Urine to be used as fuel??

Urine-powered cars, homes and personal electronic devices could be available in six months.

Using a nickel-based electrode, scientists can create large amounts of cheap hydrogen from urine that could be burned or used in fuel cells. One cow can provide enough energy to supply hot water for 19 houses.

One molecule of urea, a major component of urine, contains four atoms of hydrogen bonded to two atoms of nitrogen. If you place a special nickel electrode into a pool of urine and apply an electrical current, hydrogen gas is released.

A urine-powered vehicle could theoretically travel 90 miles per gallon.

Source

Umm... sounds a little odd. I dont necessarily think its a good idea to keep using cows for all of our resources. Why cant they just make hemp legal and grow that instead? its been proven that it would be one of the most effective sources of biofuel... would release more oxygen into the air and reduce CO2 emissions enough to help reverse global warming, could be used for clothing, skin/hair care, i mean you name it, it would work...

and yet they are talking about using cow urine instead?!?

what is wrong with this country?

[edit on 17-8-2009 by calihan_12]

Well, urine can be wasted or it can be used. Peeing into a car for fuel would seem to be a positive solution to me, not the negative thing you make it

well, it wouldnt be human pee. it would only be cow pee.

cows already are used for enough, cause pollution, take up a lot of resources..

there are many other alternatives than cow piss that would be much more effective.

Imagine all the stops people would be making for restroom breaks. Gross.
Just like the magnet fired, electricity. Its too cheap, free, or beneficial for anyone, so therefore TPTB can't make money. Won't let it happen.


Better get your boots cause, I think urine too deep.

Edited to realize that the cows produce alot more than us.

[edit on 17-8-2009 by havok]

Originally posted by Skyfloating
Well, urine can be wasted or it can be used. Peeing into a car for fuel would seem to be a positive solution to me, not the negative thing you make it

I can see where this would basically be an infinitely renewable resource, but I'm not sure I could bring myself to pee in the gas tank, nor could I really take the concept seriously.

Besides, what would the ad copy look like? Would they provide catheters for long drives so you didn't have to stop to pee or to fuel up?

Originally posted by PsychoHazard
Besides, what would the ad copy look like? Would they provide catheters for long drives so you didn't have to stop to pee or to fuel up?

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The point of the matter: I think the idea is a good one and might be even better if it were human urine...

I'm sitting here trying to picture how they would collect the cow urine.

Let's put 'all' the cows in narrow stalls for the rest of their lives... just to drive cars.... PETA would love that.

Then there is just the logistics of feeding & watering the cows only to make fuel. What are they going to do, put 'feeder tubes' down into the stomach of the cows and force hydrate them? Highly inefficient, if you ask me.

M.

i feel like murderers and anyone who did something bad in a past life come back as cows. i swear. cows are tortured and used for so much crap, i feel bad for the poor bastards.

yeah and like i said it wouldnt work for human urine. cows have different molecules int heir urine than humans do, and thats why we couldnt just go pee in a jar and use it to fuel our cars. that would be pretty entertaining though. you run out of gas in the middle of nowhere but you havent had a drink for awhile and cant pee. haha. guess youd be screwed.

reply to post by calihan_12


Here is another article on this subject: dsc.discovery.com...

Also, here is another thread discussing that article: www.abovetopsecret.com...

I just have to wonder if we will ever actually see this "technology" implemented.

reply to post by calihan_12


Yup I posted this story a few weeks ago, didnt get much attention, and I don't really think it will in the mainstream.

No biggies though, I'm happy the discussion is underway somewhere .

~Keeper

Interesting. Course the idea of using urea as a power source has been around for decades, I imagine the technology just finally caught up. *shrug*

Still, I do think this is a misquided solution. Sure the solution for the future of energy is a homogenization (pun intended) mix of solutions, but bagging cows to acquire their pee is extreme.