Waste and Blessings, Both Pass Through the Path of Trust
Tauhid Nur Azhar
Many friends in various WhatsApp groups often ask me, “Sir, why do you always post about high-tech topics, complicated scientific studies, and other utopian things?”
Then comes the criticism, “Can’t you post about topics that are more relevant to our daily lives and inspire people to make changes?”
I sometimes respond, “What kind of topics, for example?” And then I get flooded with suggestions and ideas for themes that are relevant to our current situation.
Topics ranging from waste management, traffic behavior, laziness syndrome, to instant culture and consumerist behavior, fill my WhatsApp.
Honestly, I also often discuss these topics, although not as intensely as when I talk about AI, biotechnology, renewable energy, or other complex topics that I enjoy exploring, because exploring complex things can reduce the burden of life’s complexities and entertain me by seeing others get caught up in conflicts and intrigue.
But fundamentally, I also want to contribute and offer suggestions about various social phenomena around us that we can only respond to by shaking our heads.
For example, this morning, with my own eyes, I saw a massive pile of domestic waste, characterized by plastic bags filled with household waste, scattered along the roadside at the border between two districts.
Some of it was even more alarming, as it had accumulated on the edge of a valley that was a riverbed. Apparently, it was intentionally dumped there, and with the help of natural forces like rain, it would be pushed down the riverbank and carried away by the current, disappearing from sight.
The problem of waste or garbage in Indonesia is not managed to add value, but its primary goal is to make it invisible to us.
If the people who litter everywhere were accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, their favorite spell would be EVANESCO, or “disappear without a trace.”
Whatever the method or process, the goal is to make waste, which was once a desirable product, disappear. It’s understandable, who wants to take care of something that’s no longer useful?
But if we think wisely and have a long-term perspective, we can reflect on the importance of managing waste sustainably, right?
But what happens? What happens is that people just throw trash away, and it’s not my job to educate them, is it? My job is just to disturb my friends’ lives on WhatsApp with absurd writings that come almost every day, or even 2–3 times a day. Isn’t that enough?
Do I need to know that I’m often scolded and even used as an example of a weird person by a mother whose child just threw away food packaging in the schoolyard without feeling guilty?
Yes, it’s true, the problem of littering, including avoiding responsibility, is a common thing, right? Not weird at all. I’m just someone who can’t stand seeing trash scattered everywhere.
So, whenever and wherever I’m not too embarrassed or afraid of being scolded, I try to pick up the trash and put it in its place. Many people get offended, especially those who litter. Many people also look at me with a mixture of disdain and amusement.
Their comments are often loud and clear, like the sound of dangdut music at a village hall on August 17th.
“There’s someone who has nothing better to do…”, “Someone who’s just showing off…”, “A hero of laziness…”, “A self-righteous person…” and many other beautiful titles that I hope will become prayers: may I have a good job, be noticed and listened to by others in a positive context, become a hero of humanity, and be wise and virtuous. A complete package, right?
In the incident at the school, the mother who commented on my behavior, fortunately, didn’t defecate randomly, but her comment was sadistic yet romantic: “Look, that’s an example of someone who always looks for other people’s mistakes to make themselves look good. If you want to be good, don’t do that… picking up other people’s trash is just showing off, that you’re the only one who’s right and we’re barbarians who don’t understand ethics, or education…”
Seriously, I was taken aback by her comment. 80% of my cognitive function, which wasn’t affected by emotions, agreed with her statement.
I felt slapped, realizing that from a different perspective, what I did was more hurtful to the person’s dignity and pride. The result was resentment, not correction of the mistake. Did my action of picking up trash fail?
Although what I did was a spontaneous reaction (huh?), which could be assumed to be a reflex. But rather than being confused, let’s focus on things that make us learn and reflect.
For example, the CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co. Ltd, the manufacturer of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train, has just released its new product to the public: a hydrogen-powered super-speed train called CINOVA H2.
This crazy train, as the Sundanese people would say, runs on hydrogen fuel, with zero emissions, and the byproduct of the energy conversion process is water. Yes, water that can be used in many ways.
Can you imagine if CRRC not only produced hydrogen-powered high-speed trains with a GoA 4 automation system that is fully automated without human intervention, but also produced autonomous rail rapid transport (ARRT) that doesn’t use rails at all, with renewable energy as fuel? It’s already smart, can travel on its own, is environmentally friendly, and is cheap and efficient because hydrogen can be produced in many ways.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles, such as trains and cars, can be done through two main methods, using fuel cell technology and direct combustion or ICE.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles work based on the electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which produces electricity, heat, and water. This reaction occurs in a fuel cell that consists of an anode, cathode, and electrolyte. Hydrogen (H2) is fed into the anode, while oxygen (usually from the air) is fed into the cathode.
At the anode, hydrogen is ionized into protons (H+) and electrons (e-). Reaction at the anode: H2 → 2H+ + 2e- Reaction at the cathode: O2 + 4H+ + 4e- → 2H2O Total reaction: 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O + electrical energy The underlying theory is Faraday’s law of electrolysis and the proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell theory. The electrical energy produced is converted into mechanical energy to power the electric motor in the vehicle.
Hydrogen is stored in high-pressure tanks (usually 350–700 bar). Fuel cells are combined in a stack to increase energy output. A power converter is used to regulate the flow of electricity to the motor. The electric motor then converts the electrical energy into mechanical energy that is used to power the vehicle’s wheels.
The type of fuel cell used is Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM), which is the most common type used. Its efficiency is around 40–60% thermal efficiency. The energy density of hydrogen is 33.3 kWh/kg, which is much higher than that of fossil fuels. The tank pressure identified is around 350–700 bar (high-pressure hydrogen storage tank). The range of hydrogen vehicles with the current tank capacity is around 500–700 km per full charge for hydrogen cars.
The second method is direct hydrogen combustion (Hydrogen Combustion Engine) Direct hydrogen combustion uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) that is modified to burn hydrogen as fuel. In principle, it is similar to a gasoline engine, but hydrogen is used as a substitute for gasoline or diesel. In this engine, hydrogen is mixed with air and burned to produce energy.
Chemical reaction: 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O + heat energy This principle is based on the Otto or Diesel cycle in combustion, where hydrogen combustion occurs in the combustion chamber, producing pressure that pushes the piston. The hydrogen tank used is the same as the FCHV, where hydrogen is stored in a high-pressure tank. Hydrogen is injected into the combustion chamber like conventional fuel. Hydrogen burns with oxygen in the engine, producing water vapor (H2O) as exhaust. The pressure from combustion pushes the piston, which drives the crankshaft, providing mechanical energy. Hydrogen-based ICE engines have an efficiency of around 25–30% higher than gasoline-powered engines.
The advantages and challenges of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles and public transportation include being environmentally friendly, as hydrogen produces zero CO2 emissions and only water vapor as a byproduct. Hydrogen can be produced from various sources, including water through electrolysis supported by renewable energy. Hydrogen also has a higher energy density per kilogram than fossil fuels, providing potential for longer ranges.
On the other hand, the use of hydrogen as an energy source also requires infrastructure that requires significant investment. Because although the technology is mature, the cost of producing hydrogen from electrolysis is still relatively high. Hydrogen fuel also requires high-pressure tanks for storage, which requires safer and more efficient storage technology.
But we haven’t discussed where hydrogen comes from yet, have we? We’ve already gotten enough information about the use of hydrogen in fuel cell and ICE engines, but where does the hydrogen come from that is touted as an energy source that can be produced by various substances around us in abundance?
Hydrogen can be produced through various methods, which can be classified based on the source and process. Some of the main methods of hydrogen production are natural gas reforming, water electrolysis, biomass gasification, and the use of nuclear energy or solar heat.
Here is a detailed explanation of each process, starting with;
Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), where SMR is the most common method for producing hydrogen from natural gas (methane). In this process, methane is reacted with steam at high temperatures (700–1000 °C) to produce hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide.
The chemical reaction is as follows: CH4 + H2O → CO + 3H2 (Endothermic reaction) CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (Shift gas reaction) The first reaction is steam reforming, where methane is broken down into hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The second reaction is a shift reaction that increases hydrogen production by converting carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.
According to the IEA, SMR is the most efficient and affordable technology currently available, but it produces high carbon emissions. Experts recommend the application of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to reduce environmental impact.
(International Energy Agency (IEA), “The Future of Hydrogen,” 2019.)
Water electrolysis is a method that uses electricity to split water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen. This process is done by passing electricity through water using electrodes immersed in an electrolyte solution.
The chemical reaction that occurs is: At the cathode: 2H2O + 2e- → H2 + 2OH- At the anode: 4OH- → O2 + 2H2O + 4e- Electrolysis uses redox reactions, where hydrogen ions at the cathode are reduced to hydrogen gas, while hydroxide ions at the anode are oxidized to oxygen gas.
Renewable energy experts state that electrolysis from clean electricity sources (such as wind or solar energy) produces green hydrogen that is very environmentally friendly, although the energy cost is still high.
(C. Acar, I. Dincer, “Review and evaluation of hydrogen production methods for better sustainability,” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2014.)
Biomass gasification converts organic materials (such as wood, agricultural residues) into hydrogen gas by heating them in a limited oxygen environment.
The chemical reaction that occurs is: Biomass + O2/steam → CO + H2 + CO2 + CH4 Shift gas reaction: CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 This process is based on the principle of thermodynamics, where the biomass feedstock is broken down into a hydrogen-rich gas through pyrolysis and partial oxidation. The resulting gas is then further processed to purify the hydrogen.
Biomass gasification is considered an environmentally friendly method because it uses renewable feedstocks, but the main challenge is process stability and technological complexity.
(M. B. Wilkerson, A. Z. Gurkan, “Gasification of Biomass for Hydrogen Production,” Journal of Sustainable Energy, 2017.)
Thermochemical Water Splitting (Nuclear/Concentrated Solar Power), in this process, heat from a nuclear reactor or concentrated solar power is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through a thermodynamic cycle, such as the sulfur-iodine (SI) cycle or the iron-oxide cycle.
The chemical reaction (example of the sulfur-iodine cycle): H2SO4 → SO2 + H2O + ½O2 (decomposition of sulfuric acid) SO2 + I2 + 2H2O → 2HI + H2SO4 (Bunsen reaction) 2HI → I2 + H2 (decomposition of hydroiodic acid) This method is based on a thermodynamic cycle that uses high heat to break down chemical compounds step by step and regenerate compounds to produce hydrogen.
According to some experts, such as P. Wurzbacher from ETH Zurich, thermochemical water splitting has great potential for producing clean hydrogen on a large scale, although this technology is still in the research and development stage.
(J. L. Fisher et al., “Nuclear Hydrogen Production: Thermochemical Water-Splitting,” Energy Policy Journal, 2016.)
Methane pyrolysis is a method that decomposes methane (CH4) into hydrogen and solid carbon at high temperatures without oxygen.
The chemical reaction in methane pyrolysis is: CH4 → C (solid carbon) + 2H2 The pyrolysis process separates methane into carbon and hydrogen through direct heating. The resulting carbon can be used or stored, so there are no CO2 emissions.
Some experts see pyrolysis as a promising technology because it does not produce direct CO2 emissions, but the development of this technology is still in its early stages.
(M. Geels et al., “Methane Pyrolysis: Promising Low-Carbon Hydrogen Production,” Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2020.)
Isn’t it more fun to talk about new and renewable energy? Yeah, it is! Yeah, it is! Instead of talking about littering, because even if we don’t talk about it, many people around us still litter whenever and wherever they want.
They litter while riding motorcycles, while wearing clothes, and even while not wearing clothes. And when that happens, it’s frustrating, and I remember my junior clerkship days in the psychiatry department, where I wanted to give them electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) so that they would change their behavior.
Because with ECT, who knows, there might be a significant change in behavior, right? 🫣😊🙏🏾
Further Reading J. A. Turner, “Sustainable Hydrogen Production,” Science, 2004. L. Barreto et al., “Hydrogen: Linking Technology to Climate Policy,” Energy Policy Journal, 2003.
