Spectroscopy

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As Planet Earth¹s natural resources become increasingly depleted and linked to climate change, its inhabitants search desperately for new, clean energy sources and carriers. Hydrogen technology is at the forefront of man¹s quest.

Planet Hydrogen - The Taming of the Proton has been written for the industrialist, academic and Œtechnical-layperson¹ interested in the history, current capability and future potential of hydrogen.

This book considers hydrogen¹s place among other renewable energy sources. Its production, storage and utilization and the global effort to understand and adopt it as part of an overall future energy strategy.

This is not a high level text, but has been written to give an insight into hydrogen and the expected hydrogen economy by sharing some basic aspects, its physics, chemistry and engineering. The author tells an informative story and yet avoids too much technical jargon, although this cannot be avoided in all cases.

As the book unfolds, the reader is given an insight into a future vision of the hydrogen economy via a postcard written in North Africa in 2048. The text then returns to the present to study the nature of energy and the problems the present energy portfolio has created.

The reader will gain an insight into the production, storage, infrastructure and utilization of hydrogen as reflected in various worldwide experiments.

Author Thorsteinn Sigfusson also takes a look at the various ways in which different countries around are experimenting with and introducing hydrogen into their energy systems during the first decade of the new millennium.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PREFACE

PART I ­ PLANET HYDROGEN A Letter from Casablanca

PART II ­ INTRODUCTION TO THE SCENE Showers from the Sun Low on petrol
Exhaustion
Burning and converting
Thermodynamics:the flow from hot to cold
Non-renewable types of available energy sources
Coal
Nuclear energy
Renewable energy sources
Photovoltaics
Concentrating solar power
Wind energy
Hydroelectric power
Biomass and Biofuels
Geothermal energy
Wave and tidal power
Exotic future methods
Decarbonisation and cleaner energy
Sharpening the pencil

PART III ­THE TAMING OF THE PROTON Discovering the proton
Some key properties of hydrogen
PRODUCING HYDROGEN
Hydrogen from fossil-fuels and chemical processes
Hydrogen from biomass
Biological methods of producing hydrogen
Hydrogen from nuclear energy
³Jules Verne ´s method²
Hydrogen from wind
Solar hydrogen
Mimicking the Maple Leaf
Hydrogen from geothermal vents
STORING HYDROGEN
Introduction
Storage in the form of gas
Liquefaction and liquid storage
Solid state storage
Sorption properties
Binary systems and beyond
Complex hydrides
Alanates
Borohydrides
Exotic Hydrogen Storage Compounds
The Grand Challenge of the modern day alchemists
EFFICIENT HYDROGEN UTILISATION
Utilising the energy of the burning of hydrogen
The ultimate taming:The discovery and development of the fuel cell
The fuel cell menu
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
A discussion of fuel cells and applications
Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells
Alkaline Fuel Cells
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Thorsteinn Sigfusson received the Global International Energy Prize in 2007, was co-chair of the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy founded in Washington D.C. in 2003 and was give the Icelandic Presidential Award in 2004

PART IV ­ HYDROGEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOCIETY Hydrogen entering society
Infrastructure
The Spirit of Davis
The HyWays of the European roadmap
The rising sun of Tokyo Bay
High stakes in a HySociety
Hydrogen with Foresight
Hydrogen Education
Sophisticated Economics of Hydrogen Energy
Rules of the game:Hydrogen safety,codes and standards
Tampering with the elements water and fire
The unexpected steam-iron process
Hydrogen safety
Acceptance in society through Codes and Standards
THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROGEN MOVEMENT
International Hydrogen Energy Association and the hydrogen family
The International Energy Agency Hydrogen Implementation Agreements.The hydrogen expert assembly
The International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy IPHE: Governments United for Hydrogen

PART V ­AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTEEN LEAPS Australia,New Zealand and Antarctica and the concern for the planet
Brazil setting the pace for a continent
Canada,the impressive hub of hydrogen technology
China could leapfrog and lead the way
The European Commission and the impressive policy work
France ­The post-Carnot era
Germany,masters of endurance
Iceland,perhaps the ideal testing forum
India,the second wildcard
Italy and the renaissance of hydrogen
Japan:protonics added to electronics
Korea joining the forefront
Norway and the Nordic pioneers
Russia and the increased strong commitment to hydrogen
United Kingdom,where much of the science was developed
United States,the pacemaker

PART VI ­ NEAR A JOURNEY ¹S END

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

GLOSSARY

CYBER-APPENDIX
www.tamingoftheproton.com

INDEX

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