Here is an interview of Scott Goldbach (my best friend in the hydrogen community!) who is the founder of Americans For A Hydrogen Economy (AFAHE). Click here to join the AFAHE Facebook page. And you can follow Scott on Twitter @AFAHE (where he now has over 10,000 followers!).
You can check out the two radio public service announcements (PSA) from Americans For A Hydrogen Economy that Scott put together below the interview.
Thanks so much to Scott for answering the questions and all he does to promote hydrogen! He is a perfect example of how one person can make a HUGE difference.
1. When did you start Americans For A Hydrogen Economy? What does it involve right now? Can you discuss your plans for getting the message out in additional ways in the future?
We posted our first entry to our AmericansForAHydrogenEconomy (AFAHE) Facebook forum on May 27th at 2:34 pm and officially kicked off our campaign to fulfill our mission statement: “To Promote the Economic and Environmental Benefits of a Hydrogen Economy”.
Starting very early each morning and throughout the day, I personally review feeds from several dozen respected news sources and blogs (not only from the US but from other parts of the world as well), with the intention of providing our members with the most up-to-date information on what’s happening in the world of Hydrogen.
Greg, as I’m sure you know, Social Media has exploded and become nothing short of a phenomenon. It’s now very easy to reach thousands of people a day with your message and that’s what we’re doing. Our goal really is to keep Hydrogen in the forefront of the minds of anyone willing to listen to us. Our Facebook fan base is continuing to grow and we’ve started to pick up a very large following on Twitter and expect our audience there to grow into the tens of thousands over the coming months. We also maintain a presence on MySpace and our newly created website using both as a portal to funnel people into our Facebook and Twitter sites.
Greg, as you’re aware, we have taken steps to produce the first known Hydrogen related Public Service Announcements (two of which we have completed) and to contact major Internet Radio and Traditional Radio Stations around the country. We have heard from a number of these stations that they intend to review and determine whether or not they can run these spots and we are currently waiting on their decisions. If need be, we will work to secure the funding necessary to get the word out through paid advertising, but for now we’re looking to the generosity of radio stations nationwide.
Lastly, we’re always looking for new ways to deliver the great news about Hydrogen and by thinking outside the box we will continue to do so.
2. How long have you been interested in alternative energy, solutions to the oil crisis, etc.?
Greg, I’m old enough to have experienced firsthand the gas shortages of the 70s and recall sitting for hours in long gas lines wondering if I would have enough fuel to get through the week. It was at the same time I recall visiting a futuristic car show at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio where Hydrogen was being portrayed as the fuel of the future. Couple this with the recent increase in gas prices and you have the catalyst that would eventually drive the creation of AFAHE.
3. While this will soon change, plug-in battery vehicles have gotten the most attention over the past year or two as the solution to the oil crisis. Furthermore, advocates of plug-in battery technology are extremely negative towards hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Therefore, why didn’t you become an advocate of plug-in battery vehicles? Why did you end up supporting hydrogen fuel cell vehicles despite all of the negativity towards the technology?
Greg, I’ve never considered plug-in battery powered vehicles to be a viable solution. In my opinion they are plagued with all sorts of problems including, but not limited to, the lack of a comprehensive reclamation plan for batteries once they’ve reached the end of their lifecycle. I see this as a huge environmental concern that I’ve yet to see addressed by any of the major automobile manufacturers. Additionally, you don’t hear a lot about what people will do once their multi-thousand dollar vehicle becomes a boat anchor. I really don’t see people making huge investments in battery replacements, especially in a vehicle with any real age on it.
Battery lifecycle isn’t something you hear people talking a lot about, but my wife and I experienced this firsthand a few years ago with a Segway touring business we owned. Just after our third year we began to see a difference in the performance of our lithium-ion batteries, especially during cold weather and we were concerned about how we would pay for their replacements, as a Segway’s battery cost nearly half the price of a new Segway.
Here’s the thing, while there may be some limited uses for plug-in vehicles, Americans don’t want to change their way of life and with Hydrogen they won’t have to. As you yourself have pointed out, and I concur, Hydrogen Vehicles represent the only option that can be scaled up to meet consumer demands for driving range, affordable cost when mass produced, reasonable fueling time, cold weather performance and still provide adequate trunk and passenger space. In the final analysis Hydrogen Vehicles are the clear winner in the race to find an alternative fuel. Not to mention the environmental benefit of water vapor being the only engine emission.
Just a quick word to those who may be reading this but are opposed to Hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. Why aren’t you approaching Hydrogen with an open mind and supporting it, at the very least, as a second option if not your first? A lot of the things I see posted on your blogs about Hydrogen just simply aren’t true and have no factual basis for representation. In the end the truth will come out and I and a lot of other supporters believe Hydrogen will be the clear winner.
4. Deep down, what motivated you to start Americans For A Hydrogen Economy?
Greg, America’s future depends on having access to unlimited, clean, domestically created and affordable energy. It’s really just that simple. America’s long term growth and stability as a nation depends on it and I believe Hydrogen is the way. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be spending countless hours talking to anyone who will listen about its benefits and the real need to move towards it as a viable long term solution. With gas prices set to spike again in the near term, it’s time we replaced fossil fuels for good in this country.
5. What types of responses do you get from friends, family, etc. when you tell them about hydrogen fuel cell vehicles? What questions do they ask?
Greg, I’m blessed to have some of the best friends on the planet bar none. Friends that would support me no matter what I’m advocating. It’s because of my friends and family that I put so much time, effort and energy into getting the word out about Hydrogen. The people I’ve had the opportunity to speak with here at home would tell you that I’m passionate about this cause. They usually listen very intently when I’m speaking about Hydrogen, sensing I’m sure, just how important this issue has become to me. They’re responses are as expected, very favorable.
[Photo credit: Scott Goldbach]
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