urbanism

Hydrogen fuel is a scam being perpetrated by fossil fuel companies. Almost all commercial hydrogen is made through a process called methane steam reforming. It involves cracking methane (CH₄) with high-temperature steam (H₂O) and collecting the H's that fall out. Unfortunately, the leftover C and O likes to get together and make CO and CO₂, which is vented straight into the atmosphere because it's cheaper than capturing them. This is what's called "grey hydrogen". "Blue hydrogen" is the exact same process but with modest attempts made to capture some of the carbon. Most of the carbon still gets vented though. Behind every hydrogen-fuel concept is a natural-gas extraction company looking to keep a strangehold on energy policy.

Anyone who tells you that commercial hydrogen is made mostly from electrolysis (electricity plus catalyst plus water = hydrogen and oxygen, aka "green hydrogen") is either lying through their teeth, or has had the wool pulled over their eyes. A tiny fraction of commercial hydrogen is made that way because it's not cost-effective. And even then mostly as greenwashing PR stunts.

holy shit istg, just electrify

America can't do trains, I've learned this. We simply aren't capable of such advanced tech

Developing a lightweight frame that passed FRA standards is a promising accomplishment because it provides a zero-emission alternative to the expensive overhead electrification that’s common in Europe, but is prohibited by the FRA on freight lines in the US.

?????????

that's the smallest train ever

The only barrier to hydrogen tech is that the fuel cells are expensove as fuck. Otherwise they beat even traditonal fossil fuels in energy density. I guess trains are already big and expensive so this is a good use case.