Dear friends and colleagues,
I sit here typing from a greasy McDonalds in the Karlsruhe, Germany trainstation. Unfortunately, it's the only place open at 2AM as I wait to catch the 4 AM train to Monaco to present my research at the annual Global Electric Vehicle Symposium. It's the 10th day of my 15 day 'maiden voyage' through Europe and though I've been mugged by gypsies, slept on airport floors, and had more transportation blunders than John Candy and Steve Martin, spirits are high. I write to update you on my adventures since my last Fuel Cell Trek letter (January 03). In brief, I've completed my master's degree, presented hydrogen research throughout China, the US, and Europe, driven fuel cell cars up and down California, and helped create a blueprint for Gov. Schwarzenegger's California Hydrogen Highway. It's been an exciting two years; the Hydrogen Economy seems closer and the world seems smaller.
Since much has happened since 03, I'll try to give you the reader's digest version and allow additional curiosity to be fulfilled through my website (www.fuelcelltrek.com).

Background: What is (was) fuel cell trek?
Section 1: The 3 best "happenings" in my life
Section 2: 2 Lessons from Europe.
Section 3: What's next?

Background: In January 2002, I began Fuel Cell Trek, a plan to circumnavigate the world in a fuel cell car and teach people about fuel cell and hydrogen. I started graduate school at UC Davis in the Institute of Transportation Studies to get a MS/PhD in Transportation Technology and Policy. While I've scrapped my plans to tour the world in an FCcar, I'm pleased to see some other young people have come up with similar ambitions e.g. www.kids4hydrogen.com, the hydrogenexpedition.com (good on them!!) The plan for FCT now is to continue teaching people about H2 and FC, but expand to teaching about sustainable transportation (transportation that works for everyone, including everyone's favorite mama, Earth). I'm especially interested in transportation in developing countries. In terms of a practical plan that will be sustainable for my bank account, once I finish my PhD, I plan to start a company dedicated to making today's transportation system more efficient (hint: I want to provide you better mobility and more travel options more energy-efficiently).

Section 1: Great Things
Great Thing #3: China and the Leapfrog. The newest project I'm embarking on, with some other researchers at ITS-Davis, is to investigate car and fuel use in Zhongguo. For those of you who don't "shuo Zhongwen" (a la Chris Farley =D), I'm talking about China. Auto use in China is exploding, and if the fuel choice for these cars is gasoline, we're all going to have major problems. Best case, environmental devastation, worst case WWIII in 20 years at our current trajectory.
We at ITS-Davis are working with researchers at Tongji university and Tsinghua to research the issues around this rapid car growth and gasoline consumption to see if China policy makers can do something differently. One hope is for China to "leapfrog" gasoline and go directly to hydrogen, similar to what China did bypassing landline phones to adopt cell phones . Leapfrog Oil, you say!?! That frog's going to have to pretty strong quadriceps me thinks; but let's have a go!
Great Thing #2: Transportation Education The second greatest thing that has happened in the last two years is learning about transportation. In case you forgot my first goal of FCT, it was to go back to grad school and become a sponge of learning. The things I've learned about fuel cell technology and hydrogen fuel are great, but the whole transportation system in general is fascinating. Issues like: "why is congestion everywhere", "why can't we pass a gas tax even though it's the most efficient way to improve our mobility", "why is the US so dependent on cars" are some of my favorite issues, issues that I'm getting to the heart of. I didn't know I'd become so interested in transportation issues in general, but now I find myself riding buses, trains, subways, and highways all over the world to try and get a feel for what works, why it works, and why it doesn't. Some of my learning and discoveries can be found in "My Projects" and publications for yourself.
Great thing #1: New People. Clearly the greatest thing that have happened in the past two years are the new people in my life. Hence, I've dedicated a section of my website to them (er...you). Click on the ofoto link to see who some of these people are (maybe you're up there, I included some of the old people too =)) I haven't got around to getting everyone up there that's made a difference for me, but it's a start. It's part of a new project of mine to put my people-network online. In case you don't know me well or forgot, I LOVE meeting new people and I've met a lot in 2 years. I get my energy from others I guess. And of course, I am so grateful to the 'old' friends in my life and rekindled friendships.

Section 2: Lessons from Europe
As for Europe travels, transportation, and life, I've seen two great quotes in the past week that summarize things I believe and that I want to share with you.
1. "Memento Morti". This theme was presented in the Tate Modern Museum of London. Like a bowl of fruit, flowers in a vase, you and me, we all die. Remember that next time you pass up the opportunity to spend time with someone you fancy, patch up a long-dead relationship, or bust out a crazy dance move. "Memento Morti" means "remember that you will die". If you've ever been to Europe and see how much people here enjoy life and their friends (just look to the cafes EVERYWHERE), it gives me a glimpse as to what this phrase means.
2. "Attempto". This is the university motto of a great little college tucked away in the tiny castle town of Tubingen, Germany. It just means, "try". I love this because it's so simple and so powerful. Strangely, just underneath these words, etched in small print it also said "*though you will probably fail". (naw just kidding ;-). Actually, failure is inevitable at most new things we try. I think the secret is detaching yourself from the ego-slam of failure and getting used to it. Consider that the reason the Beatles were so successful and had so many hits because they wrote SO many songs (many totally flopped). Our success is directly related to the number of attempts. This brings me to another interesting question I saw in the movie Waking Life recently (as I waited overnight in a Rome airport with friendly strangers): What's humankind's most limiting factor: fear or laziness? My answer...Who cares. In either case, Attempto overcomes both. Go for it.
Next Steps: My Silk Road to China begins in August 05. The plan is to do research at Tongji University in Shanghai for 1 year, working on implementing h2 technologies in Shanghai and/or Beijing. Before then, come visit me in Davis CA. After 08/05, come visit me in Shanghai.

Conclusion:
This is all I'm going to write for now because otherwise I'll put this off forever and I've been REALLY wanting to send you all a letter. All in all, things are pretty cool out here in California, Europe, and China. Though you sometimes need to watch out for gypsies (one just stole my frickin' wallet last week in Rome), keep "Memento Morti"-ing, "Attepmto"-ing, and send me any ideas at all you have on how to make your transportation system (however you travel, wherever you are) better.

Much Love,
Ni de pengyou, (your friend)
Jonathan

p.s. I've added a "My Fun" section to the website in case you're thinking "why is this guy such a huge nerd, does he do anything to blow off steam!?"

Clearly, the idea of a Hydrogen Economy has captured the imagination of scientists, businessmen, and the public in general.  The question remains however, can hydrogen really change the motor of the world?  Does it have a chance competing against oil, the most powerful industry in the modern world?  Can fuel cells replace the engines that we've grown to love and depend on?  Is there real substance behind the hydrogen hype, or is this just another energy fad like solar power and natural gas vehicles?

Table of Contents

2.  The Greatest Events in the Fuel Cell World  (go)

4.  Willy Wonka, Ballard, and the Everlasting Gobstopper   (go)



6. Kids Like Fuel Cells: Adventures in Teaching   (go)

8. Fuel Cells in the Redwoods (go)

10. The Whale Slayer   (go)


THANK YOU- Most of my experiences thus far have been made possible by Ford, the California Fuel Cell Partnership, and UC-Davis.  In the past year, they have sent me all over California and the country, so to them I am grateful.

 

Situated 15 minutes west of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, 1 hour east of two major national laboratories; flanked on the North by Vancouver, a hotbed of hydrogen technology development, and on the South by Los Angeles, a pioneer in clean-air technologies and policies; surrounded by small fuel cell technology companies in San Francisco and Sacramento, UC-Davis finds itself conveniently located right in the center of the hydrogen universe.  As you'll see below, we are wasting no time in taking advantage of this unique opportunity.

We Got Cars! – In December, we became one of the first three organizations in the country to lease fuel cell vehicles.  This is a major milestone for Toyota, which is leasing 6 between us and UC-Irvine, because it's the first step in bringing FCV's to the public.  Honda has also begun leasing their FCVs to the City of L.A.  The cost of the lease is steep at $10,000/month, but we will be getting loads of research value out of them, and Toyota is being very generous in their contributions to our research effort.

We Got Hydrogen! - UC-Davis will soon have its very own hydrogen fueling station on campus.  Air Products has already begun construction, and will be finished within the next few months.  The purpose of this station is to deliver fuel to two experimental campus buses that will run off a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, aptly called “Hythane”.  I will be involved in evaluating the hydrogen station and the bus technology during its operation.  Most of the university buses already run off natural gas; so it is fitting that we become the test-ground for the new hythane buses.  The station will also fuel fuel cell vehicles as demand grows.

This Davis station is a bigger infrastructure bonus than one may think if you consider the new Richmond station and the CaFCPs West Sacramento stations.  Since they all exist along the I-80 highway, it creates the possibility of a “Hydrogen Corridor”, where FCVs will be able to travel back and forth from San Francisco to Sacramento to test and develop the technology in a real-world environment.  There are tentative plans for stations in Palo Alto and Auburn, which could create the most extensive hydrogen corridor in the world.

We Got Fuel Cells! - Last summer, Neil Otto generously donated three Ballard 1.2 kW fuel cell stacks for research in our fuel cell lab.  Some researchers and students here will be putting one of these units on a semi-truck to provide auxiliary power when not moving.  This application is an attractive niche market for fuel cells because it provides an alternative to truck idling.  When truck-drivers need to rest, and it is either too hot or cold outside, they leave their engines on to heat and cool their cabs.  This can cost them ~$10-15/day in fuel costs; but more importantly, the loud, vibrating engines can adversely affect the quality of their sleep.  An alternative is to use a fuel cell stack to quietly power electric heaters, air conditioners, and auxiliaries.  If solid-oxide fuel cells are used, it may even be able to run off diesel fuel instead of hydrogen.  Fuel cells could become an economic, energy-efficient solution to the million trucks all over the country running their massive diesel engines to keep their drivers comfortable.

The Yellow Brick Road:  The biggest news of all is the new study we are undertaking, entitled "Transportation and the Hydrogen Economy: Pathways and Strategies".  It is unclear to both the government, the auto industry, and the oil industry how to transition to a hydrogen-fueled transportation system.  Simply put, if the hydrogen economy is the Emerald City, we are all pretty confused about how to get there.  We at ITS-Davis (Dorothy), alongside the government (Scarecrow), the oil industry (Tinman), and the auto industry (the Lion), aim to blaze down the yellow brick road together.   Traveling down the same path and communicating along the way will greatly increase our chance for success (though we're bound to run into some flying monkeys along the way).

Specifically, this will be a four-year, multi-million dollar international research effort at ITS-Davis aimed at examining the manufacture, storage and distribution of hydrogen for use in fuel cell-powered vehicles, as well as other applications.  This study endeavors to answer the toughest questions about how to develop a hydrogen infrastructure at this critical infant stage of its development.  As our ITS director (my advisor) Dan Sperling states "We're setting our sights on the near and medium term, because overcoming these more immediate challenges will be critical to laying the foundation for a successful hydrogen-based economy of the future." BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, and Toyota have already signed on as partial sponsors.  More information on this project can be found at ITS-Hydrogen.

Here’s one of first meetings with the key management from Exxon Mobil, BP, Toyota, Honda, Sandia National Lab, DOE, DOT, California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, South Coast Air Quality Management District.

pics:This is the other side of the table, the ITS Davis people. 

For those of you who have not heard from me since the last letter, I have chosen to go to graduate school at UC-Davis.  I will be pursuing a joint Master’s-PhD degree in Transportation Technology and Policy, which is a combination of engineering and public policy as they relate to the transportation industry, which can cover anything from roads, to land-use, to public transit, to engine technology, to alternative fuels.  The students in this program come from all over the world, with a wide range of skills and experience; all in all, they're an impressive bunch, and we've become pretty tight in a short amount of time.  I'm still working at Ford, though on a more part-time basis.

2. Key Events in the Fuel Cell World

Road Rally 2002: California Coast

For the first time ever, six of the world's major auto manufacturers drove their fuel cell vehicles down 300 miles of California's golden coast as part of the California Fuel Cell Partnership's Road Rally 2002.  On Sept 6, we completed this historic accomplishment of the world's largest and longest caravan of Fuel Cell Vehicles.  Ford, Daimler-Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota, drove together down California's breath-taking Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey to Santa Barbara from Sept 4-6 to educate the public about the technology, and show that it works.  The energy companies, including BP, Shell, Chevron-Texaco, and ExxonMobil, provided the hydrogen for the cars.  Take note, fuel cell vehicles come in all shapes and sizes: small, regular, and SUV.  

Click on picture for our Theme Song heading through the Big Sur mountains

This was my favorite event so far, because I saw the true cooperative spirit of the Partnership.  Engineers and management from the automakers, energy companies, and government banded together in an uncharacteristic fellowship to complete the voyage and build a team.  On the rocky shoreline of Big Sur, the Ford guys introduced two Toyota engineers from Japan to football, and though they could barely speak English, they were tossing wicked spirals by the end of the trip.  The other fun part of it was interacting with the public throughout all the small coastal towns and farmers markets we stopped at down the coast.  Hundreds of people came out to see the cars, ask questions, and take test rides and drives. 

One early morning, we stopped at an old Spanish mission in Carmel and invited the students from its elementary school outside to come see the cars.  As the sun rose over the coastal mountains, the children gathered together in the chilly dawn while we showed them the various cars.  I think their favorite part though was when they discovered the warm water vapor coming out the tailpipe, and put their faces and hands right in it.  

pic:The mighty Ford team at the beginning of the new Ford FCV's maiden voyage in California

World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC):

This conference, held in Montreal this year, is the biggest and most important conference for hydrogen energy, and attracts a very international audience.  I was there with the Ford crew to show our car and give rides to the government, media, and VIPs.  As I walked into the hotel the day before the conference, I strolled past an older gentleman whose face seemed very familiar.  Moments later, it hit me, so I ran back and introduced myself to the man commonly known as the father of the modern fuel cell, Geoffrey Ballard.  His name is printed on the engines of fuel cell cars throughout the world.  The conference proceedings can be found at http://www.hydrogen2002.com/


Outside the conference hall, the media and Canadian government greeted Ford's car with much enthusiasm.


I was pretty excited to finally meet one of the people who really inspired me to get into fuel cells, Geoff Ballard

Fuel Cell Seminar

The 2002 Fuel Cell Seminar, held in lovely Palm Springs, CA, is the biggest fuel cell conference of the year (kind of like the sister to WHEC).  People in all aspects of the FCH2 industry come to learn about advances in the technology, see new prototypes being developed, and hear from the great minds in the field.  I was there working the CaFCP booth and giving rides and drives to the attendees.  Some of these people have worked on fuel cells and hydrogen technology for years, but have never driven in a fuel cell car, so they were "so stoked" to finally get behind the wheel.

 
The grand opening of the Seminar


In between rides, we refueled from a “mobile-refueler”, which is just a trailer carrying long tubes of high-pressure  H2 gas. 

The most interesting part of the conference were the people I met working on a range of intriguing projects.  A few folks from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute are working on transforming the islands into a miniature hydrogen economy.  The Icelandic New Energy Company is trying to do the same thing to Iceland, and will have the world's first commercial H2 fueling station (where John Q Public can buy H2 fuel).  As I walked through the exhibit hall, I was overwhelmed by the amount of actual products companies have made, when just a few years ago, there were few exhibitions at all.  I took a bunch of pictures, so see the slide show at the end.

The World Fuel Cell Summit

This event, held in Sacramento last October at the California Air Resources Board, marked the first time all the major fuel cell organizations and partnerships around the world came together to share their ideas and progress.  During this meeting, I saw designs for the new hydrogen stations going up in Japan; the plans for the buses and stations in Europe and Australia; the hydrogen developments in Iceland, and more.  Afterwards, they came back to the CaFCP to ride in the FCVs and get to know each other.

 

 

 

3. Hydrogen Safety:  The Tiger vs. The Giant Squid

    or                                         

If someone asked you, "what's more dangerous: The tiger, or the giant squid"?, how would you answer.  It's tricky.  Since they're each dangerous in completely different ways, it would depend on your environment, and your defenses.  If you were thrown into the Roman Colliseum about 2000 years ago with a wiffle bat (without Russel Crowe as your wingman), I'd recommend the squid.  But if you were plunged into an Olympic size pool with a canoe paddle as your only defense, bring on the tiger!

 

Likewise, one of the most common questions I encounter from people is, "What's more dangerous: hydrogen or gasoline?"

Since they are both fuels, they are both dangerous and they're both potentially lethal.  They both ignite when exposed to a flame, and if you put them in a vessel with the right amount of oxygen and at sufficient pressure, you've created a bomb.  However, like the differences between squids and tigers, they are dangerous in different ways.

Here's a pretty positive, concise viewpoint about hydrogen being a safe fuel.  Though it omits several important facts, I think it's good message for the general public.  If you want to know my personal view, keep reading:

"For many people, the idea of using hydrogen to run a bus or car is frightening.   They picture  hydrogen bombs, and perhaps remember film of the famous Hindenburg Zeppelin disaster.  In fact, hydrogen gas has nothing to do with the hydrogen bomb.  Moreover, current research suggests that the Hindenburg caught fire when static electricity ignited the highly volitile chemical coating of the airship's cotton balloon-like shell.  The hydrogen fuel was not a major factor.

Nonetheless, like other common fuels- the gasoline in our cars and the natural gas or propane piped into our homes- hydrogen is extremely flammable.  That's why it's a good fuel.  In fact, it's three times more efficient than diesel fuel and, like diesel and other fuel, must be handled properly.

Should we be more concerned about hydrogen than the fuels we're already using?   Probably not.  In fact, tests performed by Ford Motor Company for the Department of Energy found that the hydrogen storage methods under consideration for fuel cell vehicles are actually safer than those for gasoline.  Hydrogen has its own special properties that call for different kinds of equipment, but industry has been using it safely for years.

NASA uses hydrogen for rocket fuel and to provide water for astronauts.   Semi-conductor companies use it in manufacturing.  In fact, it is commonly shipped by pipeline and truck in compressed and liquid form.  Moreover, the hydrogen-powered vehicles now being built are equipped with reinforced tanks that meet rigorous safety standards.

To prove the safety of its tanks, one manufacturer simulated a 52 mph rear-end collision by dropping a car from 90 feet in the air.  Standard testing only requires tanks to sustain three and a half times normal pressure without bursting.  Since hydrogen is one-sixteenth the weight of air, a leak would rapidly disperse into the open air, making it significantly less flammable than gasoline or other fuels."

            - written by William Hoagland

My View:
In terms of its potential to ignite, I'd be more concerned with hydrogen.  As seen from the graph, hydrogen is flammable at a very wide range (4% to 70% hydrogen mixed with air), whereas gasoline and natural gas have much narrower ranges.  Also, the amount of energy required to ignite the mixture of gas with air is lower for hydrogen than gasoline.  This means that with the right mixture of hydrogen with air, a small static spark could ignite the hydrogen, whereas it would take a higher-energy spark (like from a sparkplug) to ignite gasoline.  This figure compares the flammability of various fuels with the ignition energy required to make them go kaboom. 

However, in terms of gas diffusion (the ability of the gas to spread out into the air), I'd be more concerned with  gasoline.  Hydrogen is the lightest element in the universe, and therefore, disperses quickly up into the air when it escapes its container.  Gasoline vapors, on the other hand, do not rise. Rather, they linger around the source of the gasoline (and often need to be forced away with a fan).  So, if a leak occurs in either type of fuel tank outdoors, the danger for an explosion will be present for only a short amount of time with hydrogen, whereas the danger will linger with gasoline.

The other key difference between the two fuels, is that with hydrogen in most vehicle applications to date (exculding GM's HydroGEN3 and some of Daimler Chysler's NeCars, which use liquid hydrogen), hydrogen gas is stored at extremely high pressures, whereas gasoline is always stored at room pressure and temperature.  To accommodate these pressures, the tanks holding hydrogen are much stronger and resistant to punctures in the case of an accident, but if does occur, the gas will escape in a violent jet stream of hydrogen gas that can ignite.  Since hydrogen is also one of the smallest molecules, and therefore escapes containers more easily.  These tanks are tested extensively to avoid any of these situations, but the risk still remains. 

With hydrogen, if there is a fire near the tank and the pressure starts to rise inside the tank (since gas expands when heated), there is a special safety device on all fuel cell cars called a Pressure Relief Device (or Temperature Relief Device) which will open and let the gas escape from the tank.  This ensures that the pressure doesn't explode due to pressure build up.  When the PRD opens, a jet stream of hydrogen gas is released from the back, side, or top of the car.  This can be quite dangerous if it ignites, because you may not be able to see the flame, which leads us to the next paragraph.

What happens when hydrogen ignites?  Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless gas, and burns with a nearly invisible flame in daylight (you can kind of see a blue flame if it's dark).  If hydrogen ignites it is very hard to detect because, first, the flame is nearly invisible, and second, it's heat is nearly undetectable until you are practically in the flame.  This is because there is no carbon in hydrogen gas, thus there is nothing to radiate heat (when you have a campfire, you see and feel the flame because the carbon atoms in wood get hot and emit radiant heat and light).  This can be both an advantage and disadvantage.  If you're trapped in a car, and there is a fire under the car, the PRD will open, releasing the hydrogen gas to the atmosphere.  Even if this stream catches on fire, you will not be harmed by the flame because it's pointed away from the car and emits little heat.  However, if you're trying to rescue someone from the car and you don't know about the hydrogen jet stream, you could walk right into the flame without feeling its warmth until you're right in it (at which point you could be seriously burned). .

Also, hydrogen is non-toxic if inhaled, but is dangerous only in that it displaces oxygen.  So if you breathe a lot of it, the hydrogen won't kill you, but the lack of oxygen might.

For the complete facts about Hydrogen, go to Air Products (the definitive expert in hydrogen handling and safety) site on hydrogen.

THE BOTTOM LINE:  I've fueled and defueled hydrogen tanks at 3600 and 5000 psi, and driven in several hydrogen fuel cell cars. I do not feel threatened by the fuel.  In fact, I'd drive in a fuel cell car with compressed hydrogen gas any day of the week (and twice on Sundays). 

Like the squid, most of us just know many myths and few facts about hydrogen.  Hopefully, you've come away with a better understanding of its dangers as a fuel.  Maybe now you think hydrogen's just another fish in the sea...

 
(he's kind of cute, actually)

 

Or maybe you're terrified...     

 
(Oh, the humanity!)

 

Either way...

                                  

 

 

4. Ballard, Willy Wonka, and the Everlasting Gobstopper

In late October, Geoff Ballard came to UC-Davis to share his time with the ITS students and engage us in a captivating brain-storm session.  He answered questions, and challenged us to think about what transportation will look like in 10-15 years.  One point he highlighted is that of the 3.8 billion people in China, India, and Indonesia, only 12% of the people have cars.  Clearly, if you want to make money selling cars in the next 20 years, set your sights on Asia.  The Big 3 have caught on to this, some quicker than others.  Honda, VW, and GM  have established close ties with China's auto companies, and achieved significant market share.

 
Here we are with Geoff.

Dr Ballard is kind of like the Willy Wonka of the fuel cell world.  Though he didn’t invent fuel cells, he brought the technology “down to earth” (considering it was previously only used in space shuttles) and into popular culture during his reign at Ballard Power Systems.  Also like Wonka, he's involved in a mysterious new venture up in Vancouver at his new company, General Hydrogen, which he is very secretive about (despite my probing questions during the session) .  Though I have not had to the good fortune to get the "golden ticket" tour, I believe they are trying to develop their own "everlasting gobstopper", a new hydrogen product that will revolutionize the energy and transportation industry and bring his concept of “hydricity” to fruition.  To achieve this, they have partnered with the world's largest auto company, the largest hydrogen supplier, the largest supplier of Uranium, and the largest natural resources company. (I wouldn't be surprised is they starting acquiring small countries) 

 
(click on me, I dare you)

As explained on their website, "General Hydrogen foresees the convergence of hydrogen and electricity as the dominant modes of energy service delivery. We believe this process will create a new composite energy currency - Hydricity™.  General Hydrogen’s business is to provide energy delivery technologies, systems and infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles and devices based upon our proprietary Hydricity™ Energy Delivery Standard." For more information, visit "www.generalhydrogen.com".

Geoff Ballard is a visionary and a dreamer, much like Wonka, but he is getting older.  One day, I hope to be like Augustus Gloop and fall in a big vat of hydrogen... Just kidding, I want to be like Charlie and carry on his torch.  My first move would be to reinstate Oompa-loompa affirmative action (Man, they've really gotten shafted over the years!)

(click on this picture for a surprise)

 
 

5. The Mind Monsoon Sessions

After Geoff’s brainstorm session with us, we students were inspired to form a group of our own to brainstorm on topics related to hydrogen and transportation.  Thus we have formed the Hydrogen Mind-Monsoon Sessions.   Using Geoff Ballard’s business strategy approach, we discuss interesting questions related to creating a hydrogen economy such as:
    1. What will vehicles and fueling stations look like in 15 yrs, or in 10 yrs and how will "fueling" take place?
    2. What are some “killer” applications for fuel cells, or "killer" demonstration projects for hydrogen infrastructure?
    3. What unique policies could be implemented by government to promote hydrogen as a fuel?

I have also shared with them my idea of circumnavigating the world in a fuel cell car, and have received positive feedback.   My intent is to collectively evaluate this idea and other ideas from the team to create a realistic, worthwhile project to undertake over the next four years (though of course, we each have commitments to our classes and research first).

Thus, after an incredible Phase 1,2, and 3 of Fuel Cell Trek, Phase 4 , "Assembling the Team" has begun, and we are about 9-10 strong.  We will be brewing ideas and plans over the next several months, and taking field trips to various companies and labs throughout California.  Where we go together from here is still yet unknown, though after two sessions with these people, the path looks promising.

 
       Phase I                  Phase II                Phase III                                 Phase IV

(click on picture for details of each phase)

 

6. Kids Like Fuel Cells: Adventures in Teaching

Teaching about fuel cells has become a big part of my life over the past year, and has been undoubtedly the most fun part of my job.  I have been fortunate to have a few teaching experiences with both kids and adults.  In a tiny coastal town in Southern California, I brought Ford’s P2000 to the Martin Luther King middle school to talk to the students about fuel cells and then give them rides in the car.

 

I also gave a presentation to about one hundred 6-12th grade science teachers at Sacramento State University about fuel cells, hydrogen, and how to incorporate it into their curriculum.  To download the presentation I used (most of which comes Heliocentris and the CaFCP, click Fuel Cell Presentation.

My favorite experience, shown in the pictures below, was teaching fuel cells and hydrogen to a group of students (grades 6-12) interested in engineering and science.  The audio-visual technology failed, so we had to go the old-school route, but ended up having a rousing, Plato-esque discussion using simple questions and the chalkboard.  This was the best discussion I’ve ever had about fuel cells.  They asked so many good questions, and each question led me through all the material I had originally prepared to present, so they stayed engaged, and I covered everything I intended to.  Here are some pictures:



This is me with my dank "Hydrogen" t-shirt.  Click here to order one.



 

 7. "What Will Move You?"



ITS-Davis will be hosting a student conference June 26 &27, entitled “What Will Move You”, exploring the topics of advanced propulsion technologies, new mobility, alternative fuels, innovative public transit, and relevant transportation policy.  We will be sending out a massive call for abstracts within the next few weeks, and all graduate students with research in the following areas are encouraged to submit.  Generous travel stipends are available for student presenters.  If you know of anyone who would be interested, have them visit www.its.ucdavis.edu/IGERT.

 

8. Fuel Cells in the Redwoods: The Schatz Energy Research Center

 
Here are two friends, Joshua Cuningham from UC-Davis who now works for UTC Fuel Cells, and Antonio from the Schatz Energy Research Center (SERC) at Humboldt State University in California.  Sorry, but I can't show you any pictures of the inside lab.

The SERC has been making their own fuel cells for years, and were among the first to put them in cars.   Joshua and I took a trip there last summer to check out their lab.  Very impressive! Led by Peter Lehman and Charles Chamberlin, they've designed and built electrolyzers for H2 production, and are also building fuel cell test benches, one of which was recently delivered to the University of Michigan for their fuel cell modeling program.

 

9. OIL: How Wonderful Life is, While You're in the World
Click for a musical tribute to Oil

"It's a little bit funny..." how people tend to give oil and oil companies a bad rap without realizing how much it has shaped the 20th century, how much we depend on it for happiness, and how much it has greatly improved the world's standard of living.  I'm in the process of reading The Prize, by Daniel Yergin, which discusses the complete history of oil since the late 1800s, all the way from Rockefellar to Desert Storm.

To understand the future of our energy system, it's important to understand the past, which since the early 1900's, has been dominated by an explosion in oil use.  The consequences of this boom have had long-lasting, far-reaching impacts.  For example, Winston Churchill's decision to switch his Navy's fleet from coal power to oil powered engines was a critical factor in deciding the outcome of World War I.  Furthermore, the seeds of the Russian revolution of 1917 were planted in the oil boom-town, Baku, during the early 1900s, where the underground rebel paper "Iskra" was printed and covertly distributed using the far-reaching oil transport lines.  The environmentalists back then probably jumped for joy when oil was discovered because it took the burden off the decimated whale population, whose blubber was previously the best source for lamp oil, which was still so expensive only the elite could "burn the midnight oil". 

While our dependence on this substance is a major problem, oil itself is awesome.  I don't know about you, but I like not having chapped lips (oh, fast cars and plastic are pretty good too.)

                        
Two books any energy enthusiast should read to understand how it was in the beginning, is now, and shall one day be...

 

10. The Whale Slayer

Speaking of whales, I received an interesting email from the following Swedish ship captain (since Fuel Cell Trek is now on Google, I'm reaching a more "diverse" audience, as you'll see):

"Mr. Weinert,
I am curious about fuel cells to power my new whaling boat. I am planning an expedition to the Alaskan waters. I am researching methods to reduce noise and detection by authorities.  My boat is named the Whale Slayer, and is registered under the Russian flag, though operated by a Swedish crew. It is 59 feet. The beam is 20 feet. It is currently powered by two Detroit Diesel 892's.  My problem is that the diesels often alert local authorities to our presence and foil our expeditions.  The United States government is not friendly to whalers. We are interested in fuel cells as an alternative power source to reduce noise, but are curious of their output. Basically, can they power our vessel and the large freezers required to freeze the fresh whales?

Please contact via this email. Thank you"

It's definitely an "interesting" niche market, though I guess it never occurred to me that fuel cells could be used to do bad stuff just as well as good stuff. 

 

11. SlideShow Bob presents:

Not to be confused with Sideshow Bob (left) or Sponge Bob (middle), though equally as strange, Slideshow Bob (on right) will guide you through the following Ofoto Slideshows.

               
                                       

- Friends I've made (or managed to keep) along the way (click here first for the slide-show music)**

- Slide Show from Journal IV

***These links will direct you to Ofoto, where you will first need to register (a simple process), then you'll get to see the pictures.  The nice thing about this is you can print any of the pictures you see.
 

(By the way, Bob is actually my cousin)

12. Quotes 

"Be impatient, Challenge the normal.  Question conventional wisdom.  Trust yourself and speak out what you believe.  If what you believe is different, dare to be different.  Dare to be in a hurry to change things for the better" 
                                - Geoffrey Ballard (advice to University of Victoria graduating class)

"The solution to the chicken-and-egg dilemma is a no-brainer.  We're going to do an apples-to-apples comparison of paradigm-shifting devices, which we expect to be commercial in 5-10 years.  Then, we'll utilize public-private partnerships to "leap-frog" these technologies into the market.  This robust approach should create a win-win situation for all stakeholders." 
                                - Speaker at any fuel cell conference in the 21st century. 

"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil.  More and more of our imports come from overseas"
                                - George Bush (if you don't find this funny, re-read)

"Don't dream it...Be it"    
                                - Rocky Horror Picture Show (sung by my favorite transsexual ;-))

"There is no future, there is no past,
thank God this moment's not the last.
There's only us, there's only this,
forget regret, or life is yours to miss.
No other road, no other way,
no day but today."
                                - Rent

"The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began,
And I will follow if I can
Pursuing it with eager feet
Until it meets some larger way,
And whither then, I cannot say."

                                   -J.R.R. Tolkein

13. The End
No matter what conclusion you've come to about hydrogen and fuel cells during this journal, I've come to a conclusion of my own.  Even if fuel cells and hydrogen take my whole lifetime to achieve commercialization (and they just might) and even if they fade out (not likely), the past year and a half have been the most exciting times of my life;  I love my work, my research, my environment, and most of all, the people I'm surrounded by.  The possibilities I see over these next few years alongside these people seem endless.  I will continue down this path with eager feet.

Love, (closing sound-byte from me)

Jonathan                

P.S. if you're still unclear what the "beast" is, click here

Dear Friends and Family,
The hope of this letter is to teach you a few things I've learned since this all began, and let you know what I’ve been involved in over these past two and a half months.  It has undoubtedly been the most interesting part of the trip so far.  

The California Fuel Cell Partnership
The day after I arrived, I started my internship with Ford at the California Fuel Cell Partnership.  In a nutshell, the CaFCP is:
"a unique collaborative of auto manufacturers, energy companies, fuel cell technology companies, and government agencies...advancing fuel cell vehicle technology to hopefully move the world toward practical and affordable environmental solutions. For the first time ever, automobile companies and fuel suppliers have joined together to demonstrate fuel cell vehicles under real day-to-day driving conditions. The California Fuel Cell Partnership expects to place up to 60 fuel cell passenger cars and fuel cell buses on the road between 2000 and 2003. In addition to testing the fuel cell vehicles, the partnership is examining fuel infrastructure issues and beginning to prepare the California market for this new technology.
Specifically, the partnership aims to achieve four main goals:
    •    Demonstrate vehicle technology by operating and testing the vehicles under real-world conditions in California;
    •    Demonstrate the viability of alternative fuel infrastructure technology, including hydrogen and methanol stations;
    •    Explore the path to commercialization, from identifying potential problems to developing solutions; and
    •    Increase public awareness and enhance opinion about fuel cell electric vehicles, preparing the market for commercialization. "
To explain to you how it works here, the CaFCP is one huge building which is sectioned off into 9 parts.  One part is the main office where everyone gets together and the CaFCP staff reside.  The other 8 parts are identical section in which each auto partner (like Honda, DC, Toyota, GM) has an office area, and a garage bay to work on their FCVs.  Behind these bays sits one of the few hydrogen vehicle fueling stations in the world and one of the only methanol stations.  Surprisingly, all the auto partners here get along, and there is really a spirit of cooperation, despite the traditionally fierce competition between them.  Just this week, we ran into a bind and Nissan was there to help us out and lend us equipment.  The energy companies (like BP, Shell, ExonMobil) and government partners (like the DOE, CARB) are off site, yet they visit regularly for scheduled meetings and events.
So far, it has been exactly what I'd been hoping for.  Right away, I attended some very interesting meetings and met some of the key players in the energy, automotive, and government sector of the FC&H2 industry.  Since I started, I've assisted in diagnosing, disassembling, and reassembling parts of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV).  I've performed fueling and defueling tests on advanced prototype hydrogen storage tanks. I also organized and led FCV Education & Outreach activities in three major West Coast cities.  The people here are great, and my boss and I go rock-climbing, mountain biking, and snowboarding together.
Each day here, I am living and breathing the things I could only read about back home in Michigan: fuel cell vehicles, the hydrogen economy, hydrogen tanks, fueling infrastructure, education and outreach strategies, codes and standards issues.  There are definitely many hurdles to overcome yet before a hydrogen economy can become a reality.  I’ve come to learn that the obstacles facing fuel cells and the path to a hydrogen economy are monumental.  With that in mind, I still believe that this will be the way and am committed to making it happen sooner.

University of California-Davis: Go the Aggies!
 
I recently began taking classes at UC-Davis.  My favorite class is "Transportation in Developing Countries", in which we're learning about the complexity and problems of transportation systems in the developing world.  These regions will experience tremendous growth over this next century, so it's critical that they implement both an  economically and environmentally sustainable transportation system.  Our class is made up of about 10 students from China, India, Korea, and the US.  The global perspective each student brings adds so much to the class.  I'm going to do my research paper on exploring the path to --or the appropriateness of-- a hydrogen-based economy in Shang-hai, China. 

This campus rocks the house!  Bikes and bike paths are everywhere, and a small, enchanting downtown area is nestled adjacently east of campus.  I live out on the outskirts of town, right next to a golf course and farmland as far as the eye can see.  One night I tried to sleep out on the golfcourse, but was roused in the middle of the night by a pack of hungry coyotes circling my camp.  Needless to say, I didn’t sleep out there anymore.

The air is so pure here; on a good day, you can see mountain ranges off to the East and West, since Davis is centered in the great N.California valley.  This valley is one of the most fertile plains in the world, so the fruits and vegetables are “hella fresh” (as you might hear a local Nor Calian describe it).

On Cars
I’ve learned that one of the most critical problems affecting our on-going pursuit of happiness is motorization.  Motorization is defined as the increased use of motor vehicles for personal transport.  We (the developed world) all got ‘em, they (the developing world) all want ‘em.  What do we do with ‘em?
 The Problem:  if we let things continue as is, motorization will increasingly reduce petroleum resources, intensifying the monopoly on the world’s petroleum reserves, thereby creating increased levels of economic and political instability throughout the world.  Burning fossil fuels will increase CO2 emissions, increasing the effects of global warming, which could also render harsh economic consequences.  Like dynamite and nukes, the very invention that has transformed our world for the better, could end up hurting us in far greater ways.
 The Solution: As I see it, there are two solutions. 
                1) Reduce motorization    
                                AND/OR
                2) Eliminate the negative effects of motorization. 

For example, one can encourage more public transportation, which will take cars off the road, reducing motorization.  Alternately, one can develop cars which use fuels other than petroleum and which emit no CO2.  Since people love the freedom cars offer, and since it is very difficult to change public behavior, I believe the latter solution is most feasible.  This is why I’m so fascinated with the study of fuel cells and of hydrogen production and distribution.
 
Yoda and Hydrogen: A Poultry Dilemma
Another interesting thing I read outside of class was about the challenge for the movie industry to switch to digital film.  It’s superior to regular film, but very few producers film digitally because it’s expensive, and few movie theatres have the proper digital projectors.  Hardly any theatres have these projectors because they’re expensive, and because few producers film their movies digitally.  Sounds like the classic chicken-and-the egg dilemma.  What comes first?

This very same poultry dilemma faces the Fuel Cell/Hydrogen Industry.   Auto companies will not commit to producing FCVs until there are fueling stations for customers to fuel them.  Energy companies will not install these stations until there are FCVs to fuel-up there.  What comes first?

(Realistically though, the Hydrogen infrastructure issue is not nearly this simple; it's not just about getting the fueling stations out there.  The infrastructure issues of compressed hydrogen gas storage are considerable, partly due to safety concerns.  For example, fire codes will not permit you to park a hydrogen gas powered vehicle in your garage becuase if it leaked overnight, the ceiling mounted garage-door opener could ignite the gas-air mixture when activated.  There are ways around this, but not for free.  This is just one example that illustrates how complicated the hydrogen infrastructure issue is.  Mechanics need to be trained, and service facilities and underground parking garages need to be modified to be able to accept FCVs, to name just a few challenges.)
What both industries need much more than rhetoric and conferences, is a superior product that the people want more than anything, a product that they can not do without, that will leave them saying, “How did we ever manage without this?” 

Fortunately for the digital film industry, George Lucas is shooting his next Star Wars movie digitally, and many theatres are putting up the dollars to convert because it's such a hot product.  This could be just the solution to the digital film industry’s dilemma.
What the world needs now to solve the motorization problem is a petroleum-free personal transportation product that is so good, so useful, so simple, people will wait in line up and down the street (dressed in Ewok costumes, hopefully) to get the first one.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!
Consequently, considering this last thought, and the previously mentioned ideas in mind, I am considering changing the focus of Fuel Cell Trek.  While education and outreach (a.k.a. Marketing) are vital and necessary, it is ineffective without a great product.  A product that is truly superior will sell by itself (do you remember anyone ever teaching you about cell phones).  As of yet, there is no great product on the market, though the auto giants are trying (and small companies, like Hypercar, are trying too).  The FCV products I’ve seen are still too expensive, and too impractical (insufficient driving ranges, bulky gas storage, few added features).
I am considering changing the goal of the FCTrek Team (not yet formed) to develop an FCV that is a product people will actually want with added features that will justify it’s higher cost. Once created, perhaps then we will take it around the world to prove just how damn good it is.   Though it's too early to disclose the complete idea, riddle me this, Batman:   
When is a car, not a car?       (and no, the answer is not, "when it's ajar")

When it's a portable power plant!  The concept of this product is not new, but I don’t think it is given quite enough emphasis.  A fuel cell engine enables one to produce high-voltage, high-quality electricity wherever you drive.  This electricity could be used by contractors building a house; a family with a cottage in the boonies who could plug it (yes, the cabin) into their car for the weekend; worn out rock-stars like Sammy Hagar that want to put on a bootylicious concert at a park or on the beach.  Just as cars gave us freedom from the pre-determined routes of railroad tracks, fuel cell cars may provide freedom from the pre-determined routes of electric utility lines.  

Good News, Bad News
    •    I was recently accepted into MIT’s Technology and Policy graduate program.  I’m trying out the UC-Davis program this quarter, and I must make a decision by June 15.  Right now, I'm trying to weigh all the factors, but mostly I'm trying to conclude which program would provide the best education for what I want to study. Namely:
    - Hydrogen infrastructure development
    - Fuel cell systems for transportation and distributed generation
The bad news is that this has made it so difficult to make a decision and I've been wrestling with it in my mind non-stop for the past month.  I'm pretty close to a decision, but if you know about these schools' involvement or research in my preferred areas, or have any words of advice, I would value your feedback.
    •    I found some long-lost cousins that live outside of Davis in the foothills of some mountains.  They have me over for great dinners, I ride their tractor, and they teach me how to throw knives (pretty standard, really).  We should be moving up to axes and martial arts (Hapkido) in the next month. It's nice to have a home away from home when all alone and on your own.
    •    Fuel Cell Trek has turned 500.  That is, I've reached the 500 milestone on my hit counter (though at least 50 of those are from from me alone).  Thank you all for your interest. 
    •    I went snowboarding in about twenty inches of fresh Sierra powder up near Lake Tahoe.  I’ve never felt such flow, freedom, and exhilaration.  I fell on my head no less than thirty times, and never had a better time.
 
Fuel Cell Trek Adventures:  Outreach  
The original intent of Fuel Cell Trek has begun sooner than I would have thought.  So far, I’ve traveled to four major West coast cities to teach the general public about fuel cell and hydrogen technology, demonstrate this technology with an actual drivable car, and talk to local television and radio media.

In mid-April, I did this for four days in Portland, Oregon at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.  I had Ford’s P2000 fuel cell car, a fuel cell/electrolyzer demonstration, and a FC video to help explain the technology from the molecular level, all the way to application level.  Watching people’s looks of disbelief when I turned the car on for them, seeing kids’ eyes light up when I tell them that pure water comes out of the tailpipe, and letting four year olds sit in the driver’s seat and clutch the wheel make this job fun.  Two local TV news networks and two radio stations showed up to cover the event and interview me about fuel cell technology.

I also worked an event in San Diego that let me talk to hundreds of science teachers about fuel cells & hydrogen, show them Ford’s fuel cell car, and actually giving them fast rides in the car.  This happened at the National Science Teacher’s Association Convention at the end of March.  It was incredible how much the teachers glowed with enthusiasm and curiosity about the technology.  They couldn’t wait to get back home and teach their students about it, show them proof that fuel cell cars actually exist, and that they sat or drove in one.

In San Francisco, I displayed Ford’s fuel cell car at the San Francisco Academy of Science.  They held the middle school Science Fair competition here, and we gave the winners rides in the car.  Parents, kids, and visitors of Golden Gate Park crowded around the car to learn more about the new paradigm in automotive technology.  A local cable station, Tech TV, filmed this event and aired it the following Monday.

My very first event was in Sacramento, where Ford, Honda, Toyota, and the California Fuel Cell Partnership displayed and explained FC vehicles to legislative staffers and the public.  Governor Gray Davis’ Senior Energy Policy advisor, Woody Clark, was in attendance.

On Sustainability and Religion
What does "Sustainable" mean?  I needed to ask that question myself, because this term is thrown around so much.  One of the most commonly agreed upon definitions is (paraphrased):
"A sutainable condition for this planet is one in which there is a stability for both social and physical systems, achieved through meeting the needs of the present without compomising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs."                                                                                                                           - United Nations World Comission 
Future Generations. To me, this gives a whole new spin on the teaching of living one's life based on the hope/certainty of life after death.  I guess I really do believe in life after death; other people’s life after my death.

Thanks
I'd like to thank Anthony, my boss, for trusting me to be a good little intern for the summer and hiring me.  It's been a fantastic job so far.   Thank you to the Partnership people for welcoming me to this special place and being so kind and neighborly to me.  Thank you the Delphi people for teaching me all the stuff that I'm just now realizing I've learned; about how to trouble-shoot, test, work, communicate.  It was a valuable experience.  Thanks to everyone whose given me advice on where to go to grad school.  You've each pointed me to some important considerations.  Thanks to Dan and the other UC-Davis people (Aggies) for welcoming me to the program and for putting up with my indecision. Thanks to friends and family who have emailed or called since I've been gone.  I miss you, and love hearing from you.
 
Quotes
One interesting quote I gathered from my class reading, though more related to life than transportation, is:
    "It is hardly possible to overrate the value…of placing human beings in contact with persons dissimilar to themselves, and        with modes of thought and action unlike those with which they are familiar…Such communication has always been, and is        peculiarly in the present, one of the primary sources of progress.” - J.S. Mill, Priciples of Political Economy
            

    "Men themselves have wondered
             What they see in me
             They try so much
             But they can't touch
             My inner mystery.
             When I try to show them
             They say they still can't see...
             I'm a woman...phenomenally."  - Maya Angelou, Phenomenal Woman
                                                            (for Liz, Mom, Julia, Grandma, and all the rest)

"I think my car's just fine.  I like burning dinosaurs." - some guy at one of my fuel cells outreach events

"They say the darkest hour, is right before the dawn." - Paul Kelly

crépuscule n. m.
1. Lumière diffuse qui précède le lever du soleil ou qui suit son coucher. (Diffuse light which preceeds the sun's rise or which follows it's setting.)
                                                      Which is it for you?

Well, I hope this hasn't been a complete waste of your time and that you might have learned something new.  If you get the chance, check out my new re-vamped webpage (with an exciting new cover page: )). And if you're going to the 2002 World Hydrogen Energy Conference in June, I look forward to seeing you in Montreal.

Jonathan

P.S. Check out Jack Johnson, a new up-and-coming surfer turned musician from out this way: "Bubble Toes", and "Flake" are the kindest songs.  This guy's awesome!

Dear Friends,

The East Coast Tour is now COMPLETE.  I’ve crossed the Great Plains, and am now in Colorado!! The following letter is an account of what has happened between leaving home and now.  If you’re not interested in reading the entire letter, at least proceed to the Special Thanks section.

(To those who I haven’t spoken to in a while or who are not familiar with the recent activity in my life, I’ve been engaged in a new project over these past six months, and which could last many more years.  My goal is to circumnavigate the world in a fuel cell vehicle in order to educate the public about this new technology and hasten its global commercialization.  A detailed explanation of my plan can be found on my website, www.fuelcelltrek.com.  This is my first distribution letter regarding this plan, which concerns the second phase, Take-Off.)

Take-Off: The East Coast Tour

On January 14th, once the final luggage was stowed in my car, I said my good-byes and drove East through Cananda to Rochester, New York

Rochester, NY:

I arrived at Delphi Rochester early in the morning and began my tour of their fuel cell facility.  It was here that I saw my first dissected fuel cell.  I also learned how they are made and saw the devices used to test the stacks and the reformers.  Delphi has been making some significant progress recently on their stacks and reformer, and been forming some important relationships with other organizations.  It will be interesting to follow their progress.  Before leaving, I was offered an internship with this group.

I then went to GM’s Global Alternative Propulsion Center, a clandestine building lacking any logo whatsoever, located discreetly in the quaint town of Honeoye Falls, NY.  I interviewed with a gentleman in charge of the internship program, and while they were reluctant to release much information about their operations and their facility, I did learn more about GM’s fuel cell activity and future plans.  It was noteworthy to see the frame of a giant building being constructed right next door.  They are clearly expanding, and possibly adding a manufacturing facility. 

I then made the long drive through the rest of the state, to the tiny town of Rhinebeck, located right on the bank of the Hudson River near the south-eastern part of the state.  Here I met the journalist Peter Hoffman, author of the “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Letter” and Tomorrow’s Energy, for dinner.  It was great to finally meet the writer of the book and newsletters from which I derived so much value over the past 6 months.  I also learned a bit about his history and long-time involvement in the FC/H2 industry, which was interesting.  

Boston:

I then traversed the rest of the distance to the Atlantic Coast, arriving in Boston Monday night.  In the morning I met with three MIT professors, who provided great insights about the Technology and Policy graduate program, the Materials Science department’s research on Solid-Oxide fuel cells, and MIT’s grad school as a whole.  I also learned the difference between “green” and “brown” universities.  The green ones tend to have a bias toward environmental problems and solutions, whereas brown ones look at the cold hard facts, the numbers, the economics, without a slant toward any particular solution.  Apparently, MIT is one of the “brown” schools.   

I also visited my old boss, who is now the Vice-President of Acumentrics, a promising fuel cell company that specializes in Tubular Solid-Oxide fuel cells.  They’ve made some recent breakthroughs in design that have significantly enhanced their performance, and lowered their cost.  He led me through their lab where they actually make and test the fuel cell tubes.  It was great to hear his perspective on the industry and how they view themselves as a strong competitor in the stationary power market.  Expect an IPO from them within the next 12 months.

My last stop in Boston was the company where I was a summer intern in 1999, HEC (now Select Energy).  It was great to see the familiar faces, talk to old friends, and gather some valuable advice.  HEC was actually involved in the biggest stationary fuel cell installation in the world last year.
 
Princeton:

What a beautiful University!  I rode my bike around the campus for a bit, before finally locating the Professors I wanted to talk to.  Joan Ogden and Bob Williams, who have been researching hydrogen production and infrastructure issues for quite some time, were actually wrapping up a hydrogen related meeting involving BP and Ford when I saw them.  Joan and I talked for a bit about her research and Princeton’s graduate program, then gave me a few of her research papers.  She was very friendly, and very helpful; I was glad to finally meet her after reading so much about her. 

Washington D.C.:

I then made the drive from Princeton to D.C., where UC-Davis and the Transportation Research Board were hosting a Fuel Cell Workshop.  This was the big event I had been looking forward to, and it was way better than I expected.  Thursday morning, the conference hall started filling up with people from all different industries, and from all over the country.  There were representatives from Ford, Toyota, the United States Fuel Cell Council, Department of Defense, US Navy, International Association of Hydrogen Energy, Argonne National Lab, Union of Concerned Scientists, the EPA, the DOE, US Army Corps of Engineers, lobbyists from D.C. representing the petroleum and methanol fuel industry, and the director of a major California mass-transit company.  Parts of the conference were even recorded by National Public Radio. 

The director of UC-Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, along with researcher scientists and graduate students from the University, gave several presentations addressing concerns such as how fuel cells work, which fuel will be most appropriate for running them (hydrogen, methanol, or reformed gasoline), what their potential markets are and how will they be targeted, and what different applications exist for fuel cells besides motive power for vehicles. 

Industry representatives from Ford and Toyota presented on the status of their fuel cell programs, and gave their outlook for the future.  A representative from the Union of Concerned Scientists also addressed the policy issues behind alternative fuel vehicles, and discussed the mechanics of policies: how they work, and how they don’t work.

All in all, it was a great workshop.  I got to know many of the attendees, as well as the presenters.  It was interesting to hear the perspectives of people who had been involved professionally with this technology for years, even decades.  These people understood the benefits this technology can offer, but more importantly, they knew what difficulties must still be overcome to make it commercially viable. 

It was here that I realized how difficult it’s going to be to drive a fuel cell car around the world.  I actually saw and touched my first fuel cell vehicle, brought by Ford, which gave me quite an appreciation for the cost (~$5 million), complexity (hydrogen storage is a major issue), and rarity (there are less than 100 fuel cell cars in the entire world today).  
I’ve got a long road ahead of me.


Virginia:

After a weekend in Charlottesville at the U VA campus, I visited Doug Nelson of Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, VA.  He runs the Center for Automotive Fuel Cell Systems, and is in charge of the Future Truck team, which is in the process of constructing a hybrid fuel cell vehicle out of a Ford Explorer.  He teaches a class on fuel cell systems, and has been actively involved in the alternative vehicle world for many years.  Doug showed me around the garage where they are building the vehicle, and the lab, which is dedicated to testing mostly PEM type fuel cell systems. 

Tennesee:

In Knoxville, TN, I met with David Greene of the National Transportation Research Center, a division of the Oak Ridge National Lab.  David was generous enough to have lunch with me, and share with me his perspective on the industry, mainly on the policy side of things.  He is one of the major policy consultants in the transportation industry, one who creates and evaluates the different transportation policies (examples of these types of policies are the mandate for a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles to be sold, or forcing automotive companies to increase their average fuel economy of the cars they sell.) 

It’s interesting to see how policy plays a role in technology development and commercialization.  Certain groups will lobby the government to create laws that will, for example, help hydrogen production technology thrive.  Other groups will lobby for eeping the petroleum industry on top.  This influences which policies are considered, and which ones are thrown in the trash. 

People like David Greene carefully examine policies to determine what effect, both good and bad, they will have on the consumer.  If you pay a marginal amount more for a car that’s environmentally friendly, are you really going to derive that marginal amount of value in clean air, a healthier living environment, and general well being?  This is the complex question that people on Capitol Hill have been arguing for years, and this is what I want to understand fully.  Technology and Policy go hand in hand, and I want to study this relationship in Graduate school.


Special Thanks:
 
I addition to thanking all the people who were kind enough to meet with me, I’d also like to thank all the people who have put me up for the night, and treated me with warm hospitality. 

Thank you to the Monacelli’s, who graciously opened up their house to me in Rochester, NY.  Thanks Zach Bower for a place to crash in Boston, though I wish I could have stayed longer and visited more.  Thanks Brendan for the dinner in Connecticut. Thanks Matias for taking me out in New York City on a Monday night, even though you had to work the next day, and for your fierce dog almost tearing me to bits.  Thank you Harry for letting me stay at your “interesting” apartment in downtown DC for three nights.  I’m glad we got to catch up again.  Thank you Martin for having me at your place in Charlottesville all weekend, and for you, Ferris, and Komer taking me out to that awesome restaurant and the Buddhist Biker Bar.  Thanks to those ATOs at Virginia Tech, who, without ever seeing my face before, treated me with such Southern hospitality by taking me out to play pool, and putting me up for the night.  Thanks to Terry and Sandy Cole, who had me at their house in Casper, Wyoming for three days.  They entertained me, fed me, introduced me to their family, and plum wore me out running and cross-country skiing.  And finally, thank you Baumer for skiing with me on the slopes of Steamboat Springs, for opening up your house to me, and for excellent computer support. I couldn’t have done this without any of you.  You’ve kept my body rested, my stomach full, and my spirits high.

I’d also like to express my deep appreciation for all of you back home or in Chicago, who have supported me so much in the past six months leading up to this expedition.  Thank you Mom, Dad, Julia, Gabe, Liz, Brandon, Andrew, Jason, Dan, Neum, Brian, Mike C., Greg, Lindsay, Pritchard, Collier, Carrier, Baumer, Summer, my pledge class and fraternity brothers, the girls of 1010 East U, Jim G., Brandon Z., the Hampton posse (Mary, Ken, Marty, and Gary), Nancy and Wendel, and my other friends, family, and teachers for listening to me, giving me advice, and for your faith, hope, and love.  I miss you all, and love you all. 

This week, I begin my interviews and meetings West of the Continental Divide.  Wish me luck

Take care, and best of luck to all of you,
Love,
Jonathan
www.fuelcelltrek.com