Verified Document

Energy Crisis Of Unprecedented Proportions, Essay

Two possible sources of hydrogen fuel are the reforming of methane and the electrolysis of water."4 Both of these foregoing techniques, though, require additional energy to complete their respective processes. For example, reforming methane to create hydrogen requires the combustion of additional methane to provide the heat require for the reformation of the methane into hydrogen.4 As Hiserodt also notes, "Ironically, after using large amounts of energy to free the hydrogen, the resultant hydrogen has a much lower energy content than the natural gas it was freed from."3 Likewise, the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen cannot be accomplished by heating alone based on the significant increase in free energy involved.4 According to Fay and Golomb, "Producing electrolytic hydrogen is very energy inefficient when the electricity is generated by burning a fossil fuel, because the heat value of the hydrogen will be less than one-third of the heating value of the fuel burned in the electric power plant."4 These approaches to producing hydrogen are clearly insufficient and cost-ineffective in terms of the energy trade-offs involved to provide the world with the amount of fuel it will need to replace...

Time is running out, though, and it would be foolhardy and irresponsible for place all of the world's renewable energy eggs in one basket, so to speak, as has been the case with fossil fuels in the past.
References

[1]

Elhefnawy, N. (2006). Toward a long-range energy security policy. Parameters, 36(1),

p. 101.

[2]

Ottinger, R.L. & Williams, R. (2002). Renewable energy sources for development.

Environmental Law, 32(2), p. 331.

[3]

Hiserodt, E. (2007, August 20). The 'hydrogen economy': Many environmentalists are pushing hydrogen fuel as an energy source because of hydrogen's abundance. But though hydrogen is abundant, it is also mainly impractical. The New American, 23(17), 19.

[4]

Fay, J.A. & Golomb, D.S. (2002).…

Sources used in this document:
References

[1]

Elhefnawy, N. (2006). Toward a long-range energy security policy. Parameters, 36(1),

p. 101.

[2]
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

US Economy and the Recent Implications of the Global Economy Crisis...
Words: 2177 Length: 7 Document Type: Essay

Global Economy Crisis (2008) for U.S. Economy The economic crisis that was recently witnessed around the world including the United States and the various efforts that were made by the various governments in order to bring some stability to their economies, have raised questions on the strengths of free-market system and what informs interventions by the state. This paper's objective is to put into perspective the debate on interventions by

Letter to the Newspaper Our Community Faces
Words: 682 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Letter to the Newspaper Our community faces a public health crisis of unprecedented proportions. My research leads me to believe that the cluster of unexplained illnesses that the people of this town have experienced over the years are the direct result of gas company drilling practices. It started out with what we all assumed were just unrelated illnesses: irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. These may sound like allergies, but no.

Economics Finance MBA Level
Words: 13568 Length: 50 Document Type: Term Paper

Disrupting America's economic system is a fundamental objective of terrorists Even as the world continues to struggle with the terrible shock from the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington, one principle lesson has already become clear: disrupting our economic system is a fundamental objective of terrorists. Prior to September 11, our economic environment was certainly not immune to terror, in comparison to many other nations; we lived relatively terror-free. Now,

Opioid Epidemic In America
Words: 2580 Length: 9 Document Type: Essay

Essay Topic Examples 1. The Socioeconomic Impact of the Opioid Epidemic in America:     This essay would explore the broad consequences of the opioid crisis on various socioeconomic levels, including its toll on healthcare costs, workforce productivity, and increased burden on social services. Attention could be given to how opioid dependence and fatalities affect local economies, communities, and families. 2. The Evolution of Prescription Opioids: From Pain Management to Public Health Crisis:     This

Native American Solutions to Global
Words: 3989 Length: 15 Document Type: Capstone Project

Wile human beings have always exploited one another, and even looked down upon the so called "other," never before was it possible to claim as a matter of objective scientific fact, that other peoples were simply not "human" and thus could be treated as little more than farm animals. Of course looking back now, it is clear that these racialist theories were nothing more than pseudoscience, and justifications for

Ethanol Fuel Barely a Couple
Words: 2316 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

In addition, large quantities of natural gas are required to produce fertilizers which are needed for growing corn. It is estimated that an average of 135 pounds of nitrogen (a potent-greenhouse-gas) per acre is used in growing corn in most U.S. farms. Besides, research by the U.S. Department for Agriculture (USDA) shows that tilled soil releases carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere in proportion to the volume of soil

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now