As much as we want hydrogen power to become an immediate reality we have to be wary of extraordinary claims. Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof.
ITM Power, an English company, is in the business of making extraordinary claims. It is engaged in a full-court press with the media there, claiming it has a low-cost, foolproof way for you to produce hydrogen which will heat your home and power your car.
The aim of this is to raise capital. Headlines like Car, Tech Company Deal Put UK on Fast Track to Hydrogen Highway have powered the stock to big gains lately.
But what do they really have?
What they have, according to chief scientist Donald Highgate, is a plastic membrane assembly which allows for more efficient conversion of power to hydrogen than the metal contraptions currently in use.
You probably experimented with an electrolyzer in high school. Two
electrodes go into water and you apply power. Oxygen collects on one,
hydrogen on the other. Bubbles rise to the surface. In a commercial
unit these bubbles are collected for use in a fuel cell, which combines
the hydrogen with oxygen from the air, producing water and electricity.
Highgate says his polymer works in both directions, enabling ITM to
"significantly reduce the costs of fuel cell and electrolyser mass
production." That’s the extraordinary claim. Everything else about the
company — it’s so-called car, its big plans for its hometown of Sheffield, all of it — are smoke and mirrors. Everything rises or fall on the claims for its membrane.
This claim will not be proven in the media. It must be proven
scientifically. It must be demonstrated, both in manufacture and in
use, that this membrane greatly improves the efficiency of an electrolyser, and that it is inexpensive to manufacture.
This has yet to happen, so I must remain skeptical.
One point already clear in The War Against Oil is it will be filled
with charlatans, fakes, thiefs, and liars. We’ve seen the lie about
ethanol. I have warned you today how Boone Pickens is a charlatan. ITM
Power may have something with its membrane.
But don’t take claims as proof. Ever.
But doesn’t the demonstration prove the membrane works?
Also, I think their cost claims have been independently verified.
But doesn’t the demonstration prove the membrane works?
Also, I think their cost claims have been independently verified.
Check out this British investment show – they did ITM and it’s a blast!
Check out this British investment show – they did ITM and it’s a blast!
here it is sorry
http://iball.iii.co.uk/2008/07/09/itm-power-plc-itml/
here it is sorry
http://iball.iii.co.uk/2008/07/09/itm-power-plc-itml/
This article is blatant in it’s lack of research and thoroughly lacks any integrity whatsoever.
I think the need here is to question Dana Blankenhorn’s motive.
This article is blatant in it’s lack of research and thoroughly lacks any integrity whatsoever.
I think the need here is to question Dana Blankenhorn’s motive.
article costructed under a catchy headline yet misleading and inacurate.Hard to know agenda, unless author working for SEO links.. Are you Mr Dana?
article costructed under a catchy headline yet misleading and inacurate.Hard to know agenda, unless author working for SEO links.. Are you Mr Dana?
Lack of research a previous poster states…I couldn’t agree more. It appears the smoke and mirrors is your War against Oil rather than ITM’s “claims”. Who needs enemies in this war when you have allies with this view? If you had taken even a little time to investigating the years of work that Prof Highgate has put into this breakthrough you would realise how absurd your accusations of charlatan, fake, thief or liar really is.
Healthy scepticism is fine but completely false statements such as “The aim is to raise capital” with a link to the iBall spoof video is not fine at all.
I sincerely believe you will be eating your words as this development unfolds. We may be witnessing a Microsoft of the energy world being born here.
Lack of research a previous poster states…I couldn’t agree more. It appears the smoke and mirrors is your War against Oil rather than ITM’s “claims”. Who needs enemies in this war when you have allies with this view? If you had taken even a little time to investigating the years of work that Prof Highgate has put into this breakthrough you would realise how absurd your accusations of charlatan, fake, thief or liar really is.
Healthy scepticism is fine but completely false statements such as “The aim is to raise capital” with a link to the iBall spoof video is not fine at all.
I sincerely believe you will be eating your words as this development unfolds. We may be witnessing a Microsoft of the energy world being born here.
“Headlines like Car, Tech Company Deal Put UK on Fast Track to Hydrogen Highway have powered the stock to big gains lately.”
Dana Blankenhorn – you have obviously done ZERO research. What a waste of space.
“Headlines like Car, Tech Company Deal Put UK on Fast Track to Hydrogen Highway have powered the stock to big gains lately.”
Dana Blankenhorn – you have obviously done ZERO research. What a waste of space.
This thread proves there is enormous interest in The War Against Oil, and an enormous need to believe in something.
This will lead us down many dark paths. But in time it will lead us to the light.
Which is ITM? I honestly don’t know. I base my suspicions on their own hype machine.
This thread proves there is enormous interest in The War Against Oil, and an enormous need to believe in something.
This will lead us down many dark paths. But in time it will lead us to the light.
Which is ITM? I honestly don’t know. I base my suspicions on their own hype machine.