Hydrogen breakthrough

I watched a show where they are generating nano energy storage materials using recycled plastic walmart bags. Basically they burn the plastic to generate energy, the resulting ash has high nano storage potential. Also they have found that when chicken feathers are burned, the ash generated also has similiar properties. They were working on improving the lithium ion batteries.

Interesting stuff and something we should study along with everything else.

I have always said, we do not have an energy shortage, we have a storage shortage. We need to be able to better store the energy that exists all around us.

JRL

hydrogen isn't even there yet, it's highly explosive and has to be stored under pressure. The energy future is ethanol, you can make it out of anything (even plastic or carbon monoxide).

Hydrogen infrastructure certainly isn't here. An advance in storage would help. But hydrogen is only a distribution method for energy, albeit a clean one. Something else has to supply the energy to make the hydrogen.

Ethanol fits into traditional distribution and consumption methods. Its problems right now include, a) the energy used to make it is too large a fraction of the energy you get out. amd b) it ties up food production resources. It wouldn't be happening without government help. If cellulosic ethanol processes get more efficient, as there is some hope for, then it could become a truly good fuel and commercially successful on its own.