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http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3877#comment-334713
With concentrated solar, high temperature electrolysis of hydrogen is more than 100% efficient. Nuclear reactors for making hydrogen have temperature limitations.
Emphasis is mine. I’m sure there have to be a few TOD readers who aren’t going to let that stand unchallenged.
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Heh, I think that those idiots over at The Oil Drum are actually getting dumber.
bryfry
April 25, 2008 at 10:28 am
Actually, it is not COMPLETELY wrong. The poster just does not know what he is talking about. High temperature electrolysis is endothermic. At high temperatures the electrical energy required to break the H-O bonds is less than the resulting H2 energy content (lower heating value). So yes, from a purely electrical energy standpoint, there’s more energy in the H2 than supplied electrically to the electrolyzer. But that is just as stupid as claiming that nuclear driven Sulfur-Iodine cycle H2 production would be infinitely efficient because no electrical input is required. Only thermal.
Klaus A
April 25, 2008 at 6:04 pm