Chapter 508

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

At that time, new energy vehicles were just at the initial stage of development; electric cars did not fill the streets as they do now, nor had they received policy favor and support from the state.

So the issue Wan Zhiyuan and Wen Lingyun were discussing was actually not just being discussed by the two of them as fresh university students; many experts and professors were discussing it too.

Should we develop chemical batteries, or develop hydrogen batteries?

Standing at the crossroads of technological development, a conclusion often cannot be reached through simple discussion.

Some seemingly correct paths deviate very far in their actual development trajectory.

Because putting them into practical application in real society involves many complex factors that obstruct progress.

For instance, the viewpoint Wang Xiaohua raised is precisely the important reason that hindered our country's development of hydrogen energy, and even hindered global development of hydrogen energy, for the next ten-plus years.

In terms of hydrogen energy, Japan had already seized the initiative; they held many hydrogen-energy-related patents, choking everyone's neck — other countries worldwide wanting to enter the hydrogen energy vehicle industry had to pay them high patent fees, because hydrogen energy development cannot bypass Little Japan's patents.

So, Wang Xiaohua's conclusion was:

"I think our country will probably lean toward developing electric vehicles in the future."

Wang Xiaohua actually wasn't certain what he said was right; he was just guessing blindly.

He just felt that when the time came, after he painstakingly manufactured hydrogen energy vehicles, Japan would do nothing, pat their buttocks, and take sixty to seventy percent of the profits, even seventy to eighty percent — even a fool wouldn't be willing to do that, let alone those super-brains in the state decision-making layer.

"Your view is merely because the patents are in Japan's hands?"

Wen Lingyun was somewhat puzzled.

He had grown up in a privileged environment, single-mindedly immersed in study, so naturally he did not understand the cruelty of social competition.

In fact, whether it is competition between enterprises or competition between nations, it is essentially the same as Sister-in-law Wang Er and Li Dama fighting over that half plot of public land with unclear property rights.

The world is just a giant grassroots makeshift troupe.

"Yes, Japan has taken a step ahead; developing hydrogen energy now would only let Japan eat the meat while we drink the soup — clearly not worthwhile."

Wang Xiaohua answered thus.

Wen Lingyun, however, sneered and laughed:

"What kind of thinking is that? It's simply typical bound-foot mentality. Do you know academia has no borders? Japan indeed holds many patents in hydrogen energy, but precisely because of those scientists' research results, we can step on the ladder they built and climb one floor higher."

Wen Lingyun continued expressing his opinion:

"Hydrogen energy is not only high-efficiency, but also a clean energy; hydrogen and oxygen produce water when burned, with zero pollution! As long as we solve the hydrogen production and hydrogen storage problems, it will absolutely crush any energy! So this field will definitely have huge development potential; I plan to deeply research this field in the future!"

Wang Xiaohua smiled:

"Lingyun, what you say has some truth; maybe I was short-sighted, but I still feel that although academia has no borders, politics has borders; politics guides economic development, and the direction of economic development often guides the direction of technological development."

"After the Great Depression in Europe, World War II began, and the military-industrial economy driven by WWII indirectly advanced atomic bomb research; without WWII, perhaps the atomic bomb would still be in theory today. This is the most typical case of politics guiding economy, economy catalyzing technology."

Wang Xiaohua spoke thus.

Wen Lingyun still didn't quite believe Wang Xiaohua's argument.

Wan Zhiyuan and Wei Qian, however, listened with relish.

They even looked at Wang Xiaohua with new respect.

Previously Wang Xiaohua rarely spoke; who knew that once he opened his mouth, he would speak logically and coherently.

"Xiaohua, keep talking!"

Wan Zhiyuan couldn't wait to hear Wang Xiaohua's final conclusion.

Wang Xiaohua continued:

"Our country boasts five thousand years of civilization; why could it never develop modern technology? When Europe was still in slave society, our Great Qin had already unified writing and tracks; by that development speed we should not have fallen behind, yet by the eighteenth century, when Europe invented the steam engine, we were still doing imperial examinations, still practicing Shang Yang's Five Techniques of Controlling the People. Why? In my view it is the result of politics leading economy, economy driving technological development. Politically emphasizing agriculture and restraining commerce, the economy naturally falls behind, and economic backwardness naturally produces no technological achievements."

Wen Lingyun said at this point:

"Aren't you dragging this too far? What does this have to do with developing hydrogen energy?"

Before Wang Xiaohua could answer, Wei Qian spoke up:

"Lingyun, Xiaohua means: if politics does not allow this technological product to appear, or if politics does not cultivate the soil to nurture this technological product, then this technological product can never appear — for example, if foreigners had not forced open the Qing Dynasty's treaty ports, if technological civilization had not entered our country, we might still be a small-scale peasant economy today."

Wang Xiaohua nodded:

"Right, right, that's exactly what I mean; so without policy favor, neither electric vehicles nor hydrogen energy vehicles can develop — whichever way state policy leans, that side develops, and the state's policy choice concerns national interest, so it naturally cannot let others pick up the bargain, let alone let others choke our neck; this is the important reason I feel our country will develop toward electric vehicles in the future."

Wan Zhiyuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"Xiaohua, you're absolutely right; before I hadn't considered the political layer, I just simply thought hydrogen energy storage technology is hard to break through, safety performance is poor, hydrogen energy vehicles are practically mobile bombs, so I wasn't optimistic about hydrogen energy development; I never expected you've already considered it to such a deep level."

Wei Qian joked with a smile:

"Xiaohua is no worse than you guys; he just comes from a rural area and doesn't have resources as good as yours; if his resources were better, he might have beaten the three of us long ago!"

Wang Xiaohua, praised by Wei Qian, felt a bit embarrassed.

"No, no, I just casually stated my view; it's not necessarily right."

Wen Lingyun's expression turned deep; his gaze remained firm:

"I always firmly believe technology knows no borders; some technological development cannot be stopped by anyone."

Wen Lingyun is a relatively pure person.

Although Wang Xiaohua spoke logically and coherently, he still firmly believes developing hydrogen energy is the correct path.

So he will specialize in hydrogen energy technology next, hoping to overcome the difficulties in hydrogen energy production and storage.

Hydrogen energy production is actually not a problem; the most common electrolysis of water can produce hydrogen and oxygen.

The main difficulty is energy storage.

He feels that as long as the energy storage difficulty is solved, the momentum of hydrogen energy vehicle development definitely cannot be stopped by anyone.

……