huge technology step, generators

Can I mount one in my bilge?

Is it safe to carry on board?

Cam I use one under my V-berth while sleeping on the hook?
 
"this new Volvo Penta product should get a warm reception from all boaters using generators in this range, particularly from yachtsmen that are used to having a second generator as a back up to the first."

I would be happy to get a first one ! The price point will be interesting.
 
very interesting, big question besides cost is how much diesel does it use. is it more efficient or less efficient than conventional diesel genset?

this could be a big boost for diesel electric propulsion in trawlers if efficient enough.
 
I hope they test it well unlike the last Volvo (Ocean Series) product that sucks.
 
I am hopeful this is a breakthrough in generator technology. The price will be an issue and so will the fuel conversion process. I also wonder if the unit will be ignition protected for gas boats? It does look like production is a few years out though. Thanks for posting the link Gary.
Bill
 
It would be nice to see efficiency data.
Those systems create a lot of heat and operate under great pressures so a reliable fool proof design will be required. It is very interesting they expect to put them in boats where skilled maintenance and real time monitoring may not exist. Big natural gas reformer have been used in industry for a while but they produce left over carbon dioxide.
 
That is cool. If they can keep the price reasonable they might have a big seller. I’d buy one just to eliminate the worry of CO with my gas generator.

Cheers John
 
This is just the beginning of the technology being developed that will allow us to convert to hydrogen as a clean, efficient and cost effective source of fuel for everything including our boats.
 
rt: I dont see how you get there from an announcement about a device that uses diesel fuel
 
Bruce I also found that strange as well. I don't know about anyone else how is hydrogen production cheap? You might think they are talking about "Cold Fusion" are they hiring Tom Cruise for their launch? RT you are right about one thing this is the beginning. However they are talking about an upper limit of 15kw this would hardly run a vessel, perhaps the electronics not the propulsion. That would be a quantum leap from 15kw.
Bill
 
I was referring to the technology of conversion of other fuels to hydrogen.
Currently they are developing a long range cruising boat that will use solar cells to charge batteries which will in turn be used to produce hydrogen to power the boat. It was featured on this forum a couple months back.
Just like the current drive to use ethanol as an alternative fuel because it combines with the use of fossil fuels, the generator is using fossil fuels to generate the hydrogen and I do agree with pdecat that with the continued use of fossil fuels as the base for our energy source we will have limited gains. It will be very difficult to break away from the fossil fuel base due to much resistance within the industry and the immediate economic impacts but eventually it will come.
This generator is simply another example of where we can develop hydrogen power from another source of power and eventually that source will be hydrocarbon free.
 
I find it ironic that the article on the cold fusion engine is from 2004 where are these engines in use today it is almost 5 years later? I love the quote from Tesla who has been dead for how long? More pipe dreams.
Ethanol you are kidding right? I have a question when it comes to Ethanol which is a bigger problem in the world, hunger or finding fossil fuel? Easy hunger, and as far as fossil fuel most of the current green methods of generating electricity take more fossil fuel BTUs to produce the components than the product can produce in it's lifespan (BTUs).
I hate to be negative or politically incorrect but nothing comes close to the internal combustion engine that burns fossil fuel when it comes to cost.
This doesn't mean we shouldn't explore other methods but while we are waiting how about we build some Nuclear plants and start oil drilling where we know we have it in the US?
Bill
 
we are stuck with fossil fuels because the greenies have prevented nuclear energy development in the US. Wind solar etc are desirable for special purpose power but for the massive generation only nuclear is a reasonable alternative to fossil fuel.
Nuclear also has the potential to power the environmentalists current wet dream, hydrogen. As long as politics overrules engineering we will depend on fossil fuel and pour billions down an imaginary rabbit hole.
As Glenn points out all the energy we use is stored in some form prior to use. The time between creation and consumption varies with each fuel type. The cheapest kind has always been a fuel that was created long ago because it has no production cost, we just consume it. We find it convenient to use energy stored in oil a long time ago because we didn’t have to pay to store it ( make the oil) we have to pay to make the ethanol energy because of its limited time cycle, we grow it, convert it and consume it in only one year. Nuclear is another example of very long time from energy storage. We can consume it but not make more of it. Solar and wind are another example of zero production cost energy. nb. I said production cost not zero consumption cost.

I wonder what the greenies would think if they ever figured out that at lot of wind farms and solar arrays would alter climate. There isnt any free lunch.
 
I looked at the info and note that 2012 is the expected production date and there is little concrete information including the mosr basic comparisson to curent diesel generator efficiency. Surely they must have some lab data showing proof of concept, right?
The mention of hydrogen has everybody all worked up over another far off dream, well see.
 
i have messed with hydrogen as a fuel and also as a power enhancer storing it is an issue and it burns with an invisable flame, it snagged us a few times it would leak at a fitting you could feel heat and see the heat waves but not see the flame
 
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