Bush, Iraq and the Hydrogen Economy

Whatever your doubts about nuclear power, the hydrogen economy might at least be cheaper than occupying the Middle East indefinitely. Using a cost estimate of $1,200 per KW for the reactors, those 4,000 reactors would cost about $1,500bn.

The direct costs of the peacekeeping, if that’s the term I’m looking for, in the Middle East, are about $100bn a year. Over 20 years, that’s $2,000bn. Throw in the deferred military capital costs, not to mention the survivors’ benefits, and nuclear powered hydrogen becomes quite competitive. The real hurdle with nukes is the capital cost. Maintenance, fuel and operation add up to less than 1 cent per kwh, and total energy content in a kilogramme of hydrogen or a gallon of gasoline is about 50 kwh, which would mean operating costs of about 50 cents a gallon.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/020205G.shtml