Nicholas Long's observations that 'obviously the best energy source is hydrogen...' (
Letters, 10 April) begged one vital question.
Hydrogen is basically a carrier of energy, not a source of it. Yes, it is abundant on the planet, but mainly as the product of its combustion — water.
Pretending that hydrogen itself is plentiful is like saying that the ash-pan is full, so we have plenty of solid fuel.
We must determine where the energy is to come from in order to make the hydrogen (i.e. generate it from water) before we can even talk about a hydrogen economy. This energy may be nuclear/solar/ hydro/tidal/wind/bio or — most likely — a combination of all these, but it has to come from somewhere.
Biofuels themselves are a source of energy today, and can be delivered to, and stored by, the user in ways already familiar to us — tankers and tanks.
Chris Finn,
Ideal Boilers, Hull
Make your point to The Engineer and take off with bmi
How to enter
Write a letter to The Engineer magazine and you could win a pair of tickets to one of bmi’s European destinations, courtesy of our friends at the airline.
Flexible and competitive
bmi asked 10,000 customers ‘what would make a great airline?’
The answer was clear: competitive fares, more choice and less time wasted at airports. So bmi acted, introducing a unique fare structure on domestic and European short-haul flights to and from London Heathrow. Thanks to three fare options — including premium economy, with benefits including lounge access and flexibility — you choose the services you want, depending on your business trip.
What’s more, bmi has streamlined the passenger process from the moment of buying the ticket, to your passage through the airport, to boarding the aircraft. You can book e-tickets online and then check in online at home, in your office, or even on the move.
Alternatively, there are self-check-in machines and priority check-in desks at the airport. You can even use bmi ‘web points’ to check in online at the airport, if that’s more convenient. All this means you can save valuable time from booking, right until your plane takes off.
The prize
Try the smart approach for yourself, courtesy of bmi. The winner of The Engineer’s Letter of the Month prize for April, as selected by the editor, will win a pair of tickets from London Heathrow to any destination on bmi’s European mainline network.
Click here for terms and conditions.
The Engineer
Glasgow trial explores AR cues for autonomous road safety
They've ploughed into a few vulnerable road users in the past. Making that less likely will make it spectacularly easy to stop the traffic for...