Dr Hector PereraƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  London

A German research with a super computer estimated that 500 billion galaxies exist.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The amount of hydrogen in the universe is truly gigantic, and the natural biological environment of our Earth appears to be the same as 1,000ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s of other planets.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A galaxy is a vast, gravitationally bound collection of billions of stars and their associated, nebulae, stellar remnants, planets and a whole host of other smaller particles including the basic elements hydrogen and helium. Galaxies also consist of an important but poorly understood substance called dark matter. It is believed to surround every galaxy and accounts for much of its mass. Compared to many solar systems with similar environments to our own solar system, it would appear that there are very many inhabited planets similar to our Earth.

Thanks for research much more discoveries are on the way so we are not alone in the earth but here on planet earth, we do not know even the names of our neighbours.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In Sri Lanka of course they know anybody by name living specially in villages but in countries such as in England, honestly they hardly know their neighbours.

That is not exactly what I am trying to mention here, I am sure most of us are not too worried to find out who lives many millions miles from the earth. We are worried about the energy, gas and electricity over here that help us for transport, heating and cooking. I am sure the scientists found out, we are running out of fossil fuels in a matter of few decades, not over night, so we need to do whatever we can to find more types of energy or conserve whatever we have at the moment. Fortunately we need not have to look too far, just look up to see the shinning sun that will give you solar power for ever and itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s free of charge, hurrah. The solar power technology exists and many countries make the full benefit from right now on but it is still brand new technology to countries like Sri Lanka.

Germany is one of the world’s top photovoltaic [PV] installers, with a solar PV capacity as of 2011 of almost 25 giga watts. Apart from Germany many other countries like China, Morocco and United States of America also manufacture solar panels and use them as well but as far as I understand this is quite new to countries such as Sri Lanka which is blessed with plenty of sunshine. What were we doing all this time?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Perhaps what Sri Lanka could do was to get the panels installed from somewhere for their day to day work, use them than trying to manufacture immediately. I am sure later they are capable of manufacturing these in time to come.

The other clean, inexhaustible and 100% clean gas when used as a fuel is hydrogen. Why are we looking now for alternative fuel that is because we were warned by scientists that these fossil fuels are running out? It is better to use petroleum products for lubricants and other applications than burning them wastefully to pollute the earthƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s atmosphere. Honestly some people burn fossil fuel methane carelessly especially in cooking.

Hydrogen production

Hydrogen is the simplest element in the periodic table of elements and it can be used as an alternative fuel to get energy. It can bond easily with many elements such as with oxygen to form water. There are seven seas full of water so donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t worry where to get water. It can be separated to form hydrogen and oxygen then allowed to react or burned to get energy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I am sure even GCSE science students know how to separate hydrogen and oxygen, yes itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s by electrolysis. Two simple torch batteries can be used for electrolysis but not in useful production of hydrogen. It needs another energy source to separate these two gases for example if we get the green power of hydro-electric, solar or wind power to get electricity then it can be used to electrolyse water. If we can electrolyse water, we get about fifteen cubic feet of hydrogen from one litre of water. How much gas would be collected from a bucket of water?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is a simple chemistry or a physics practical even one can do it at home but the problem is collection and storing are different issues. That really needs more technical expert knowledge.

We eat rice, pasta, spaghetti and we call them carbohydrates, then simple sugars such as cane sugar, glucose and fructose. In all these compounds what are the elements? They are nothing but carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Then we eat fish, meat and eggs, they all contain protein and the simple elements in protein are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen also sulphur. What about the oils, such as coconut, sun flower, peanut then again the elements are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Butter or margarine also has the same elements, so hydrogen bonds with oxygen and carbon to form different food products as well.

There are also biological solution possibilities as well. Only recently they discovered that common pond algae will produce hydrogen when they are deprived of sunlight. More research is undergoing on this matter. As said before, there are many technological difficulties such as large scale production and storage before hydrogen can be used as a practical energy solution.

Who knows the future air planes would lift off on hydrogen until an altitude where it gets sun then start to run the rest of the journey with solar power.

Hydrogen was used very successfully as a lifting gas until the Hindenburg disaster happened in 1937 when the air ship caught fire in a matter of seconds. That is why it is treating with lots of respect before it can be used a real solution for an alternative fuel but still its use in small scale applications. The day will come sooner or later a few buckets of water would help you to run your car right round Sri Lanka. You might get a pint or two as well but the car gets just some water, howƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s that?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Any comments please perera6@hotmail.co.uk