Future energy sources?

[tamada]

[Doodoo]

"The facts are that there are only two practical ways that vehicles are fueled and that oil is going to be the most practical for many years to come."
Now yes, but in the beginning. "Some would buy gasoline from pharmacies. In fact, the first filling station is considered to be the city pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany, where Bertha Benz filled the first car's tank on its inaugural journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim back in 1888. Pharmacies and hardware stores continued to offer engine fuels as a side business for a while."
Where there is a problem humans will find a solution
Hydrogen, fission, fusion, and so on

[Barney]

Hydrogen is finished before it starts. Especially Green Hydrogen as that relies on renewable energy.
All the Govt nobodies are still on the wagon and say it will be the future. Read the article for the region of the Stanwell power station site and see the comments. It the same scenario "as the band still playing as the Titanic sank".
Every country is stopping or reducing Hydrogen projects.
Look how much the labor Govt have wasted on this one regional project alone, Billions. Albo used it as an election positive, the Qld's bought that spiel hook line and sinker and now have nothing. Actually, most of Albos renewable schemes have stopped after he has wasted billions of taxpayer cash.
The reality is that there are no customers willing to buy Hydrogen , Blue or Green. The Japs have pulled the pin on this project so there is no future for sales.
Hers an idea, build a nuclear SMR on the site.


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-30/ ... /105476564

[Doodoo]

There is more than Australia in the Hydrogen game

China, USA, etc

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/hy ... rogen-race

[Doodoo]

Great to see partnerships

"In a bold move that could reshape the auto industry, Japan’s biggest carmakers — Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru — have joined forces to develop three next-gen internal combustion engines optimized for carbon neutrality. These radical engines, including a hydrogen-fueled rotary from Mazda, a compact horizontally-opposed engine by Subaru, and a next-gen inline-3 from Toyota, promise cleaner performance without abandoning the visceral thrill of combustion.
The collaboration represents a pivot from battery-only strategies, combining low-emission fuel tech with traditional engine design. By integrating biofuels, e-fuels, and hydrogen into their roadmaps, these companies are betting that combustion can still thrive in a sustainable future. Japan is not giving up on engines — it’s reengineering them for the 22nd century."

[rick]

At least Japan realises they missed the boat on Battery powered cars. China now has this market all sown up. Watch out for the sodium battery to take off - potentially cheaper, safer, longer lasting and less environmentally polluting to make. Currently beginning to appear in Chinese electric bikes.

[Barney]

No tax payer subsidies means no business. Solar cannot stand on its own.

The Moment The Clean-energy Boom Ran Into ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’
The Wall Street Journal (7/5, Uberti) reported Southern Energy Management, a solar-panel installation company in Raleigh, is facing potential sales declines due to recent legislative changes. CEO Will Etheridge anticipates a significant drop in residential solar sales by 2026 following President Trump’s recently signed bill ending subsidies. This development halts Etheridge’s plans to purchase more supplies. The bill, aimed at extending tax cuts, ends renewable energy incentives, impacting future investments. The Congressional Budget Office predicts over half a trillion dollars in tax incentive cuts over the next decade, sparking concerns over the renewable energy sector’s future.

[Doodoo]

In the early days there was no distribution centres to fuel cars Along came the Gas station
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=706426298869529

[tamada]

In the early days there was no distribution centres to fuel cars Along came the Gas station
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=706426298869529

But gasoline was cheap and easy to produce, with fewer issues about safety during transportation and storage.

It's too early to tell what will happen with hydrogen as it's short history of being touted as the energy source of the future has already seen more stops and starts. As each great idea or market for the future is targeted, they come up against real, present day realities of cost and infrastructure that shutters any further investments.

Everyone right now is trying to make a fast buck out of renewables and that's not only with hydrogen. All these deep-pocketed investment vehicles that blow hot and cold on each reincarnation of hydrogen have already done the same to wind, with grand projects either downsized or abandoned once the profits margins start shrinking. Are they really working for a better future, or just filling the boots of their investors (and themselves) while they still can?

[Doodoo]

Never said anything about Hydrogen. What you on about???

[AlexO]

In the early days there was no distribution centres to fuel cars Along came the Gas station
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=706426298869529

But gasoline was cheap and easy to produce, with fewer issues about safety during transportation and storage.

It's too early to tell what will happen with hydrogen as it's short history of being touted as the energy source of the future has already seen more stops and starts. As each great idea or market for the future is targeted, they come up against real, present day realities of cost and infrastructure that shutters any further investments.

Everyone right now is trying to make a fast buck out of renewables and that's not only with hydrogen. All these deep-pocketed investment vehicles that blow hot and cold on each reincarnation of hydrogen have already done the same to wind, with grand projects either downsized or abandoned once the profits margins start shrinking. Are they really working for a better future, or just filling the boots of their investors (and themselves) while they still can?

Spot on Tam.
They even have the Government beggaring people with clean energy investment taxes included in the cost of their present lekkie bills. All so the Clean Energy companies can make profits early and MP's like Miliband can crow about how they are saving the planet despite what the Chinese, Indians and USA are doing. Even Canada is waking up to the futility of it all.

[Doodoo]

Underwater Turbines

"Japan has switched on its first-ever megawatt-scale tidal turbine — the AR1100 — a groundbreaking step in harvesting ocean current energy. Anchored deep in the Naru Strait between the Goto Islands, this 1.1 MW underwater turbine is now quietly spinning beneath the surface, converting the relentless flow of the sea into electricity — enough to power 1,000+ homes!

What makes this a game-changer?

Unlike solar and wind, ocean currents are predictable and constant — a renewable energy dream. The AR1100’s smart blade tech and self-aligning system let it perform efficiently, even in tough marine conditions.

This marks Japan’s first grid-connected tidal energy system — a massive milestone toward a fossil-fuel-free future powered by the sea’s rhythm.

Another bold step from Japan toward global sustainability.

Could tidal power be the next big thing in clean energy?"

[tamada]

https://apnews.com/article/tidal-energy ... 417e1ec6d6

It is a slowly developing technology. Like offshore wind, these tidally optimal areas are a long distance from any sizeable community or industrial zones and the need for significant new onshore infrastructure to interconnect with what exists is an obstacle to more rapid development.

I recall that there's also been development and testing of wave-motion powered systems off the north coast of Scotland. Rather than harnessing currents at depth, these are based on reciprocal wave motion on or near the surface, like a pump. But the reliability and robustness of equipment that's fundamentally in perpetual motion in harsh environments was still being assessed, and if it could be sustained when scaled up was mostly unknown.

https://www.britannica.com/video/Overvi ... st/-193203

[AlexO]

The north Scotland wave generation project, specifically the Saltire Prize competition and associated wave energy technology developments, faced significant challenges and ultimately did not achieve its initial goals. While some projects like Pelamis and Aquamarine Power were initially promising, they encountered difficulties securing funding and achieving commercial viability, leading to their demise. The project was eventually scaled back and restructured, with a continued focus on research and development but a more cautious approach to commercial deployment.

[Doodoo]

" Norway Converts Deep Ocean Pressure Into Electricity Using Subsea Energy Vaults

Norwegian researchers have completed successful trials of a revolutionary underwater energy storage system that uses deep-sea pressure to generate power on demand — offering a clean alternative to batteries in coastal grids. Installed off the coast of Bergen, the system consists of massive hollow spheres anchored 400 meters below the surface, which can store and release energy using water and gravity alone.

The process is mechanically simple but incredibly effective. When surplus wind or hydro power is available, electricity is used to pump water out of the spheres against immense ocean pressure. When energy is needed later, valves open and water rushes back in, spinning turbines to generate electricity — just like a hydro dam, but inverted and underwater.

The pilot system achieved a round-trip efficiency of 80% during six months of continuous cycling. Because the surrounding water pressure is so high, the system can store large amounts of energy in a small volume — making it ideal for islands, offshore wind farms, or areas with unstable grids.

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, this subsea system is made of concrete and steel, doesn’t degrade with use, and poses no fire or chemical risk. It’s also invisible — a critical feature for environmentally sensitive marine zones.

Norway’s invention turns the crushing power of the deep ocean into a silent, emission-free energy reservoir — a hidden battery beneath the waves."

[AlexO]

" Norway Converts Deep Ocean Pressure Into Electricity Using Subsea Energy Vaults

Norwegian researchers have completed successful trials of a revolutionary underwater energy storage system that uses deep-sea pressure to generate power on demand — offering a clean alternative to batteries in coastal grids. Installed off the coast of Bergen, the system consists of massive hollow spheres anchored 400 meters below the surface, which can store and release energy using water and gravity alone.

The process is mechanically simple but incredibly effective. When surplus wind or hydro power is available, electricity is used to pump water out of the spheres against immense ocean pressure. When energy is needed later, valves open and water rushes back in, spinning turbines to generate electricity — just like a hydro dam, but inverted and underwater.

The pilot system achieved a round-trip efficiency of 80% during six months of continuous cycling. Because the surrounding water pressure is so high, the system can store large amounts of energy in a small volume — making it ideal for islands, offshore wind farms, or areas with unstable grids.

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, this subsea system is made of concrete and steel, doesn’t degrade with use, and poses no fire or chemical risk. It’s also invisible — a critical feature for environmentally sensitive marine zones.

Norway’s invention turns the crushing power of the deep ocean into a silent, emission-free energy reservoir — a hidden battery beneath the waves."

Beats me, when existing technology is already available (nuclear) to solve the world's energy requirements for at least the foreseeable future, people are basically wasting money on trying to find solutions to what is now being proved an inefficient,expensive and not so environmentally friendly clean energy sources that depend on weather and time of day to work at all.
Yes Dd what you refer to is basically a hydro system in reverse. Just how do you maintain these turbines and associated gear at 400 metres below the surface. Its relatively easy to maintain in a surface application not so much at 400m down.

[tamada]

https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables- ... -refinery/

[Doodoo]

South Korean scientists have made a remarkable breakthrough by developing a photocatalytic system that converts plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight.
Researchers at the Institute for Basic Science, led by Professors Kim Dae-Hyeong and Hyeon Taeghwan, have engineered a system where a hydrogel-encapsulated catalyst floats on water, breaking down PET bottles into hydrogen and valuable byproducts like ethylene glycol, all without emissions.
Tested on a one-square-meter device under natural sunlight, the technology has shown stability over two months and potential scalability to 10-100 square meters, offering a cost-effective, carbon-free energy solution.
The establishment hails this as a dual win for waste management and clean energy, addressing the 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste generated since 1950, much of it polluting oceans and landfills.

[Doodoo]

Swiss scientists at ETH Zurich have achieved a breakthrough by creating synthetic jet fuel from just sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. This clean fuel works in existing aircraft without any engine modifications or new infrastructure. Using solar energy, the system produces syngas, which is then turned into usable jet fuel. Already being made at a pilot plant in Zurich, this innovation could help make aviation carbon-neutral and lead the way toward a more sustainable future in air travel.

[Doodoo]

https://interestingengineering.com/ener ... g-hydrogen

World’s first nuclear reactor producing 200 tons of hydrogen daily launched in US