Offshore wind platforms for power and hydrogen generation
3 November 2005 by Hydrogen Power
As we’ve noted many times here, beyond the problems of developing hydrogen fuel cells is the basic problem of efficient ways to produce hydrogen in the first place. Nuclear power is one very good possibility for providing both power for the grid and the electricity necessary for large scale electrolysis.
This solution, a floating wind power station and hydrogen production unit, is an ambitious plan from inventor Tom Lee. These platforms could be positioned in water from 15 meters to 15,000 feet and can move under their own power at speeds up to 20 knots if weather conditions dictate. They could be operated by remote control. Power could be transferred onshore by an underwater cable, hydrogen would be stored in pressurized containers. He envisions locations in the Great Lakes and many other areas.
Lee is currently looking for investors to finance the development of these platforms and says he has interest from European and Asian companies but none so far in the U.S.
It’s hard to know whether to take plans like this seriously. Details are sketchy and the “no response from U.S. companies” remarks sound awfully close to conspiracy theories. How much would these cost to build? Maybe no response means they don’t make economic sense, or maybe the technology necessary isn’t available yet or perhaps assumptions made by the inventor are incorrect or perhaps …
Read the article and form your own conclusions.
via Slashdot
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