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Honda drives toward home solar hydrogen refueling

Reuters -- Coming not so soon and probably not to a house near you is the home solar hydrogen refueling station -- Honda Motor Co's latest idea in its drive to make hydrogen the fuel of choice for zero emission cars.

The Japanese auto giant believes hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles offer the best long-term alternative to fossil fuels and the company showed on Friday a refueling breakthrough that it says points to a home version down the road.

Most major automakers have spent billions of dollars in researching hydrogen-powered fuel cells, tempted by the idea of a car that uses no gasoline and emits only water vapor. But Honda is widely seen as the hydrogen leader, while others like General Motors put more effort into battery-powered electric vehicles like the upcoming Volt.


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Submitted Mar 12, 2010 By: Mudsprings
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REPLIES (newest first)
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Blue48
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 8:54:55 PM

TIME WILL TELL!
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cpl11787
All-Star Author Minnesota

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Message Posted: Mar 14, 2010 5:38:42 PM

so how long is this supposed to take?
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OHMS
Champion Author Orange County

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:51:02 PM

home solar atomic mustang helium fueling.extracting hydrogen from natural gas is hard enough; storing it is anotherl we'll see when we see what
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coughlin
All-Star Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:46:28 PM

I wish this was Ford or GM because I'd like to buy from one of them. Hydrogen seems the way (to me). And now with the refueling in your garage !!!
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civicdutie
Champion Author Rochester

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:05:53 PM

Honda also features their Civic GX NGV with a home fueling option. Can't take long trips, but it is a great 200 mile commuter.
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brbaritone
Veteran Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:01:19 PM

Honda has a very interesting concept, but the challenge is refueling away from home. Their home energy station extracts hydrogen from natural gas (check out their website), but where would we refuel on a trip? As interesting as this is, I still think it would be much more cost-effective to have compressed natural gas vehicles, with or without home fueling. The infrastructure is already in place, although it would need to be greatly expanded.
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remay
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:55:07 AM

re: "One of the big barriers to hydrogen car deployment is the lack of refueling infrastructure, leading Honda to bet that the future lies in combining a public station network with a more modest home option.

Honda's home option will comprise a solar-powered hydrogen refueling station using solar panels."

better have lots of sunshine, then.
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traindude
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:33:08 AM

sounds wonderful
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RedRam2005
Champion Author San Antonio

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 9:12:56 AM

Hydrogen makes more sense than the electric cars
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thecomposer
Sophomore Author Ontario

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 8:31:45 AM

I made my car run part Hydrogen Successfully, but I have to say Hydrogen is EXTREMELY EXPLOSIVE.

Not only that, there is Hexavalent Chromium ( causes cancer )problem with most systems that take hydrogen from Water, so these have to be safe, and not store vats of Hydrogen
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coughlin
All-Star Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 7:54:33 AM

Hydrogen is the way to go, ESPECIALLY if it can be produced in your garage.
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CruisinLinda
Champion Author Tallahassee

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 4:44:25 AM

It seems unnecesary to use electricity to extract H from water or natural gas and then use the H to make electricity.
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ashishpa
All-Star Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 4:20:10 AM

Still time to go but it very good initiative by Honda and such things will shape the future of fuels.
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amerk73
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 3:17:24 AM

try to cover recall
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TPlayer
All-Star Author Fort Wayne

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 2:14:43 AM

'jjw0608' and 'uptherefiners'... both of you are idiots...

Honda is a great company because they are always looking to improve everything, not just cars, making them more fuel efficient and cleaner burning... they did it with the automobile engine, motorcycle engine, lawnmower engine, the boat engine and even the jet engine just to name a few... Honda was the 1st to achieve LEV, ULEV AND SULEV engines... you probably don't even know what that is... and Honda has less recall than Toyota, Ford, GM and Chrysler... look it up...

'graceman'... I'll buy an 'American' nameplate as soon as they have a long history of quality and they stop shipping their jobs to Mexico...

Honda did the home refueling station with NGV (natural gas vehicles) and they will do it with solar hydrogen.. give them props for looking at all the options out there...
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raleightom
All-Star Author Raleigh

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 1:18:19 AM

no price estimates usually indicates staggering costs . . . time will tell
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MDTDriver
Champion Author California

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 1:14:58 AM

Batteries cast a lot to replace, have to see the cost of hydrogen stations cost and the cost of fuel and the car to refuel cost.
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Blue48
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:48:47 AM

TIME WILL TELL!
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Prodaddy
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:45:51 AM

I doubt this will ever happen
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Gary65
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:44:36 AM

Seems interesting, look forward to seeing how it goes.
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joel27nc
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:31:58 AM

Sweet, I'd get one. Hydrogen is the way!
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craigsf38
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:31:18 AM

now if they could just find a way to fuel 'em with my garden hose....
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MidNJ
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:28:14 AM

To all,

On the day after the news broke that the Courts upheld “Under God We Trust” on our money - and the words, “Under God” is constitutional in the Pledge of Allegiance, as we enter the Holy Days of Saturday and Sunday, is there a way we can put aside our differences?

It is my hope and prayer that we can all find common ground and move to a future that protects our children and their children.
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goldseeker
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:27:42 AM

Could be the way to go.
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tedjm1
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:25:36 AM

By the time all falls into place, we may be in big trouble.
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misterray
Champion Author Oregon

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:25:36 AM

The future is behind us.
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vulcan96
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:24:23 AM

the future will be interesting for sure !
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pyndasky
Champion Author Maryland

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:23:07 AM

now if they could just find a way to fuel 'em with my garden hose....
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Blue_Cruzer
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:22:34 AM

Sounds encouraging.
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TBONE3
Champion Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:21:14 AM

This is really a long term project but interesting to read about. Wonder if anyone will want all the trouble to have a station at home? Time will tell.
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rxman1
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:21:07 AM

Good. We need all types of power.
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lindact
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:20:53 AM

Futuristic but possible.
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uptherefiners
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:18:20 AM

Hondo would stomp Honda anyday
Toyota Sucks
who's nissan?
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RockCity
Champion Author Denver

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:17:20 AM

I don't think they need a charge.
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CobraLeader
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:12:42 AM



... but when is Honda going to get more than 100 miles per charge? ...
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PhilMils
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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:05:50 AM

Interesting, but not really new.
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JettaKnight
All-Star Author Toronto

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Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 12:05:47 AM

sillywagon
New York
"Isn't energy lost in the process of making Hydrogen? Wouldn't it be better just to use an electric car? There will be advances in both electric vehicles and hydrogen in the next few decades. but I still don't see a solution to the energy loss in making Hydrogen. I see advances in batteries in the near future, I read the articles on GasBuddy about battery advances. Oh, and don't forget Liquid Natural Gas as a fuel."

Forget L.N.G., it's non-renewable, so it's out. The same crap being pulled now by big oil will be played-out with L.N.G. if people are dumb enough to think that another limited resource will economically replace the other. They couldn't pull that crap if the resource is renewable.

"Energy lost"... that just depends upon what you're using. If another renewable energy source (solar-voltaic, solar-thermal, wind, wave, water current, geothermal, hydro-electric, etc.), then the energy produced is virtually free and the costs to produce hydrogen become minimal... and the only way, so far, to make hydrogen production affordable on a large scale.

Hydrogen can not only be used in fuel-cells, but with internal combustion engines for the high-performance that commuter vehicles lack: BMW designed & built some vehicles to demonstrate that practicality... including a racer — the H2R.
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ItsMorph
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:57:54 PM

True, you could just hook most people up to a bean burrito and a siphon tube and power a vehicle with natural gas nearly indefinitely, but still....gravitic power is the way to go. We're not nearly there yet, unfortunately.

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dbatw
Champion Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:52:39 PM

if I were a betting person, I would place my bet on Honda. In the near term, however, the Nissan Leaf is the best solution.
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Muke
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:51:31 PM

Honda is now a leading Car after Toyota.
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Bus561
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:45:14 PM

I, for one have long professed that hydrogen is the best and easiest way to go for an alternative energy source.
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katiejayWV
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:44:11 PM

Not enough power.
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MiniFan
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:39:44 PM

will see how H cars do
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jjw0608
Champion Author Milwaukee

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:39:25 PM

Honda sucks!
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hank1326
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:35:01 PM

OK, mass produce this gadget and make it affordable.
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tnsilvertip
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:33:56 PM

If they keep on looking, one day they will find a suitable replacement for dino oil.
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graceman
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:30:48 PM

BUYAMERICAN!!
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wardancerr
Veteran Author Tucson

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:21:06 PM

hmmmmm
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traindude
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:17:23 PM

bring 'em both. just like Beta & VHS time will tell
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wiwhite87
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Message Posted: Mar 12, 2010 11:15:07 PM

Electric splitting of hydrogen is likely the way of the future, but it may be distant before it's economical in comparison to other fuels. I'm glad to see that Honda is still pursuing it, even if they admit it's not economic currently. Because of forethought like this, they'll probably lure buyers in. I know I'm most tempted by their technological advances compared to most makers.
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