Developing Hydrogen Power
From: Pat Maxwell
Series: January 2007 - Isla Earth Radio Series
Length: 01:30
Also in the January 2007 - Isla Earth Radio Series series
Nature Selects for Diversity in Rainforests
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
Scientists studied seven plots of rainforest in Borneo, Malaysia, India, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Thailand. They took a complete census of all the trees in each forest plot. ...
Putting Invasive Species to Work
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
First, pollution and over-harvesting caused the population of Puget Sound oysters to plummet. And then, a new sea creature came to town! The "arched slipper limpet," a native ...
Protecting Wildlife in Afghanistan
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
From the rubble of post-war Afghanistan, a movement is emerging to protect the county's spectacular wildlife.
Car Sharing Gets a Green Light
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
Car sharing is catching on in cities across the country. Today, about 92,000 people belong to car-sharing services like Zipcar and Flexcar.
A Zebra Mussel's Trojan Horse
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
It's an invasive little mollusk that's costing the U.S. billions. Its name? The Zebra mussel.
Sea Star Blooms Endanger Coral
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
A predator is threatening the coral. It's a huge sea star known as the Crown-of-Thorns, which usually lives in a natural balance with the coral. Mysterious blooms in the ...
New Technology for Cleaner Fish Farms
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
Fish farming - also known as aquaculture - helps to keep fish stocks up and prevent over-fishing. But fish farms are usually located in shallow water for easy access, and ...
Climate Change Threatens Siberian Permafrost
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
The Siberian permafrost - a sub-Arctic peat bog about the size of France and Germany - is chock full of carbon that's trapped in its frozen soils. This carbon could be ...
"Bright" Worms Live Longer
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
Why do we grow old and die? Most scientists cite genetics, environmental factors, and chance. Shane Rea, a scientist at the University of Colorado, used worms to study why ...
Alaska Model Produces Sustainable Yields
(01:30)
From: Pat Maxwell
Many of the world's fisheries and marine ecosystems are in trouble from overfishing and high "bycatch" - the accidental killing of millions of marine animals each year.
Related Pieces
Piece Description
Every so often you hear a story about hydrogen power - water being turned into fuel using electricity. It sounds futuristic, but in the state of Maine, the future is today. The Chewonki Foundation in Wicasset is an educational organization that welcomes children and families for adventures in the wilderness. It's also committed to sustainable energy, and recently opened a Renewable Hydrogen Facility that's used as a back-up source of energy. Here's how the system works. The hydrogen is produced by an ?electrolyzer? that uses electricity to split groundwater into hydrogen and oxygen. The electrolyzer is powered by electricity from solar panels and a nearby dam, so the entire process is emission free. The hydrogen is stored in a high-pressure tank, and when power is needed, it's combined with oxygen to produce electricity. The plant is the first of its kind in Maine, and opened with much fanfare. Even the governor showed up. Faculty at the Foundation hope this project will serve as a model to speed the development of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels.
