There are two problems with that Roger, and both of them are the reaction kinetics involved. Electrolysis to produce Hydrogen is not very efficient, although it might make Oxygen cheaper to industry, and producing methane from Hydrogen and presumably carbon dioxide from the air is terrible. Burning hydrogen in an IC engine is also probably only 30-40% efficient so you loose out on energy use at every stage. The energy density of hydrogen (even if liquid) is much less than hydrocarbon fuels, and making hydrogen liquid uses huge amounts of energy. Hydrogen is also very dangerous in that it is explosive in almost all mixtures with air, so a minor accident could easily turn into a serious firestorm, for example when a few litres of liquid hydrogen is poured onto the ground by mistake at the pump. A single low energy spark and the whole lot would go bang badly. One occasionally sees lorries carrying compressed hydrogen on the road. It has a nest of cylinders, not one big tank, and carries gas only, all to reduce the danger if there is an accident. The quantity carried is a tiny fraction of the cylinder weight, probably only 1-200 kg total in 20 tonnes of cylinders (painted bright red of course).


There was a news item today about Glasgow turning "carbon neutral" in 10 years. It will be an economic disaster even if it ever gets anywhere, although talked up a lot by the BBC. I suggest independence for Scotland next week and then we all stand back and have a good laugh! (slightly tongue in cheek).

There are two problems with that Roger, and both of them are the reaction kinetics involved. Electrolysis to produce Hydrogen is not very efficient, although it might make Oxygen cheaper to industry, and producing methane from Hydrogen and presumably carbon dioxide from the air is terrible. Burning hydrogen in an IC engine is also probably only 30-40% efficient so you loose out on energy use at every stage. The energy density of hydrogen (even if liquid) is much less than hydrocarbon fuels, and making hydrogen liquid uses huge amounts of energy. Hydrogen is also very dangerous in that it is explosive in almost all mixtures with air, so a minor accident could easily turn into a serious firestorm, for example when a few litres of liquid hydrogen is poured onto the ground by mistake at the pump. A single low energy spark and the whole lot would go bang badly. One occasionally sees lorries carrying compressed hydrogen on the road. It has a nest of cylinders, not one big tank, and carries gas only, all to reduce the danger if there is an accident. The quantity carried is a tiny fraction of the cylinder weight, probably only 1-200 kg total in 20 tonnes of cylinders (painted bright red of course).


There was a news item today about Glasgow turning "carbon neutral" in 10 years. It will be an economic disaster even if it ever gets anywhere, although talked up a lot by the BBC. I suggest independence for Scotland next week and then we all stand back and have a good laugh! (slightly tongue in cheek).