My 2011 Project

This is what I hope to accomplish in 2011. A hydrogen fuel cell powered bicycle to get me too and from work.

This should be a fun and relatively easy project and I will document my progress here on this blog, well, once I'm off the crutches and can actually begin it.

I am really sick and tired of hearing people parrot Big Oil's talking point spewed forth by media outlets such as Fox "News" that hydrogen is complicated, blah blah blah. Nothing can be further from the truth and that is why Large Oil fears it.

Everyone knows that water's chemical composition is H2O, but what does that mean? It means water is comprised of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. This is a planet covered in water giving us a truly unending supply of hydrogen, unlike fossil fuels, ergo Big Oil's fear of it.

But Becca how are you going to get the hydrogen out of water? For those of us that made it past the 9th grade the answer is simple, electricity.

Pure Water is an insulator. Water does not conduct electricity. Impurities in water conduct electricity, pure water, no conduct. So, you take a pot of water, add salt, pass electricity through the water, capture the hydrogen side of the circuit and voila! Hydrogen.

The next step is figuring out how to store it. Creating it is easy, build a solar array, attach some leads that go in water, done deal.

Once that part of the project is complete the rest is really easy. Build a hydrogen fuel cell and a small tank both of which can be mounted on a bicycle and off I go.

Why do I want to attempt this project?

I made an oath to myself and to the environment that if I can help it I will never buy another gasoline powered automobile. I would love an electric car but as a renter how do I charge it? I would love a hydrogen car but they are not yet available, unless you live in SoCal.

That is when I decided to make my own hydrogen vehicle and create the means to make my own hydrogen. Free powered transportation. Gotta start small so I am starting with a bicycle.

I love the beauty and simplicity of hydrogen power. From water you create hydrogen. From the hydrogen fuel cell you create water. No drilling, no oil spills, no pollution, no green house gases.

Yes, I am just crazy enough a dreamer to do this. Wish me luck!