Arno's EnergyIdeas (4)

About supply, demand and free market economy

This is the fourth edition of "Arno's energy ideas" by Arno A. Evers, founder and long-time until 2006 organizer of the Group Exhibit "Hydrogen + Fuel Cells "at the annual HANNOVER FAIR in Germany since 1995. Until 2010, Evers and his team are worldwide active to speak, exhibit or participate in hydrogen and fuel cells congresses as ambassadors of the Group Exhibition, contracted by Deutsche Messe AG. All these activities are documented on the Internet and are updated regularly.

"... Where there is a demand there, a market! ", This is one of the basic formulas today's society. This leads us to the question: “Who cares actually currently at the "demand" for hydrogen and fuel cells (H2/FC)?

If you ask today, for the commercial applications of hydrogen and fuel cells you get worldwide three answers offered: They will be in the field of “transport”, "stationary" and "mobile", the future applications. Which of these three groups are winning the "... the economic race", is currently (unfortunately) still completely open.

The Chinese economy grew fast in recent years and so did the income and lifestyle of Chinese People. As showed by the Shanghai Statistics Bureau, Shanghai Daily, the average Shanghai Family owns most of the modern home appliances introduced by the Western World. (Graphic: Arno A. Evers FAIR-PR)

Equally unclear is the question of where all the hydrogen to power these applications will be coming from.What should be the primary energy used for hydrogen production?

At my knowledge - and this is equal all over the world – there are still too much activities in "technical feasibility", and far too little in "new products" or, even better in "new services". Now "New business ideas" are in demand, ideas which even still do not exist today. That there will be integrated fuel cell stacks and hydrogen will be used as the energy carrier of choice are in the future "more by chance". The drivers will be the new, unknown until now services, to improve or maintenance our quality of life. This motivation will serve the demand create new markets.

These new services may initially be "high priced", as it the case with all new technical equipment in their respective market introduction. You can take what you like: cars, computers, but also mobile phones, refrigerators, air conditioners or washing machines - all were initially luxuries, and are today, at least in our "Western" world, daily Commons, not worth thinking about, because they simply exist.

Only when multiple parallel paths can be found soon, hydrogen produced decentralized with solar power and also new, still non-existent or better H2/FC-products or better: new H2/FC-services will be created, that the market may finally reach for the long hoped "breakthrough" in hydrogen and fuel cells. Especially when realistic (and not political) consideration of all current energy supply, climate, environment and pollution criteria are considered, this should be possible also at a short term.

It's worth while to engage to reach this target: in budget-,in time- and goal-oriented. Otherwise, we could all run out of time at the end to reach something meaningful to realize. Then, however, would put all activities so far in vain, what, in fact, would be a shame.

I am happy to start a dialogue on these and other "EnergyIdeas".

You can reach me at: arno@hydrogenambassadors.com.

Date: 08.01.2008

Links:
https://www.hydrogenambassadors.com/background/facts.php #homeappliances