Hydrogen + Methane = Hythane
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 06. 1.07
You've probably already heard of the potential for hydrogen and methane to serve as alternative energy sources but have you heard of "hythane"? Billing itself as "Blue Sky.Clean Air," the Hythane Company, LLC, based in Littleton, Colorado, has engineered a fuel that blends 20% hydrogen with 80% natural gas (primarily methane): "hythane".
In the above video presentation, David Egan, Hythane's East Coast sales manager, lays out the company's vision for the implementation of its proprietary technology and explains how "hythane" is created and used.
The company contends that vehicles operating on hythane produce significantly less emissions than those operating on diesel or natural gas, a property it hopes will make it appealing to millions of drivers worldwide, particularly drivers of commuter buses, school buses, refuse trucks, and delivery trucks for whom it is best suited, when it becomes widely available.
It plans on deploying its Hythane System, which integrates the technology into existing natural gas vehicles and fueling stations, in cities around the world. It already has several projects underway both domestically in the U.S., in states like Florida and New York, and internationally, in China and India.
::Hythane: The New Alternative Fuel
See also: ::They Hydrogen Economy isn't Coming Soon, ::The Solar-Powered Home Hydrogen Fueling Station, ::DOE Presents Scenarios for Widespread Hydrogen Vehicle Use, ::Burning Methane Could Improve Hydro-Electric Power, ::Plants Compete with Cows and Bugs to make Methane?, ::Sweet. Bananas To Fuel Methane Plant
Yep, I've heard of it. New Delhi, India is probably one of the few places in the world where Hythane is available is commercially.
So far it's only at one pump but the government here intends to slowly open more pumps. We already have hundreds of CNG pumps in Delhi, some of which would be converted to Hythane over the coming years. More info.
Well, it sounds nice. But do the benefits outweigh the costs of hydrogen extraction? Hydrogen doesn't make sense in most other applications, so I am curious if the extra efficiency will pay for the cost of the hydrogen. It sounds like it may be a good band-aid solution while electric cars transition from being an expensive technology to an economically competitive alternative.
Electric cars are great right now, but most people can't afford them. I'm not bashing them, I just hope they get cheaper, charge faster, and get better range so that they put gasoline and hydrogen to complete shame. That can happen in time.