I viewed the link above and found this site lacking details. For example, the photo presumeably shows a hydrogen generator charging a hydrogen fuel tank. What is the power source needed for the generator, what is the power covnersion efficiency, and how long does it take? All the ones that I know about use more electrical energy to separate hydrogen from water than it returns in hydrogen fuel.

Secondly, the energy density of hydrogen is less than gasoline, even when under high pressure, therefore a tank larger than the current gasoline tank is required to fuel a vehicle over the same number of miles using only hydrogen. A small tank would be sufficient for only a few miles.

A third new problem was mentioned in the link, and that was "hydrogen embrittlement". That can be a serious problem and hard to overcome. It affects steel with hardness greater than about R42C (Rockwell 42 on the C scale). Many industrial problems with hydrogen embrittlement is associated with plating in an acid bath. During the plating process, hydrogen can be liberated at the surface of the object being plated and absorbed by the metal part. Commonly affected parts are hardened screws, washers, and springs. Special procedures are required to drive off the hydrogen when susceptible parts have been exposed, and this must be done within a time limit. Wait a few hours, and the internal metal damage is permanent.

So, back to the statement, "Hydrogen fuel is nearly free." I disagree. I didn't see the economics and figures to support this. Hydrogen fuel does burn clean, but the hydrogen fuel system, including source and delivery, is still under development.

You didn't read close enough. They did mention the hydrogen generator runs on electricity. They had it rigged for solar energy to provide the power. That's the free part. They also said it took a long time, something like two days of continous operateration, to charge even their smallest tank. The major problem at the moment, as you pointed out, is that the hydrogen appears to damage steel and aluminum. The point is there is an abundant supply of something that can be obtained right here that can power a car other than gasoline. Something that can even power the cars we have without modification...at least for a little while. Build the engine out of a material that can tolerate the hydrogen, and the fuel dependency and the air polution problem is greatly reduced if not solved.

Possibly, this hydrogen energy will be viable in 2050.
And we must continue to work on it - i think
But nuclear power is today , as is Diesel, but as long as the environmentalists and their supporters rule the roost, we will be stuck in the mud.., while Japan romps !

People speak of an air pollution problem.
Isn't this due due mainly to establishing a city in the wrong place ???

I ask that the environmentalist be reasonable, emissions cannot be controlled 100%, but maybe 99% at best...

I don't think it's that far out ew. The company in the link just scabbed there hydrogen stuff on existing vehicles and got 60k miles or better out of them, and they still run on gasoline at the flip of a switch if you want. Who knows, maybe the reaction with the metal will be an insurmountable problem. Time will tell.

I agree with your statement about pollution. We put large cities in valleys and canyons, then wonder where all the smoke comes from.

Same with all this flooding going on now in Florida and New Orleans. Lets live on a marsh near the beach below sea level in a huricane zone. Lets locate a bunch of our oil refineries there too. That sounds smart.

I like the used vegatable oil conversion for free fuel. a pump to filter the naughty bits out, and ha heater to keep it liquid and poof free fuel!
o'course, you gotta have a deisel vehicle first, but hey everyone has problems of some sort.
John