Harvesting Hydrogen
Publication Date:27-July-2006
10:00 AM US Eastern Timezone 
Source: Perry Groten -KELO-TV 
 
South Dakota's ethanol industry has been thriving as the rest of the nation seeks cleaner and cheaper ways to burn fuel. But could the state be on the verge of another breakthrough in renewable energy? One that might even replace ethanol altogether? A new Sioux Falls company wants to get in on the ground level of producing an alternative fuel that could be as accessible as your kitchen sink.

Like many drivers, Jeffrey Kline got fed up with paying more and more at the gas pump. But Kline is turning his anger into opportunity. He hopes to one day furnish gas stations with a fuel that isn't driven by the cost of foreign oil. And you don't need to be an Einstein to do it. "The whole concept is high school physics, it's very basic."

Kline, and business partner Mike Glau, have started a new company called H2Dynamic. Their goal is to be a major distributor of fuel to power hydrogen cars. "Out here in South Dakota, if I went out and bought a hydrogen-powered car, I'd be stranded alongside the road."

Why hydrogen? Well, it's all around us, that's why. Hydrogen is the most common element in the whole universe. Remember, hydrogen is the "H" in H2O. And you can make hydrogen fuel by tapping into water. "And then provide an electrical current into that water to separate out the hydrogen and oxygen, the oxygen's just either stored for other uses or emitted into the atmosphere, the hydrogen is then collected, purified, compressed and then set up for distribution for pumping."

Hydrogen also burns much cleaner than fossil fuels. Glau said, "There's been studies out there, a person can put a glass underneath the tailpipe and the water will drip into it and they can drink it, it's pure water."

But many people have a hard time swallowing the concept due to an extreme case of sticker shock. Because the technology is still so new... a hydrogen car can cost up to one-million dollars. But those in the industry say improvements in the processing and storage of hydrogen will eventually make hydrogen cars much more pocketbook-friendly. Glau said, "It's in its infancy right now, the production of the hydrogen cars, as they make advances, it should get cheaper."

But in promoting hydrogen fuel. Kline and Glau would be taking on the powerful ethanol industry. It's a David-versus-Goliath competition that Kline expects to win in the long-haul. "We think hydrogen's better for the long-term than ethanol just because the inputs for hydrogen are water and electricity, you can generate electricity from the wind, you can get water from rain, it's very natural."

Kline is having a hard time lining up South Dakota investors because they're putting their money into ethanol plants. He's also looking for ways to bring down electrical costs to make it more cost-effective to produce hydrogen. The chance for hydrogen cars to merge into the mainstream may still be years down the road, but Kline feels he's in the driver's seat to help turn hydrogen into the fuel of the future.

Kline believes hydrogen sales will first take root in emerging economies like China and India because their car-buying habits aren't as firmly entrenched as Americans.

President Bush's 2007 budget calls for nearly 290-million dollars to speed-up development of hydrogen fuel cells and make hydrogen-powered cars more affordable.