Hydrogen fuel cell cars could help solve the global warming crisis, but nobody wants to buy them. Yoshikazu Tanaka, chief engineer of the Toyota Mirai, Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell car, calls it a “chicken or the egg” problem: no one wants to purchase hydrogen cars because there are no hydrogen fuel stations, and nobody wants to build hydrogen fuel stations because there are no hydrogen cars.
But Toyota thinks it may have found a solution. For unlimited clean energy, it’s turning to one of the dirtiest places there is: the toilet.
In Fukuoka, Japan, the automaker is converting human waste into hydrogen to fuel the Mirai. The process is pretty simple. At a wastewater treatment plant, like the Fukuoka City Central Water Processing Plant, sewage is separated into liquid and solid waste. The solid waste, called sewage sludge, is exactly what it sounds like: a foul-smelling, brown lump. Most sewage sludge is thrown in landfills.
But in Fukuoka, microorganisms are added to the mix. These microorganisms break down the solid waste, creating biogas, about 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. Then, workers filter out the CO₂ and add water vapor, which creates hydrogen and more CO₂. They extract the CO₂ again, and voila: pure hydrogen.
God help me, I don’t want to know what high test is.
High test is Montezuma’s revenge, an explosive diarrhea expelled directly into the gas tank. And it looks like that guy is trying to take a dump into the gas filler. No thanks, I prefer my gas to be just gasoline that doesn’t smell like shit. The Occupy types car of choice, instead of shitting on the car they can shit directly into the car.
First off, there is no “global warming crisis”.
A triumph of human ingenuity.
Can my cats contribute to the process too?
So when it collides head on with a Mack Truck does it fart.
Man I really had high hopes they would have perfected the gasoline engine. I know they
were close.
India could replace OPEC.
“Then, workers filter out the CO₂ and add water vapor, which creates hydrogen and more CO₂. They extract the CO₂ again, and voila: pure hydrogen.”
Where does that CO₂ go? The atmosphere?
OK PhD scientists, run through the calculations that show this as a net reduction in carbon in the atmosphere.
It’s simple chemistry – any breakdown of organic matter, regardless if it is oil, coal, “biomass”, wood or farts, produces carbon dioxide, regardless if it is combustion or metabolization.
No amount of education can cure stupidity.
LOL, you just beat me too it Jethro!
Inquiring minds want to know:
Will they advertise that it gets shitty gas mileage?
When they have a sale will it be one turd off?
Parts can easily be found at C.R.A.P.
“No amount of education can cure stupidity”, just look at gummint as a primary example.
I don’t know what I had inside of me this week, but I could have driven for miles and miles !
The off-gas from digester units in large sewage treatment plants already is burned, along with natural gas to run electric generators. Forget for a moment that there isn’t enough off-gas to do what this article is proposing, separating CO2 from methane and then separating the hydrogen is extremely energy intensive. The actual cost per BTU and the pollution from production is far greater than gasoline. (I’m an engineer at a waste treatment plant).
What we really need is a car that burns CO2 and produces gasoline as a waste product.
I might consider becoming a fan of electric cars when the electricity is generated by nuclear plants. As long as it’s from “fossil” fuel, all I see being accomplished is a lowering of efficiency.
Hydrogen sure is efficient and safe…just like it was on the Hindenburg. Oh, the humanity!
@Stoobie, that reminds me of the old extremely P.I. and racist joke from the 1960’s:
Presidential aide comes running into the Oval Office, out of breath. “Mr. President, I have good news and bad news!”
The President says, “Always the bad news first.”
Aide says, “A million Martians have just landed in Washington.”
President says, “Oh, my God! What’s the good news?”
“The good news is that they eat n***ers and piss gasoline.”
A Hydrogen-powered car, huh?
Gasoline (all petroleum products in fact), consist of Hydrogen and Carbon (just like Methane).
These clowns are gonna extract the Carbon, and do what, exactly, with it?
Huh? Whadda they gonna do with it?
Eat it? Burn it? Send it into outer space?
SCAM! The whole Globaloney Warming Bullshit is a SCAM!
You can’t get somethin from nuthin. PERIOD! There’s NO free ride. There’s NO free lunch. There’s NO free love. There’s NO free ANY-FUCKIN-THING!
When people believe in NOTHING they’ll fall for ANYTHING.
izlamo delenda est …
Big deal, Obama has been using sewage sludge to run his mouth for years!
Wouldn’t producing biodiesel from algae, fed with sewage sludge be a far better idea?
It would sequester CO2 (cyclically, in the fuel, eliminating the driving force behind the shrill screaming of the delusional warmist loons), and be able to use the current liquid fuel distribution network.
Biodiesel fuel is easier to handle than hydrogen: it doesn’t migrate through every material we know hot to make like hydrogen does.
Hydrogen is a bad fuel. It is hard to contain, hard to distribute, and hates dirigibles.
My little drop a deuce coupe?
Hot turd Lincoln
shitty shitty bang bang
“My Pappy said you’re going to drive me to drinkin if you don’t stop driving that Hot turd Lincoln.” With apologies to Johnny Bond and Commander Cody.