Roger Billings and John Wayne

One of my all-time greatest cowboy movie heroes is "The Duke" John Wayne.   I had heard that late in his life, he was also a big fan of Roger Billings' hydrogen work.  I found a photo of Roger Billings with John Wayne on Billings' web site.  It dates back to the oil embargo of 1973 era and included with it is a quote attributed to Wayne.  I can just hear him unapologetically telling it just the way he sees it.

See the photo and quote on Roger Billings' web site

Roger Billings Showing the First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car

Here is a short piece of news coverage on Roger Billings and his announcement of the first hydrogen fuel cell car back in 1991.  The clip, from ABC 27 News in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, shows part of the announcement event with Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel at the state capitol.  Roger Billings gives rides in the Ford Fiesta, which started as an electric vehicle donated by the US Postal Service -- watch for the steering wheel on the wrong side.  This is a neat piece of history that I was happy to find making its way onto YouTube.

Paul Harvey - A Roger Billings Fan

Until recently, I did not realize how big a fan the legendary broadcaster Paul Harvey was of Roger Billings and his hydrogen projects.

Paul Harvey (1918-2009) had one of the most recognized voices in radio history with 24 million listeners via 1,600 radio stations daily as well as numerous print publications.

I came across a few Paul Harvey articles from years ago that reveal he was not only a fan but even an investor in Roger Billings.  In one article he says:

"Billings is convinced that hydrogen pumps will appear at service stations as did gasoline 50 years ago - necessarily gradually. Government could expedite this evolution - but nothing can hold back the dawn. Innovative, imaginative Americans will do what they have to do."

Read the full article

Roger Billings - Dr. Hydrogen Has a New Facebook Page

Fans of Facebook will be pleased to know that Roger Billings recently released a new Facebook page about his hydrogen work titled "Roger Billings - Dr. Hydrogen".  It features some posts of his earlier hydrogen cars and mentions new announcements from major automakers.  Hydrogen is indeed heating up fast!

Take a look: Roger Billings - Dr. Hydrogen

Roger Billings shares "The Science of Learning"

I now take a break from Hydrogen to see what else Roger Billings is up to in recent years.  This new video features his work on "Acellus", an online learning tool he refers to as The Science of Learning.  Students are presented with video lectures and then graded on their comprehension.  Based on their responses, Acellus gives them more instruction on the topic or moves them on the next one.  A simple but powerful idea.  The magic happens when the administrators of the program statistically analyze responses from the thousands of students and then refine the videos, tests, and other materials.   More about Roger Billings Acellus Project.  I think you will enjoy this inspiring video.

New Roger Billings Hydrogen Now Post

Big News!  In a new post on his blog, Hydrogen Now, Roger Billings reveals that he has filed a new patent just two weeks ago on a "new way to generate large quantities of electricity efficiently from hydrogen".  He also hints at more patents yet to come in the next few months.

Interesting that Billings says the new technology may be superior to fuel cells!  If so this could be revolutionary. Roger Billings provides an update to his "Hydrogen World View" in light of development and current market realities. 

The first part of the post gives interested updates on some of his other projects including online education, data security, and his work for the US Army on computer networking.  For a fan like myself, this post is a must-read.

Roger Billings Hydrogen Now Post

Roger Billings in Energy Crisis – One Solution

Here is another video from the past that gives an interesting perspective on the world energy crisis and the case for hydrogen as the solution.  The video features interviews with several researchers including Roger Billings.  Really it's startling how familiar the problem is so many years later.  But the solution remains largely the same.  This copy of the video cuts off.  For the full video, see the Roger Billings' Hydrogen project page.