Energy source answers some old problems
Hydrogen conversion system non-polluting, designer says
Saturday, November 10, 2007
MONMOUTH - James Hunt, who was a jet mechanic in the Navy for eight years, was just taking classes at Carl Sandburg College to transfer to Western Illinois University when he came up with a practical way to extract hydrogen from water. Events at Akvo Energy America have moved at light speed since.Hunt, the company's president/owner, is an example of dreaming no small dreams. A 1980 fire truck, which he has dedicated to his wife's grandfather, Bud Wilkins, is his pride and joy.
"This truck is special," he said, not just because of its namesake, a former Galesburg Fire Department deputy chief, who retired in ... 1980. "We're going to turn it into a mobile power plant, a desalination unit."
Hunt said the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is a good example of how his non-polluting, inexhaustible power source could help, in addition to reducing the world's reliance on fossil fuels and cutting down greenhouse gas emissions.
"They needed power, they needed fresh water," Hunt said of New Orleans residents. He said his hydrogen fuel generation system could have addressed those needs.
"Using our process on a larger basis, you could terraform the Earth," he said, "turn the desert into a prairie. Think about the Third World countries we can get power to," providing fresh water to villages and farms. "There's so many applications this has started up."
When The Register-Mail first reported Hunt's invention in April, there were some naysayers. Hunt knows there are still people who will not believe his process can work.
He listened intently as one e-mail sent to the newspaper in April, following publication of the article, was read to him. The writer wrote, in part, "The 'create' hydrogen at the 'point of use' is, from an energy-efficiency standpoint, nonsense."
Hunt said the science cited by the writer is sound.
"You can't generate hydrogen. We use a small amount of electricity to release hydrogen from water," he said. "We don't generate, we convert. ... The newest system I'm working on, it will triple that output."
Another e-mail called Hunt's invention "old news." The writer compared it to a hydrogen/carbon monoxide blend known as "bingo fuel," popular in Europe during World War II.
"This method of fuel gas production is not carbon neutral, as the carbon monoxide portion of the gas is toxic, and when burned it produces carbon dioxide," according to the writer of the e-mail. "This causes greenhouse gases, just like any other hydrocarbon fuel."
Hunt again said the science cited was sound but not valid in this case.
"We already took that into consideration a long time ago," Hunt said. "He hasn't seen my system. He thinks we let that gas go, but there's an entire additional process that doesn't allow the carbon dioxide to be released.
"There's a lot of hydrogen systems out there. They all produce chemical wastes in the end or release gases," Hunt said, also pointing out that hydrogen fuel cell systems are incredibly dangerous.
Hunt did not want to discuss how oil companies may feel about his process but said, "Oil does a lot for this world. I'm not trying to stop oil production. We need it for plastics."
But there's no doubt he totally believes in his hydrogen generation system. Pointing to a small generator, he said, "That will power my house. I won't pay any heating bills this year."
The generator will use the hydrogen conversion process.
Hunt said it would take more than 32 years to convert all vehicles now in existence to the new fuel system, but "any new vehicle could have our system. They're spending billions every year at GM and we did this at the college for less than $22,000."
Dave Kniss, one of Akvo's employees, as well as Hunt's father-in-law, said being part of the new company is "very exciting. I just look for new surprises every day. It's really come to fruition, hasn't it?"
For those who don't think Hunt's process will ever be feasible for everyday use, he looks at it philosophically.
"The world will decide if they want to use something that's feasible and works," Hunt said. "It has the merit to at least be considered. The truth of it is, we want to get it out there."
