Hey Mark,

Thanks for this very timely post. I'm doing everything a layman can (considering that I also have to make a living) to be involved in these issues.

Steve Alten, author of The Shell Game, believes that we've passed the peak oil level.

That's scary, when you consider that it's due to our reliance on fossil fuels that is the foundation of the economy. (If it's true that food prices are going up because of fuel prices...that's something to be concerned about.)

No matter what ones opinion of what alternate fuel solution is out there, it has to come about. More to the point at this time is the fact that the economic crisis we now face is in other hands than our own government.

We have allowed ourselves to be sold out to China and the Middle East. It is going to take a lot more than what I am not hearing from our so called candidates and political parties to bring about the change, which seems to be the by word in this so called election.

Has anyone heard anything of substance about any issue from a candidate to date? We need to demand that whom ever is elected, face these all to real problems. They need to offer some kind of solution, or at least a plan, by which we at least might place our goals on a path to achieve something other than dependence of fossil fuel, and the credit and good will of countries such as China and Saudi Arabia.

I am not as astute as all of the young geniuses I see on the internet.
But as I was growing up in the 40's and 50's this Country was IN CONTROL of its fuel production.

It still can be, since we own more reserves than are available in the Mid-east. Just have to get off our elitist butts and let the market work.

Just one announcement that we are opening up our own resource would send a shock wave to the single economy Countries who think they Have us by the Huevos.

I never had to be Politically Correct to get my businesses in line.

Mark,

Clearly organized thoughts. Thanks. Here in The United States of Australia we have vast, hot, sun-drenched deserts that could base your solar networks, generating humongous megawatts of solar power. Every coastline in the world has breezes for wind power and tides for tidal generation. There is a need for billions of capital to be diverted into these alternative projects but I suspect the billions are not in the hands of 'the inventors and innovators.' Rather the status quo folk.

Geoff Dodd
Perth, Australia

Dear Mark,

Recently a friend of mine pointed out the Stirling engine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_engine

It blew him away, (he's still on this planet) and it opened up my mind too. This is such a great opportunity to use more of the available solar energy.

One of the main characteristics:
The Stirling cycle uses an external heat source, which could be anything from gasoline to solar energy to the heat produced by decaying plants. No combustion takes place inside the cylinders of the engine.

Some high-power inventors are working on it.

When placed in the dessert for instance with a lot of strong sun hours, I believe it could generate a lot of energy. This energy can of course be used to produce hydrogen fuel. Or desalination to produce consumable water out of salt water.

Just something to consider

with respect,
Michael R. for
United Holland Community and Friends
- a Community effort, not an Organization -

seven degrees of separation?
Mark,
Here is the story of how Firoz Rasul invented the Hydrogen Fuel Cell, and went from a working scientist for Ballard Power in Vancouver, to the President of the Aga Khan University, with the specific portfolio of alternative energies research. My partner Jeff Grant was on a call with me, and sent me the link to your latest blog over messenger (i bought mjfp as ontvgroup, have kept track of you since, with Jeff Grant as the primary motivator)

Right away, on the phone with him, i said out loud - "remember i told you a family friend of ours in Vancouver invented hydrogen fuel cells? It was Firoz Rasul - back while living in Vancouver, he INVENTED the hydrogen fuel cells, sold it to Daimler Chrysler WHO THEN licensed it to ALL other automakers." At which point he full-time began changing the world.
Firoz did that from a company named "Ballard Power," which i believe is now being run by CEO Dennis Campbell.

He moved into research of micro-fuel-cell devices, especially small battery sizes - goal: better than re-chargeable.

I don't know whats available now... :) but i am pretty sure that with your security clearance, i could help u find out.

Jeff said post this to you - and i phoned my uncle in canada to check on Firoz's current location for you first. Then I also asked about the info we could release to you - since we kind of pulled him in after the "BENZ" deal. Worried about him..

So he is very much protected now. Checked with Family in Canada who are all gathered for my sister's wedding, ran the situation by them from Clearwater FL, and Jeff in Portland Oregon on the phone, we ran through a quick set of scenarios to present to both u and Firoz. He is still actively researching especially because he is now the president of the Aga Khan University. He has resources from Corps, Governments, AND Non-Governmental Organizations, AS WELL AS UNIVERSITIES.

Between you and him - for the purposes of dedicated research in alternative energies, together, you WILL move mountains. You are a pioneer - and, one that is capable of getting a lot of people organized and motivated re:Hydrogen Fuel Cells.

We couldn't help but notice it is your highest rated blog topic EVER, and also, we have all available resources in the world being applied towards this research right now - but we want you here with us, in realtime web2.0 meetings of the mind.

Connecting more scientists to our planned meta social network called Earthbrilliance, is something you can do with us.
There are multiple possibilities for our angle of entry, tactics, teamwork, technology, and training. - and we have, within akdn.org itself, a supporter of hydrogen fuel tech, It IS the 2nd largest NGO in the world, right behind the Ford Foundation.

This is just a thought - but with all of the resources in the world, we will do it, and preferably with you leading the charge. Our goal is to create research momentum that is unstoppable. Its not just about alternative energy, and hydrogen fuel cells - but the whole alternative energy picture. Meta-Social-Networking through our Earthbrilliance Projects can overpower powerful circles, and since Albert Einstein said Compound Interest is the most powerful force in the universe, we want you to spend the night awake, pacing, and figuring out a real workable business model for hydrogen fuel cells 2start.

I also have an engineer at DOD in tampa you need to talk to tomorrow - his name is Shane. Get Jeff, you and me on a call.

Socially networked, we can change the world, once the desire to do it hits critical mass - it IS unstoppable, with the global audience, it is about MOMENTUM! When you come up with the next level this time - its going to be a way to monetize the biggest non profit EVER on EARTH. We don't trust anyone else to copy-write the one page sales letter for affordable hydrogen fuel cell tech. (currently 1mil ea.) (affordable is 1% of that price, or about 10,000 USD for a car that runs on h20)

Call me as early as 6:30 am EST - We can Link with Jeff on the West Coast as early as noon EST. Lets not hesitate.

843 557 2143 - thats my Charleston SC phone here with me in sunny Florida. Clear cut goals for this Call?

We have wanted to work with you since 2003 for profit. After discussing, instead do a non profit with you, NOW.
Especially one that is about developing hydrogen fuel cells FOR EVERYONE. There is a lot of governmental cock-blocking going on - if you forgive the term, but it is happening right now in every country in the world. We wanted to invite you to a closer position where we could foster communications directly between you and Firoz Rasul - perhaps thru an intermediary, which we are constructing online as the earthbrilliance projects v.112, however we have begun mapping out as far as a third version it would include profit elements nothing to do with scientific research, but we are funding our own research with the money we are making, me and jeff. To actually meet Firoz, it might require a trip to Vancouver Canada, next time he is BACK in Canada, to be perfectly honest - but i hope you don't mind, as it will be easier on Firoz who has no time left for the rest of his life. Period. I will not waste time emailing, Call me directly at the number below. We Won't Waste Time.

Sincerely, Chairman Hafiz (http://www.myspace.com/globalkrewe) (ontvgroup@msn.com / 843.557.2143)

7yr JV Plan Underway with Jeff Grant in Portland Oregon (myeportal@gmail.com) (we will all get on call with shane@tampa)

/JG CEO@EBC

Jeff Grant

Hi Mark,

It could be a good thing the candidates aren't talking about the fix. The real "fix" seems to in place here and all solutions are political, not necessarily authentic.

Ethanol is a fix, right? Turns out it take more energy to produce a gallon of product than it saves. It's so corrosive it can't be run through pipelines - has to be trucked in! It also corrodes gas tanks in other engine parts and now we find it's literally causing a world wide food shortage and higher prices as US farmers jump on the subsidy bandwagon.

It can't be produced without government subsidization here. Meanwhile in Brazil they have an abundance of sugar cane ethanol, but the Agricultural lobby here is too strong, so import tariffs are so high it couldn't be diverted so our farmers can return to growing beneficial crops, even if the stuff did work.

So, if they have a plan, there's probably no pay off to announcing a non-political fix.

By the way, did you notice that there are a couple of high selling performers on ClickBank that promise to show how you can make a homemade device that uses some element of hydrogen with gasoline? I may be an open-minded skeptic, but I'd have to see a whole lot more than a sales page and home made video to buy into that. But there is some compelling stuff there that would be fun to check out.

One more thing. We are, and always have been, a country of smart and innovative people. But we have become the (largely) ignorant electorate. With all the information available via the Net (some actually authentic) and all other media, to many voters seem to know little more than headlines and sounbites.

I won't vote for a local judge without looking at his/her bonafides. Some people seem to continually pull the handle next to "incumbent." If we don't wise up, God help us all!

Thanks for going off marketing and using your forum to keep important subjects like this alive.

Take care,
Tom

Mark, very good post and I appreciate the fact that you are a man of 'proof' as well. Being an electrical engineer for the past 15 years I can also attest to the fact that I am amazed and confused that it has taken the united states this long to begin using stored electrochemical energy for some higher purposes. And - as your post mentions - other methods that are many times more efficient than the spontaneous combustion engine.
I am totally convinced that the united states government has been squashing the efforts of 'non-combustion based' automotive innovation over the past 20 plus years. It is time that the people started thinking for themself.
Great post Mark!

Mark,
Check out what the Aussies are doing with joe cells and hydrogen fuel

Hi Mark,
I`m old enough to remember the last oil crisis and all the great conspiracy theories and secret inventions that with it. That said I believe the world has entered a new stage/paradigm. ( eg. technical charting now has to incorporate high-low data)

I am not worried about the big oil companies. Shell, or the PR department, has stated that they are an "energy" company. All energy companies will explore, exploit,and produce....energy.

I'm more worried about the manufacturing sector, which tends to hang on the industrial revolution....how 1800's eh?

Regarding US politics....as a Canadian, I'm more than interested,but hesitant to intrude. We too are frustrated by the over controlled candidates. It seem that they are being handled to death. Most of my best information comes from Charlie Rose on PBS. Even though he grinds my grits ( a phrase a southern friend taught me), he gets great guests and has a way to pull information out of them that wasn't scripted.

Great topics...bomb away!
Colin

I am not surprised that the water-car folks would not provide a detailed mass and energy balance, because that would reveal if it really worked, and might even reveal a bit about how it worked. Come on guys...if you're reading this... you've had another year to file and prosecute your patent applications, get more investors, etc. Let's see what you really have, and get on with changing the world, or let's agree that it really isn't much and you put on a great show.

Mark, thanks for cutting past this to the heart of the issue. The U.S. and the world needs a real energy policy, and we need to elect someone who can actually lead this effort.

Hydrogen from non-petroleum sources (solar, wind, and dare I bring it up...nuclear power) will have to be large part of that. With hydrogen available, fuel cells can become viable for widespread use, but we'll still have to find the platinum to make them, or invent an alternative.

Hey Mark!

I grew up in a solar house that was designed by my dad, and started a blog/site to help him share his knowledge about solar energy with the world. We get a fair amount of traffic there. (http://www.TheSolarPlan.com), so we're opening the discussion up, and I think that's a lot of the challenge is just getting people to think differently.

This summer, I'm going to experiment with solar cookers, create some YouTube videos about the experiments, and see if we can generate some more discussion there.

I think the only way that we really overcome all this govenment posturing is to work on the things that really matter (energy, food, education, international partnerships), and I'm happy to see someone who is as well known in the marketing world as yourself working to open and encourage the discussion.

By the way, have you heard of WhisperGen? They have a really cool Stirling Engine concept.

All the best to you Mark,

Jonathan

It's time to take methanol to the masses. If we retro-fitted the pumps with a "methanol" option most cars can already run and it is widely avialble and would be about $1.58gallon. It would be relatively easy to set it up.

Mark,

I'm grateful that you're stirring a debate that politicians and the mass media seem reluctant to broach for whatever reason. Here are a few points to add to this discussion:

1. Assuming hydrogen cars that use water as fuel become a reality, we need to consider the implications of who will control water. You can be sure that governments and/or large corporations will look for ways to control water supplies should that become a reality. Can we afford to let that happen to the one substance that none of us can live without for more than a couple of days. Consider the biofuel situation as a reference.

2. The energy debates always seem to be limited to keeping the American-style economic machine lurching forward through technological innovation. I'm not saying that's bad, but shouldn't we at least consider alternative ways of living that are good for the general populace and the planet, and the quickest and least painful way to transition to them?

3. How come most people seem to be waiting for the politicians to do something? Are we so lacking in self control and self confidence that we can't make changes ourself?

Just trying to stir the pot a bit more.

Cheers

Alasdair

Note from MJ: Hey Alasdair, great points. The reason I bring this up in the context of the USA is that I'm an American speaking primarily to an American audience - although my readership outside of the US is constantly growing. You're dead right about people looking to politicians to do something for them. At the risk of sounding trite I'll quote JFK: "Ask not what your country can do for you ..." You're also right that water is a controllable resource as well - again it is a potential Technology Bind. I think solar powered desalination is our best hope. If you want to know more about what I'm proposing here, click on the "MJ Constructs" button at the top of the page.

Mark,

Although I whole heartedly endorse your ideas behind this posting, there are a couple of facts that you may not be aware of.

When the USA terminated the Gold Standard in 1934, this effectively made Oil the standard by which the US Economy was balanced. And for many years this worked very well. Then some bright spark in the early 1970's realised that one day US supplies of oil would eventually run out. So it was decided that the US should become a net Importer of oil, meaning that other countries oil supplies would be used up faster than the US's own supplies. Economically this didn't matter so long as the oil was traded in USD. Which explains one of the reasons why the US government was so annoyed with iran and iraq when they started trading oil in Euros. N.B. One of the first things that occured after the US invasion of Iraq was to start reselling Iraqi oil in USD rather than Euro's, which Saddam had done for about a year prior to the invasion.

Another point to be made is that although we have probably reached peak oil as far as traditional oil reserves are concerned, as you state, there is another type of oil for which the US has about 4/5th s of the worlds currently known reserves. Its called shale oil and is essentially rock infused with bitumen, from which the bitumen can be extracted and turned into oil.

As current oil prices rise and rise it will make the extraction and production of oil from shale oil economically viable. Read this website for a good summary of oil shale http://ostseis.anl.gov/guide/oilshale/index.cfm

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not endorsing the burning of fossil fuels at all, the only point i'm trying to make is that the US government doesn't care about oil consumption because as far as they are concerned they have enough oil to keep their current polluting policies in place for many many years to come, measurable in centuries rather than decades.

I just received an email touting water-powered cars. I would like to get some feedback from Mark as to whether he thinks this is legitimate or not. Here is the url that was in the email:

http://water4gas.com/2books.htm

I would be interested in knowing what you think.

John Scott

Note from MJ: I have no way of knowing whether or not it's legitimate ... But I do see a lot of people promoting it on the net and I don't see that any of the people promoting it have tested it themselves and proven that it works. It's hard to evaluate something like this when the promise of earning commissions will cloud the promoter's judgment. Let's see some independent people who aren't financially motivated in any way test it.

It is not governments' job to solve any of the energy related problems we face, nor should we allow them to prevent us from using the technologies that do exist. Historically, governments are better at creating and prolonging problems because these activities promote the growth and health of govt. even if at the expense of common sense and well being of the people.

Anyway, regarding the issues discussed in these posts, it is obvious that AMB readers are more so enlightened... so I merely want to share what I believe to be the immediate answer to high gas prices, fuel cells, air pollution, and such.

The advantages of this technological solution are many but include being on the market now, uses real science with measurable results, is in a kit form that can be adapted to nearly every car on the road without expensive modification or retrofitting to the car.

Check it out, I have and it's so exciting that I couldn't help but get involved. I am also familiar with the water for gas 'method' and would caution serious result seekers to pass on it. It does work but the application discussed has such limited results, it's not worth the trouble or expense...

Mark, Please correct me if I am wrong! I like the comments above and have read them all. I also read your instructions on rules of blogging. Greg Olson's remarks above are good but I take offense at the fact that his hidden link takes us off this site. If he would be so kind to just show it so we can go there without losing our current location on this site I think it would be a lot more polite. Matter of a fact I think it actually violates your rules on posting.

Now back to the main reason I am here. I agree completely with your remarks regarding the government controls that dictate how we live. Oil is revenue to the "BIGS". However I think the www is going to have a big effect because it makes information to all very easy to process. In that light I ma very excited about the inventions such as the Aptera car in production in S. California. It can be viewed on youtube, and I have absolutely no connection to it except that I want one for myself.
Potato and yes that is my name!

Mark Why are these types of fuel savings devices not available to everyone now? It wold seem like theone above touted by Greg Olson would be all ove the place?

Mark, I have downloaded the "skinny" from he Greg Olson site above and purchased the 97 dollar e-books. The whole thing about water is very exciting to me because I have been promoting and using revitalized water for years and just recently decided to try and get more people to see the beauty of good water not the dead water that 99% of the population drink and even worse buying bottled water. So now to read the information on Greg's water driven car is pretty exciting. I am still reading it but wanted to pass this info on to you. One of the statements in the e-book that really drove me to this additional post was "water is life,,and so much more" Still "Potato"

Can we run our car with water and gas?
Can anybody tell me is the HHO Gas is real working or is another scam?

Mark, I have talked to quite a few of the people who are using the water4gas type systems and they all are excited about the possibilities and all are actuually having success. In one of your remarks above you ask for actual proof. I am about to order one ready to install because I don't have the time to build it myself. Do you have any more feedback on this subject?

Mark,

Regarding your posting titled ”The New Zealand Water Car One Year Later (and the State of Alternative Energy)”

FYI for you and anyone else who is interested in water fuel blends:

1) Water fuel emulsion work, especially on diesel engines is by no means new. Just do a Google search using the words “water fuel emulsions” and you will soon see what I mean.

2) I too have done independent related work, making a 50% canola oil an 50% water mix with a house hold blender than adding it to my Mercedes 300 SD in a similar manor as your video did. (Having the intake fuel line and return line go into the new emulsion mix “temporary tank” to ensure that the car was running on the new fuel vs. the old fuel.)

3) Although initially I thought my work was unique, I know it to be not so much so. After considerable research on the internet, I have found that there is considerable documentation regarding the benefits of using such water based emulsions in diesel engines. (The water will help reduce the “combustion temperature” and thus reduce Nox emissions. The “water” addition should impart no additional BTU value for performing “combustion work”, like that of diesel engine use, but should be of benefit to help perform work by the steam’s expansion.

4) There is some related gasoline engine water fuel work, like that of the Caterpillar/Gunnerman patent where “a significant amount” of water is converted into Hydrogen by the use of a higher spark voltage and catalyists where hydrogen generation is possible. The Caterpillar company must believe this to be true for they have helped fund Gunnerman’s efforts. Yet it is still in it’s “testing phase”.

5) I believe use of water emulsions like that of PuriNOx and Caterpillar/Gunnerman work will be available in the next 5-10 years, once the “proper testing is complete”. Yet I would rather come up with my own blends before this happens.

6) As per my testing with my Veggie oil water mix and that of PuriNOx claims, these “emulsion mixes” will have a “lower fuel BTU value” if compared directly against a 100% diesel fuel. Yet, when you compare them by just the “hydrocarbon fuel usage” you can/will see “significant” fuel and emission based reductions.

7) Note water based fuels may lead to increased engine water condesation from such use. This may cause excessive engine ware and or corrosion. Yet by taking proper precausions and testing, I belive these items can be "managed".

I should have some new testing data soon which will directly compare fuel use with and without the “emulsion blend” so that true data can be obtained. Also, by going to a typical “Smog testing site” I should also be able to gain some related emission information.

I hope this has been useful, if not no worries.

Stephen Podliska
San Rafael, Ca.
spodliska@aol.com

Great post. My own experience with hydrogen car kits has been inconclusive as well, but you are absolutely right when you say fuel cell technology is promising. I think with some of the new hydrogen cars starting to go mainstream there will be a lot more investment in research and development in this area.

what i believe should be looked into if you want a hydrogen car to take off and energy not really cost anything, then you should improve on the solar panel that can be rolled like paper and try implimenting that on the roof or other surface areas of the car and use that to charge the battery and use the battery to turn the water into hydrogen gas to run the car, but in order for that to take off you would need a paint that would cover the solar panel and make the car look good but would also let most or all of the light touch the solar panel.there for you would have an economy car yet a fashionable car

I believe that fuel cell and hydrogen powered vehicle technology was NOT invented first by Ballard nor any other party. It was patented and financed in the mid to late 1970's by New Zealanders living in Guernsey who originated from Christchurch. The prototype was developed and sent to USA. I have personal letters in my posession from one of the NZ development and finance team regarding its development, successful performance and subsequent theft in USA. These are primary documents. Since the patent owner passed away I have viewed documentaries filmed in NZ and USA in which I see others have based their technologies on this pioneering NZ/Guernsy invention.

Dear Mark,

I agree with the most of your ideas.
I am also a green supporter since several years.
Some years ago I was involved in a R&D project about reliability evaluation for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. At that time I falled in love for Hydrogen perspectives, and supported a lot the Rifkin's thesis about Hydrogen Economy.

Anyhow today my ideas about Hydrogen potential are a little bit different, mainly for technical reasons. Basically my position comes from simple efficiency considerations. Why to convert precious green electricity into Hydrogen when you can use it immediately by new generation lithium batteries? In this way you will cut power conversion losses, and will use immediately the generated power without any intermediate step.

Doing my job I am in touch with R&D engineers in the automotive field, and recently I discovered that amazing progresses were made in the last years with lithium batteries. Recharge time is going down to few minutes !!! That means that in next 5 years we could see a tremendous amount of electrical cars on our roads.

I remember that almost ten years ago a brilliant electrical car from GE was intentionally "killed" (a nice movie was done about that event). All funds were moved to the Hydrogen car which was, and still is, very far from the commercialization with respect the electrical one. This does not mean that the research on Hydrogen should be interrupted, absolutely ...

Today I believe that in some cases the Hydrogen vector could be the only chance. If you think for instance to zero emissions flights by standard planes, I cannot imagine any electrical battery able to provide the necessary power. But in my opinion the Hydrogen should be limited only to such kind of applications, and not tought for standard vehicles.

Other point to consider carefully is that any Hydrogen system is for its intrinsic nature more complex of any electric system. Thus Hydrogen technology is more suitable to controlled centralized systems than to democratic distributed systems. For instance, Hydrogen is the perfect complement to Nuclear Power.
Do you like it? I don't, absolutely!

I am definitely in favour of light enviromentally friendly solutions. In this respect green electrons are much lighter than the lightest molecule of our universe: Hydrogen ...

Thank you so much for standing strong and wise for all your followers.

Ciao, Paolo

Hi Mark
You do great work. I love simpleology.
I have run my car on HHO it got double the mileage
see my web site
dc-hybridsaustralia.com
some dyno tests have been done we are fitting kits to cars and big rigs.

Peter