certain insight into a matter before voting for it. Still, hydrogen energy needs more popularization. People need to understand what is beneficial and where the backlashes are. - And then,
another point: Money! The hydrogen energy economy will not be introduced at a shoestring. What you need is not millions, not billions, you need trillions! Because what we have before us is the revolvement of something
which was installed over centuries, the hydrocarbon energy economy!
yet decided. Let's wait for the market result. The customer has not yet had the chance to make up his mind and decide.
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Urging G8-Nations to act on lowering carbon-emissions
Date: December 04, 2006
For more than three decades, Winter has researched in the field of Hydrogen. He is convinced that Hydrogen technology is the best possibility for solving energy problems in the future.
Together with 20 of his most esteemed colleagues he wrote a letter to the G8-State leaders, urging them to step forward in their support for Hydrogen. We quote here from this letter:
"The anthropogenic climate change is real. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expects a considerable temperature rise by the century’s end. Catastrophic consequences for humans, fauna and flora, and the cultural heritage of humankind are expected, and the oligopolization of traditional fossil or nuclear primary fuel is exacerbated by being possessed by a few - not a comfortable situation for the majority of energy using nations. 'Energy policy is technology politics' is exemplified by huge energy efficiency gains, by the cleaning-up of fossil fuels, by safe and non-proliferating secured nuclear energy, and by renewable energies. On top of the progress in all these areas is 'Hydrogen Energy Technologies' for the following reasons: Hydrogen Energy is an environmentally and climatically clean transport fuel, Hydrogen Energy is the storage and transportation agent of so far dormant renewable sources which, thus, will become a powerful contributor to the global energy trade. Hydrogen Energy from renewable energies is the ultimate solution; it is, however, not the precondition for entering the Hydrogen Energy Economy; environmentally compatible hydrogen could also be produced using nuclear energy, and even fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage." Tune in again next week!
More informations about Carl-Jochen Winter www.itshytime.de
Together with 20 of his most esteemed colleagues he wrote a letter to the G8-State leaders, urging them to step forward in their support for Hydrogen. We quote here from this letter:
"The anthropogenic climate change is real. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expects a considerable temperature rise by the century’s end. Catastrophic consequences for humans, fauna and flora, and the cultural heritage of humankind are expected, and the oligopolization of traditional fossil or nuclear primary fuel is exacerbated by being possessed by a few - not a comfortable situation for the majority of energy using nations.
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