ED’S LETTER

Alchemy is chemistry’s medieval forerunner – ignominiously preoccupied with the transmutation of metals (like lead) into noble metals (such as gold) – with the creation of an elixir of immortality and the discovery of panaceas that could cure any disease.

As a matter of course, the ancient alchemists failed at these quests due to their lack of a thorough understanding of chemistry and physics, not to mention the existence of protons and electrons. Had they succeeded, we would not find ourselves in a state of panic-induced lockdown, and we would be driving cars fuelled by water.

However, the demise of alchemy does not mean that the false pretence on which it was built is dead. On the contrary, the cyber world is teeming with various elixir pedlars, ranging from rhino horn to pangolin scales, all promising instant cures and fortified libidos to an insatiable market of gullible ignorami.

In the motoring industry, as well, we have our share of modern-day alchemists attempting to pedal the notion that turning water into hydrogen is the ultimate solution for a world thirsting for more energy while touting hydrogen fuel cells as the best replacement for internal combustion engines. These pedlars also happen to be exceptional salesmen, or they’ve possibly taken a page from the ancient Book of

Secondhand Car Salesmen. And so, they initiate their argument, referring to the fact that hydrogen is the most common element in the universe. What they fail to mention is that here on Mother Earth, hydrogen is not the most common element and is predominantly found in water molecules (H2O) or hydrocarbons such as methane molecules (CH4), euphemistically named “natural gas” by the oil industry.

By virtue of qualified scientists, we understand that electrolysis can split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen by passing an electric current through water. However, the amount of energy needed is far greater than the energy generated from the reaction. Put plainly, the laws of physics prohibit a free lunch, which explains why only approximately 4% of the world’s hydrogen is produced by electrolysis.

Our latter-day alchemists’ following argument would be the “reforming” argument. Most hydrogen in the world (approximately 95%) is produced in a process known as “methane reforming”, which uses steam to apply heat to methane to extract hydrogen. In this process, approximately 28% of the energy contained in the methane is lost, and even more energy sacrificed when accounting for the heat source, handling, and storage. Even if the heat source is derived from sustainable energy, there is still no free lunch. In fact, lunch becomes more expensive if we account for further energy losses when compressing hydrogen (15%), liquefying hydrogen (30-40%), and transporting hydrogen (20-40%).

We have not even considered the energy losses using hydrogen as an energy storage source within a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, where the hydrogen is then utilised to generate electricity, in turn powering the vehicle. Nevertheless, our friendly contemporary alchemists would be quick to point out that the vehicle only emits clouds of water vapour. Of course, water vapour is the largest contributor to the Earth’s greenhouse effect, but let’s not confuse our alchemy pedlars with more pesky facts, at least not before Metropolis is engulfed in a cloud of water vapour – the perfect screen for projecting the Bat-signal onto, day or night.

In such a hydrogen economy, we may need more than a vigilante posing as a bat to solve the greenhouse effect caused by millions of cars emitting water vapour clouds. Perhaps we may even be in a more favourable position with methane emissions derived from livestock. Personally, though, I far prefer simulated flatulence as an alternative, such as Tesla’s “fart mode”, while driving in a battery electric car with none of the inefficiencies of hydrogen or the vapour(ware) emitted by fool cells.

“Fuel cells should be called fool cells! Such a silly choice for cars. Not great even for a rocket upper stage IMO, but at least not absurd.”

Elon Musk via Twitter