Reading Rufus’ post on Sabine’s rant on the state of German railways and the idiocy of putting big stakes on Hydrogen power to fuel the German economy reminded me of the discussion(s) I had with the Technical Director of HySiLabs. When asked to explain the mechanism of Hydrogen transport in the silicon polymer (made up of repeating units of SiH4) he either couldn’t or wouldn’t explain the process involved in the creation of the polymer used to transport hydrogen at normal atmospheric pressure. His discussion always came down to the release of hydrogen from the polymer with no energy input required. He totally ignored question of the high amount of energy needed to build the polymer vs the energy released at the end of the cycle – as physicsguy correctly pointed out. I am with Jon Baker on this one; I do not see the process based on the HySiLabs model to be a net energy gain. I think the company is more adept at extracting Euros from European taxpayers than the extraction of net positive energy from low pressure Hydrogen transport and release. Several readers stated that they were required to sign up in order to review the article. I did not, so I reprint it below:
The cheapest and safest way to transport hydrogen? Silicon-based liquid carrier requires zero energy to release stored H2
Leigh Collins
Published 1 February 2023
French start-up HySiLabs announces €13m Series A funding to enable the continued development of its low-cost, non-toxic technology. Every known method of shipping hydrogen has its drawbacks.
Compressed H2 has a very low energy density by volume; liquid hydrogen requires storage at temperatures of minus 253°C; and ammonia has a higher volumetric energy density but is extremely toxic. Methanol and synthetic fuels have very high energy densities but require costly production processes and the addition of captured CO2; and liquid organic hydrogen carriers derived from fossil fuels require energy-intensive high-temperature heat to release the H2 upon delivery. What if there was a way of storing hydrogen in a low-cost, non-toxic, non-explosive substance that is a liquid at ambient pressures and temperatures, and requires no energy — only the addition of water — to release the stored H2?
French start-up HySiLabs believes it has found that exact solution, with a liquid silicon hydride derivative it calls HydroSil that can store seven times more hydrogen by volume than compressed H2 — and release it when required. “HySiLabs’ patented technology holds the potential to disrupt the fundamental challenge of how to safely and economically transport and store hydrogen at scale,” said the company in a press release announcing €13m of Series A funding (see below).
“Crucially, HySiLabs’ molecule requires energy to lock hydrogen into the carrier, and none to release it, a major difference with solutions currently contemplated. “In a future where hydrogen production is expected to be shipped to energy demand hubs, this ability to release hydrogen without an energy cost is perceived as highly attractive.” The company, based in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, says that it has developed separate chemical processes to store and later release hydrogen — backed by 70 patents. Critics have suggested that as it requires no energy to release the H2, it will need a lot of energy to store the hydrogen in the first place. “Thermodynamics is a b*tch that way,” said Hydrogen Science Coalition co-founder Paul Martin on LinkedIn.
HySiLabs has attracted €13m in Series A funding, led by Equinor Ventures, with finance from the European Innovation Council Fund, EDP Ventures and PLD Automobile, with the support of early investors Kreaxi, Région Sud Investissement and CAAP Création. The money will be used to continue developing the technology before planned mass-market roll-out in 2027. Its development plans include testing a 15kW “release reactor” this year, followed by a HydroSil-powered boat in 2024, charging and release pilots in 2025 handling 10 tonnes of hydrogen annually, and 1,000 times larger charging and release plants in 2027.
Coming back to Sabine’s rant, I agree that it’ll be much more expensive than projected and make no commercial sense (at least for now) however I disagree that “They’re slow, to realize that we can’t avoid decarbonization and the more we delay it, the more this country will go downhills.” One of the reasons for the decline of Germany is precisely because of the semi religious fervor that drives many Germans to believe carbon is the source of Gaia’s problems. Thanks to all who contributed to the discussion.
Philip, the period after the Reunification was a wonderful and exciting time to live and work in Germany. There were so many huge and technically challenging projects. There was a sense that future was bright, and anything could be accomplished even though the west Germans grumbled about the high taxes needed to pay for all of this. One of the many projects I worked on was VDE 8.3
The calls for Biden to step down seem to be reaching a fever pitch over the last 24 hours or so. None other than NBC News (!) had a neurologist on who basically straight up said that Biden definitely has Parkinsons.
On NBC, a neurologist says Biden has Parkinson’s. “That is a fact. He has degeneration of the brain. Show me the MRI. Show me he doesn’t…. He definitely has it.” A med student who looked at Biden’s symptoms and didn’t diagnose Parkinson’s, says the doctor, would be failed
We’re living through the weirdest presidential election of the last hundred years at least.
Since the left is now playing power politics with their candidate selection, Trump could totally destroy the Democrat at this point by naming Tulsi Gabbard as his VP choice.
Tulsi is attractive but she had some pretty left wing policies when she was still a Democrat.
Can any of you German speakers give the English meaning of the Prussian Army term (yesterday wwi comments sent me down this bunny trail)
Officiere à la Suite der Armee
Best google help is
officers following the army ?? Which means what exactly?
Never mind
À la suite (French pronunciation: [a la s?it], in the entourage [of]) was a military title given to those who were allotted to the army or a particular unit for honour’s sake[1] and were entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position.
Look up “a la suite” in isolation, Chases, or possibly in conjunction with “Prussian”? I think the answer is there. Still, kinda froggish for Cherman spreckers.
Ah, I see you’re already there! Nevermind!
While it would certainly upend the Democrat move to find a stronger candidate against Trump, it would be difficult for many conservatives to support her. Her political views are changing over time though. Wasn’t Reagan a Democrat at one time?
I have no problem with conservatives or Republicans who used to be Democrats. One example is our kind hostess here. But Tulsa Gabbard would have to convince me that she’s developed a desire for a smaller federal government to make me happy with her on the Trump ticket.
Could you imagine the exploding heads! Trump nominates Gabbard, then challenges Silly Kamala to a debate, but sends Tulsi to debate her because Silly Kamala is so not ready to be President, he only needs to send his VP to show the country how unprepared she is. Well, we can dream.
Neo, will you be watching the Biden press conference at 6:30 pm ET today? I’ve seen your comments on why you avoid the presidential debates, and I basically feel the same way. But I think today’s event will be even more nerve-wracking.
We’re living through the weirdest presidential election of the last hundred years at least.
–Nonapod
I’m living through
the weirdest presidential election ever
and I had to buy this t-shirt myself
–at Bidenflated prices.
… will you be watching the Biden press conference at 6:30 pm ET today?
Watt:
I’m there. It may be historic.
I’ll settle for watching the flop sweat.
Thats spelled hysterical i mean the dark humor is well the president is broken but so is the tinker toy cabinet
Yes tulsi took kamala to the cleaners with a deft touch, has she had a change of heart it appears that way
So, huxley, depending on whether Neo puts up a thread for the press conference, I’ll check here for your comments.
Moon over parador dave someone brought up doublestar
Remember that Trump too use to be a Dem.
“Wasn’t Reagan a Democrat at one time?”
By the time he ran for office that was decades in the past, not months.
Tulsi left the Democrat party in 2022, not months ago. From a NBC article Oct., 2022:
WASHINGTON — Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii announced Tuesday that she’s leaving the Democratic Party because it’s “now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness.”
In a video statement posted on social media, Gabbard, 41, accused Democrats of dividing the country “by racializing every issue, stoking anti-white racism” and “actively working to undermine our God-given freedoms enshrined in our Constitution.”
“The Democrats of today are hostile to people of faith and spirituality,” she continued. “They demonize the police and protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans. The Democrats of today believe in open borders and weaponize the national security state to go after political opponents. Above all else, the Democrats of today are dragging us ever closer to nuclear war.”
Gabbard said the Democratic Party stands for a government of, by and for the “powerful elite,” and she called on her fellow “independent-minded Democrats” to leave the party, as well.
Lots of reasons she would be a problematic choice for Trump, but so would Haley, though for different reasons.
Trump isn’t a fiscal conservative– but based on recent criticism of fiscal conservative House members, it appears the Republican party isn’t either.
Tulsi is a very intelligent and thoughtful lady, outspoken as well. I respect her and have trust in her continued defense of America’s critical values, which the authoritarian Democrats are subverting in their lust for power by all legal AND illegal means possible.
Remember that Trump too use to be a Dem.
==
He was an enrolled Republican in New York from 1969 to 1985; from 1985 to 2015 he alternated back and forth between non-partisan, Democratic, and Republican enrollment.
== “Wasn’t Reagan a Democrat at one time?”
== By the time he ran for office that was decades in the past, not months.
==
He ran for Governor of California in 1966, four years after he enrolled as a Republican. (As a Democrat, he endorsed Richard Nixon in 1960). Supposedly, there were four vectors that influenced his incremental departure from the Democratic Party: (1) encountering the marginal income tax rates in effect during the war and the period succeeding; (2) tangling with Communist Party schemers during his years as President of the Screen Actors Guild; (3) the influence of his father-in-law, Loyal Davis; (4) the effect of his public speaking tours undertaken for General Electric, when he was interacting with a lot of ordinary people all over the country.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/07/court-rejects-professors-lame-attempt-to-blame-cuny-for-allegations-of-antisemitism-against-them/
==
Note the nefarious faculty members are sociology professors at Kingsborough Community College.
==
In a sensible community college system, available academic courses are limited to subjects commonly taught in high schools and academic degree programs are absent. Degree and certificate programs are in vocational-technical subjects which might be taught at the secondary or tertiary level or in apprenticeship programs, &c.
==
NB, this woman Katherine Perea is a specialist in ‘media studies’ who has never published anything. Dominic Wetzel’s publications all make plain he is a political sectary who does not make use of quantitative methods. This is who the sociology department at Kingsborough hires and tenures. Belt and braces reason to shut the department down and discharge its faculty.
Xylourgos, thanks for that! Those trains are kind of charming. I admit my favorite one of all of them, though, was the green-colored InterRegio set that I rode once on one of the Black Forest lines, probably starting from Ulm and I would have been heading for Karlsruhe ultimately.
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Reading Rufus’ post on Sabine’s rant on the state of German railways and the idiocy of putting big stakes on Hydrogen power to fuel the German economy reminded me of the discussion(s) I had with the Technical Director of HySiLabs. When asked to explain the mechanism of Hydrogen transport in the silicon polymer (made up of repeating units of SiH4) he either couldn’t or wouldn’t explain the process involved in the creation of the polymer used to transport hydrogen at normal atmospheric pressure. His discussion always came down to the release of hydrogen from the polymer with no energy input required. He totally ignored question of the high amount of energy needed to build the polymer vs the energy released at the end of the cycle – as physicsguy correctly pointed out. I am with Jon Baker on this one; I do not see the process based on the HySiLabs model to be a net energy gain. I think the company is more adept at extracting Euros from European taxpayers than the extraction of net positive energy from low pressure Hydrogen transport and release. Several readers stated that they were required to sign up in order to review the article. I did not, so I reprint it below:
The cheapest and safest way to transport hydrogen? Silicon-based liquid carrier requires zero energy to release stored H2
Leigh Collins
Published 1 February 2023
French start-up HySiLabs announces €13m Series A funding to enable the continued development of its low-cost, non-toxic technology. Every known method of shipping hydrogen has its drawbacks.
Compressed H2 has a very low energy density by volume; liquid hydrogen requires storage at temperatures of minus 253°C; and ammonia has a higher volumetric energy density but is extremely toxic. Methanol and synthetic fuels have very high energy densities but require costly production processes and the addition of captured CO2; and liquid organic hydrogen carriers derived from fossil fuels require energy-intensive high-temperature heat to release the H2 upon delivery. What if there was a way of storing hydrogen in a low-cost, non-toxic, non-explosive substance that is a liquid at ambient pressures and temperatures, and requires no energy — only the addition of water — to release the stored H2?
French start-up HySiLabs believes it has found that exact solution, with a liquid silicon hydride derivative it calls HydroSil that can store seven times more hydrogen by volume than compressed H2 — and release it when required. “HySiLabs’ patented technology holds the potential to disrupt the fundamental challenge of how to safely and economically transport and store hydrogen at scale,” said the company in a press release announcing €13m of Series A funding (see below).
“Crucially, HySiLabs’ molecule requires energy to lock hydrogen into the carrier, and none to release it, a major difference with solutions currently contemplated. “In a future where hydrogen production is expected to be shipped to energy demand hubs, this ability to release hydrogen without an energy cost is perceived as highly attractive.” The company, based in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, says that it has developed separate chemical processes to store and later release hydrogen — backed by 70 patents. Critics have suggested that as it requires no energy to release the H2, it will need a lot of energy to store the hydrogen in the first place. “Thermodynamics is a b*tch that way,” said Hydrogen Science Coalition co-founder Paul Martin on LinkedIn.
HySiLabs has attracted €13m in Series A funding, led by Equinor Ventures, with finance from the European Innovation Council Fund, EDP Ventures and PLD Automobile, with the support of early investors Kreaxi, Région Sud Investissement and CAAP Création. The money will be used to continue developing the technology before planned mass-market roll-out in 2027. Its development plans include testing a 15kW “release reactor” this year, followed by a HydroSil-powered boat in 2024, charging and release pilots in 2025 handling 10 tonnes of hydrogen annually, and 1,000 times larger charging and release plants in 2027.
Coming back to Sabine’s rant, I agree that it’ll be much more expensive than projected and make no commercial sense (at least for now) however I disagree that “They’re slow, to realize that we can’t avoid decarbonization and the more we delay it, the more this country will go downhills.” One of the reasons for the decline of Germany is precisely because of the semi religious fervor that drives many Germans to believe carbon is the source of Gaia’s problems. Thanks to all who contributed to the discussion.
Philip, the period after the Reunification was a wonderful and exciting time to live and work in Germany. There were so many huge and technically challenging projects. There was a sense that future was bright, and anything could be accomplished even though the west Germans grumbled about the high taxes needed to pay for all of this. One of the many projects I worked on was VDE 8.3
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verkehrsprojekte_Deutsche_Einheit
The transport infrastructure in Germany – particularly in the East is and remains superb.
Philip, this is for you…and Rufus. I hope it brings back good memories!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEo989j5Ceo
The calls for Biden to step down seem to be reaching a fever pitch over the last 24 hours or so. None other than NBC News (!) had a neurologist on who basically straight up said that Biden definitely has Parkinsons.
We’re living through the weirdest presidential election of the last hundred years at least.
Since the left is now playing power politics with their candidate selection, Trump could totally destroy the Democrat at this point by naming Tulsi Gabbard as his VP choice.
Tulsi Gabbard on Trump’s VP Decision, Jill Biden’s Ego, and Joe Biden’s Disastrous Foreign Policy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxqX_5UkNps
Tulsi is attractive but she had some pretty left wing policies when she was still a Democrat.
Can any of you German speakers give the English meaning of the Prussian Army term (yesterday wwi comments sent me down this bunny trail)
Officiere à la Suite der Armee
Best google help is
officers following the army ?? Which means what exactly?
Never mind
À la suite (French pronunciation: [a la s?it], in the entourage [of]) was a military title given to those who were allotted to the army or a particular unit for honour’s sake[1] and were entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position.
Look up “a la suite” in isolation, Chases, or possibly in conjunction with “Prussian”? I think the answer is there. Still, kinda froggish for Cherman spreckers.
Ah, I see you’re already there! Nevermind!
While it would certainly upend the Democrat move to find a stronger candidate against Trump, it would be difficult for many conservatives to support her. Her political views are changing over time though. Wasn’t Reagan a Democrat at one time?
Political positions of Tulsi Gabbard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Tulsi_Gabbard
That pronunciation would be “a la sweet.”
I have no problem with conservatives or Republicans who used to be Democrats. One example is our kind hostess here. But Tulsa Gabbard would have to convince me that she’s developed a desire for a smaller federal government to make me happy with her on the Trump ticket.
Could you imagine the exploding heads! Trump nominates Gabbard, then challenges Silly Kamala to a debate, but sends Tulsi to debate her because Silly Kamala is so not ready to be President, he only needs to send his VP to show the country how unprepared she is. Well, we can dream.
Neo, will you be watching the Biden press conference at 6:30 pm ET today? I’ve seen your comments on why you avoid the presidential debates, and I basically feel the same way. But I think today’s event will be even more nerve-wracking.
We’re living through the weirdest presidential election of the last hundred years at least.
–Nonapod
I’m living through
the weirdest presidential election ever
and I had to buy this t-shirt myself
–at Bidenflated prices.
… will you be watching the Biden press conference at 6:30 pm ET today?
Watt:
I’m there. It may be historic.
I’ll settle for watching the flop sweat.
Thats spelled hysterical i mean the dark humor is well the president is broken but so is the tinker toy cabinet
Yes tulsi took kamala to the cleaners with a deft touch, has she had a change of heart it appears that way
Tulsi would be interesting, even though I would likely disagree with her on a number of things.
She has, however, been a voice of sanity against transgenders in women’s spaces .
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2024/06/20/biden-title-ix-tulsi-gabbard-riley-gaines/74075258007/
How about none
https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240711-more-than-186-000-dead-in-gaza-how-credible-are-the-estimates-published-on-the-lancet
So, huxley, depending on whether Neo puts up a thread for the press conference, I’ll check here for your comments.
Moon over parador dave someone brought up doublestar
Remember that Trump too use to be a Dem.
“Wasn’t Reagan a Democrat at one time?”
By the time he ran for office that was decades in the past, not months.
Tulsi left the Democrat party in 2022, not months ago. From a NBC article Oct., 2022:
Lots of reasons she would be a problematic choice for Trump, but so would Haley, though for different reasons.
Trump isn’t a fiscal conservative– but based on recent criticism of fiscal conservative House members, it appears the Republican party isn’t either.
Tulsi is a very intelligent and thoughtful lady, outspoken as well. I respect her and have trust in her continued defense of America’s critical values, which the authoritarian Democrats are subverting in their lust for power by all legal AND illegal means possible.
Remember that Trump too use to be a Dem.
==
He was an enrolled Republican in New York from 1969 to 1985; from 1985 to 2015 he alternated back and forth between non-partisan, Democratic, and Republican enrollment.
==
“Wasn’t Reagan a Democrat at one time?”
==
By the time he ran for office that was decades in the past, not months.
==
He ran for Governor of California in 1966, four years after he enrolled as a Republican. (As a Democrat, he endorsed Richard Nixon in 1960). Supposedly, there were four vectors that influenced his incremental departure from the Democratic Party: (1) encountering the marginal income tax rates in effect during the war and the period succeeding; (2) tangling with Communist Party schemers during his years as President of the Screen Actors Guild; (3) the influence of his father-in-law, Loyal Davis; (4) the effect of his public speaking tours undertaken for General Electric, when he was interacting with a lot of ordinary people all over the country.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/07/court-rejects-professors-lame-attempt-to-blame-cuny-for-allegations-of-antisemitism-against-them/
==
Note the nefarious faculty members are sociology professors at Kingsborough Community College.
==
In a sensible community college system, available academic courses are limited to subjects commonly taught in high schools and academic degree programs are absent. Degree and certificate programs are in vocational-technical subjects which might be taught at the secondary or tertiary level or in apprenticeship programs, &c.
==
NB, this woman Katherine Perea is a specialist in ‘media studies’ who has never published anything. Dominic Wetzel’s publications all make plain he is a political sectary who does not make use of quantitative methods. This is who the sociology department at Kingsborough hires and tenures. Belt and braces reason to shut the department down and discharge its faculty.
Xylourgos, thanks for that! Those trains are kind of charming. I admit my favorite one of all of them, though, was the green-colored InterRegio set that I rode once on one of the Black Forest lines, probably starting from Ulm and I would have been heading for Karlsruhe ultimately.