Re: Oil on Mars?
 

What if they find rubies on Mars?

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

The problem with Hydrogen is that you need electricity to produce it. So switching to hydrogen won't lower the demand for power. It will just switch the form it is in.

We do have the technology to send a spacecraft to Mars. We have done it several times. The reason why humans havent done it is not because we can't do it, its because the costs for a return pod far outweigh the scientific benefit.

And if we do find oil on Mars, then my first interest wouldnt be how we can use it, it would be how it got there. Oil on Mars means there has been a lot of life on Mars. That would be interesting.

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

Same thing. The cost of transportation would leave them there. At least, until that cost of transportation drops down enough... and then, depending on the market for rubies (which aren't consumables, like oil), it may end up being unprofitable anyway.

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

I take it solar powered hydrogen plants wouldn't be a viable option?

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

well if we cant generate enough solar power to cover our need for electricity then we cant generate enough to cover both electricity needs and fuel needs.

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

Well you can create hydrogen via solar and it sounds like a good idea at first but there are several reasons why it is losing a bit of its steam.

Probably the first and foremost reason has to deal with politics; utilizing hydrogen would require an entirely new infrastructure for transporting it across large expanses. Pipelines, trucks, etc. Quite frankly I don't have faith in any of our politicians here in the U.S. to allow for a non-complicated process that is devoid of any bureaucratic nonsense. The simplest things in this world get tied up behind miles of red tape and bickering.

Alongside the political factor, an entirely new infrastructure would be very resource demanding and time consuming, not to mention we'd have to engineer it to begin with. I imagine one could recycle some of the materials from our current gas pipelines but we'd still be relying on most of them if we were to develop hydrogen within the next ten years.

Transportation itself creates yet another huge problem because of the way hydrogen is as an atom. It is incredibly small and would seep out through any of current pipelines. It would be a real pain in the ass to create a system that retains most/all of the hydrogen through long distance transporation. I've heard several scientists say that is one of the bigger turnoffs for hydrogen; we haven't found an effective way for long distance storage and transportation.

I'd love to see hydrogen be developed. I absolutely love to think of the idea of hydrogen powered cars and I hope that we put investment and research into it. But as much as I am rooting for hydrogen (it's like my main choice for a political candidate) to come out strong, I don't think it will ever be fully developed or utilized. At best, I see it becoming a niche fuel source in certain parts of the world. I know Germany has some fueling stations, and that is how I imagine what the future of hydrogen will be.

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

Well if we find a good power source to provide us electricity, then we dont have to transport hydrogen. Gasstations can have their hydrogen production unit (to be developed) so they can produce and store it themselfs before it is sold to the consumer. I can even imagine that you sell small household hydrogen units so people can fill up at home. Thats a viable option when we find a good renewable energy source (like fusion)

Re: Oil on Mars?
 

havent seen you in ages :) hows it been? :)