Link to the article for the analysis below:
Home solar idea not a hard cell
Monday, March 22, 2010
Hydrogen power car - not a chance?
Article:
The New Zealand Herald
March 17, 2010 Wednesday
Home solar idea not a hard cell
Coming not so soon and probably not to a house near you is the home solar hydrogen refuelling station - Honda's latest idea in its drive to make hydrogen the fuel of choice for zero-emission cars.
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Analysis:
The title of this article, "Home solar idea not a hard cell," gives the impression that this article is about some sort of renewable energy that is not going to work. In a time when the world is looking to finding renewable resources, solar energy could be one of those ways. However, the play on words with the "hard cell," or hard sell, suggests this may not be a practical or plausible implementation of solar energy. This article was found in the Motorist section of the newspaper, so the implementation will likely be in or for a car. Right away the title has a negative influence on the rest of the article.
In the first paragraph, there is continued negativity about the technology because it will not be ready soon. This puts focus for the article on the product being too futuristic for car buyers looking for a petrol-free solution.
There is a picture at the top of the article of the new Honda 15 FCX Clarity. The car is photographed driving on a road next to green hills covered in trees, an image to emphasize the ecological value of the car no doubt. Part of the background is blurred, so the car is being marketed as a fast car too. This is the only picture, and there are no diagrams of the solar panel design or how the car works.
Where is the evidence and research?
Continuation of the article:
The Japanese carmaker believes hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles offer the best long-term alternative to fossil fuels, and the US arm of the company is showing a refuelling breakthrough that it says points to a home version down the road.
Among the world's carmakers, Honda is widely seen as the hydrogen leader, tempted by the idea of a car that uses no petrol and emits only water vapour. Others like General Motors put more effort into battery-powered electric vehicles such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.
One of the big barriers to hydrogen car deployment is the lack of refuelling infrastructure, leading Honda to bet that the future lies in combining a public station network with a more modest home option.
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Analysis:
After the first four paragraphs, there isn’t a quote in sight. These paragraphs do set the stage for what is happening in the field of renewable resource-based cars, but there is a lack of source evidence.
It seems like the journalist here has not done enough research on renewable resource-based cars and their affect on global climate change. The lack of refueling infrastructure is truly a con. The car only emits water vapor, as stated above, but water vapor is also a greenhouse gas. There is no mention of that fact within that paragraph where it would be important. It is unclear whether the author was unaware of this fact, omitted it for belief of common knowledge in readers, or if this drawback was not deemed significant enough.
The Japanese carmaker believes hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles offer the best long-term alternative to fossil fuels, and the US arm of the company is showing a refuelling breakthrough that it says points to a home version down the road.
Among the world's carmakers, Honda is widely seen as the hydrogen leader, tempted by the idea of a car that uses no petrol and emits only water vapour. Others like General Motors put more effort into battery-powered electric vehicles such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.
One of the big barriers to hydrogen car deployment is the lack of refuelling infrastructure, leading Honda to bet that the future lies in combining a public station network with a more modest home option.
-------------------------
Analysis:
After the first four paragraphs, there isn’t a quote in sight. These paragraphs do set the stage for what is happening in the field of renewable resource-based cars, but there is a lack of source evidence.
It seems like the journalist here has not done enough research on renewable resource-based cars and their affect on global climate change. The lack of refueling infrastructure is truly a con. The car only emits water vapor, as stated above, but water vapor is also a greenhouse gas. There is no mention of that fact within that paragraph where it would be important. It is unclear whether the author was unaware of this fact, omitted it for belief of common knowledge in readers, or if this drawback was not deemed significant enough.
Biased source
Continuation of the article:
Honda's home option will comprise a solar-powered hydrogen refuelling station using solar panels.
"Customers can choose how they interact with both of them based on their annual miles and their habits," said Stephen Ellis, fuel cell manager at the Honda's North American headquarters in Torrance, California.
"The key thing to remember is that with five-minute refuelling you are good for another 240 miles," Ellis added.
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Analysis:
Finally, here is a quote, but the source is not necessarily an un-biased, scientific expert on petrol-free cars. As stated above, Stephen Ellis works for Honda. It is important and legitimate to have a quote from someone in Ellis’ position to be interviewed about the product, but there should be more opposing viewpoints by this section in the article.
Honda's home option will comprise a solar-powered hydrogen refuelling station using solar panels.
"Customers can choose how they interact with both of them based on their annual miles and their habits," said Stephen Ellis, fuel cell manager at the Honda's North American headquarters in Torrance, California.
"The key thing to remember is that with five-minute refuelling you are good for another 240 miles," Ellis added.
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Analysis:
Finally, here is a quote, but the source is not necessarily an un-biased, scientific expert on petrol-free cars. As stated above, Stephen Ellis works for Honda. It is important and legitimate to have a quote from someone in Ellis’ position to be interviewed about the product, but there should be more opposing viewpoints by this section in the article.
(No) Equal representation
Continuation of the article:
That range comes from the "fast-fill" public station, of which there are just a handful in Southern California, where Honda leases 15 FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered vehicles and is set to distribute more in coming months.
Eight hours of home solar refuelling would guarantee a smaller range of 50km or about 16,000km a year - enough for an average commuting car.
At the Los Angeles research and development centre, engineers refuelled the sleek FCX Clarity sedan with a new single-unit station connected to a solar array that replaces a two-unit system, cutting costs and improving efficiency by 25 per cent.
"This is wonderful progress, the biggest progress," said chief engineer Ikuya Yamashita.
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Analysis:
Here is another quote, but again, it’s from the Honda chief engineer. In the entire article, these are the only two sources, and they both work for Honda. There is a lack of representation of any other side of the issue. The journalist is coming across with a negative bias of this product, but there is no source evidence to support that viewpoint.
That range comes from the "fast-fill" public station, of which there are just a handful in Southern California, where Honda leases 15 FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered vehicles and is set to distribute more in coming months.
Eight hours of home solar refuelling would guarantee a smaller range of 50km or about 16,000km a year - enough for an average commuting car.
At the Los Angeles research and development centre, engineers refuelled the sleek FCX Clarity sedan with a new single-unit station connected to a solar array that replaces a two-unit system, cutting costs and improving efficiency by 25 per cent.
"This is wonderful progress, the biggest progress," said chief engineer Ikuya Yamashita.
-------------------
Analysis:
Here is another quote, but again, it’s from the Honda chief engineer. In the entire article, these are the only two sources, and they both work for Honda. There is a lack of representation of any other side of the issue. The journalist is coming across with a negative bias of this product, but there is no source evidence to support that viewpoint.
Questions unanswered
Continuation of the article:
The station uses a 6kW solar array, composed of 48 panels and thin film solar cells developed by a Honda subsidiary. It breaks down the water into hydrogen in what Honda calls a "virtually carbon-free energy cycle".
The FCX Clarity's hydrogen "stack" - or the electricity generator - is around the size of an attache case, tucked between the two front seats, and is a fifth of the stack size developed a decade ago.
The car is likely to be sold commercially around 2018 in the luxury large sedan category, while the solar hydrogen refuelling system could move beyond the research stage and into the market-ready phase around 2015. "A lot of this work is not necessarily for today's economic situation," said Ellis. "This is for tomorrow, when most people feel energy prices will be higher."
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Analysis:
There is only one paragraph about how the hydrogen and solar cell actually work, and it’s too simply stated. There needs to be much more information about that here. Understandably, Honda would probably like to protect the product it’s making, so not many details can probably be released as of yet. The mention of the “virtually carbon-free energy cycle” does raise questions as to what carbon could still be part of the cycle, and that would have been beneficial to address.
The journalist has a lot of feedback about the solar cell refueling system, but there is no comment about the hydrogen aspect. The science behind hydrogen cars is quite unstable right now due to the nature of the element. After all, hydrogen is also the main component in atomic bombs. My question would be, what happens in the event of a car accident? Is there a mini H-bomb on the road? How is the company undertaking that risk? This article is too short to discuss all that needs to be discussed with this new technology and product.
The station uses a 6kW solar array, composed of 48 panels and thin film solar cells developed by a Honda subsidiary. It breaks down the water into hydrogen in what Honda calls a "virtually carbon-free energy cycle".
The FCX Clarity's hydrogen "stack" - or the electricity generator - is around the size of an attache case, tucked between the two front seats, and is a fifth of the stack size developed a decade ago.
The car is likely to be sold commercially around 2018 in the luxury large sedan category, while the solar hydrogen refuelling system could move beyond the research stage and into the market-ready phase around 2015. "A lot of this work is not necessarily for today's economic situation," said Ellis. "This is for tomorrow, when most people feel energy prices will be higher."
--------------------------
Analysis:
There is only one paragraph about how the hydrogen and solar cell actually work, and it’s too simply stated. There needs to be much more information about that here. Understandably, Honda would probably like to protect the product it’s making, so not many details can probably be released as of yet. The mention of the “virtually carbon-free energy cycle” does raise questions as to what carbon could still be part of the cycle, and that would have been beneficial to address.
The journalist has a lot of feedback about the solar cell refueling system, but there is no comment about the hydrogen aspect. The science behind hydrogen cars is quite unstable right now due to the nature of the element. After all, hydrogen is also the main component in atomic bombs. My question would be, what happens in the event of a car accident? Is there a mini H-bomb on the road? How is the company undertaking that risk? This article is too short to discuss all that needs to be discussed with this new technology and product.
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