Stunning Scientific Breakthrough

Image: Lab team, Eric Sucar.

Pacific Nations, long threatened by rising sea levels are rejoicing today's announcement. After tense negotiations, they have finally been granted full, royalty-free access to the latest, Australian-designed hydrogen generation technology.

Independent modeling unequivocally shows that, wide adoption of this technology, sea level rises in the Pacific can be reversed to pre-1900 levels. This, more than years of meaningless rhetoric, quells the fears that oceanic nations have had about the impacts of climate change.

The initial breakthrough came several years earlier when the government established the

Cooperative Research Centre for Fuel Alternative Research, Technology and Science. Research had indicated that methane could be efficiently captured from landfill sites, water treatment facilities, and intensive farming operations by applying established technology in innovative ways. However, while methane capture and the utilisation of energy from these facilities presented an alternative to fossil fuels, methane, irrespective of its source, continues to produce harmful carbon dioxide emissions. It was carbon dioxide emissions and the problem of fugitive methane emissions that encouraged the establishment of the CRC.

Hydrogen was the clear front-runner in the CRC’s assessment of current and future energy

needs. Hydrogen is energy-dense with only pure, fresh water, another commodity that is in increasingly short supply, as a by-product. Concerns over hydrogen storage have been

overcome by utilisation of an innovative micro-grid network and in-situ generation.

The government is finally, aware that the popularity of EV vehicles presents an escalating

problem unless the energy used to charge these vehicles is sourced renewably. The establishment of the CRC focused on generating renewable hydrogen. Researchers have

been found to be sitting on a valuable source of renewable hydrogen.

Image: Freestock. Cow

It has been known for some time that the makeup of human-generated gas is significantly

different from that of the more often studied and maligned ruminants. Ruminants, such as

cows, collectively produce vast amounts of methane. While it is feasible to collect this gas, its use may exacerbate the greenhouse effect that we are trying to abate. Conversion of the gut emission from methane to hydrogen has been the holy grail of scientists for some time. The gut bacteria of ruminants is ecologically predetermined to produce methane. However, this is not the case for single-stomach species, such as primates, including humans.

Generally, the consumption of food by humans produces a gas that is approximately 60% nitrogen, 20% hydrogen, and only 7% methane. Sulphur compounds, that contribute an odour component amount to less than 1%, and are readily scrubbed.

Image: Freestock membrane.

Drawing on a multidisciplinary team of scientists, the CRC has produced eye-watering results from limited trials. Their advanced semi-porous membrane technology ensures that nitrogen and sulphur compounds are converted to solid materials that can be utilised as organic fertilisers, while the valuable hydrogen is concentrated and collected.

Membranes installed in the seats of buses and trains along busy transport routes have

demonstrated that these vehicles can be run entirely on the technology. In fact, peak-hour

trains were able to operate with more than 115% efficiency, effectively exporting clean,

renewable fuel into the energy grid.

Freestock Image: Obviously models posing as scientists. Real scientists are much more attractive.

Trains seats can be upholstered with fabric that incorporates the patented membrane. Interest in this technology has already come in from many countries. Germany, France and

Mexico have signed a patent-sharing arrangement to fast-track this technology.

Government spokesperson Tony Hopuate, has suggested that the uptake of this technology could be accelerated by the introduction of tax concessions to vegetarians and to consumers on high-legume diets. Senator Hopuate has said, ‘These people are doing the heavy lifting in hydrogen generation. It is only appropriate that, while all of us enjoy a better, energy-responsible future and the benefits of climate change management, those that work the hardest to generate hydrogen are appropriately rewarded. Our government supports this technology and recognises these people as champions in their field’.

‘Earlier governments have seen the relevance of this technology on a global scale and have provided farming subsidies to farmers of Australian-grown chickpeas, kidney beans, and

(f)artichokes. This term of government, with the bilateral support of the opposition, will push ahead with subsidies on Mexican food and provide tax incentives for people to convert to high-fibre vegetarian diets.’

Image: Freestock, biological representation of a membrane

‘The winds of change are upon us', Senator Hopuate went on to say in his somewhat long-

winded presentation to parliament. Our belief is that the technology developed by the CRC is the future for cleaner skies and unfathomable renewable energy for all Australians.

Researchers are currently reviewing modeling that suggests that there are many other programs that could harness this world-leading breakthrough. Currently under review is a ‘wind for the dole’ scheme where the unemployed will be encouraged to get on their butts.

In a world-first, pensioners in Australia, via a joint venture industry collaborator Metamucil, will be able to receive a specifically designed product from the CRC that has a probiotic component to increase the hydrogen content of their emissions to almost 98%. All Australians should get behind the technology developed in Australia, by Australians, for the world. CRC Fuel Alternative Research, Technology and Science (FARTS) is showing the world that Australian science and ingenuity are second to none.

Your government has doubled down on its commitment to this technology and will install the necessary collection facilities around the nation at its campaign launch, 'Your government - saving the planet – one emission at a time'.

Image: You guessed it. Freestock

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P.S. You may have received this a little before the 1 April deadline due to a scheduling issue. I hope you have enjoyed this post in the spirit intended.