The Future of Hydrogen Fuel Cells The present global economy is nearly entirely dependent on petroleum and crude oil imports from the Middle East. Where the current situation stands now, oil prices will continue to skyrocket and the environmental impact will continue becoming greater if no form of alternative energy is implemented to a greater extent within the coming years. However, to this effect, the industrial cost of producing such forms of alternative energy is in itself primarily composed
Hydrogen fuel cells are a source of alternative energy. With no negative effects on the environment, they could become extremely popular. A hydrogen fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to create water and energy. These simple energy source’s only drawback is how explosive the hydrogen gas inside is. Discussing with corporate manager, Andrew Dicks, we look into possible solutions and benefits for hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are an alternative source of energy. Unlike fossil fuels
Hydrogen Fuel cell technology Hydrogen fuel cell is a device which converts chemical energy into electrical energy. The cell uses hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals (Rose, 2013). This cell is like a battery and releases energy in one way from going negative to positive (government of Canada, 2013). The fuel cell is separated by an electrolyte, which causes the electrons to travel around in a circuit creating energy (government of Canada, 2013).The hydrogen travels across this electrolyte combining
recharging due to the limited storage capacities of batteries, it was faster to fuel a gas car than recharge an electric car, and finally, the mass production of the gas car lowered its price significantly compared to the electric car. Present day, the conventional gas powered vehicle is still preferred over electric cars, but advances in hydrogen fuel cell technology are making the option of owning a hydrogen fuel cell powered car more of a possibility as well as highlighting the benefits of other
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Vs. Gasoline: Who’s Down With HFC? ABSTRACT: The world’s oil supply is a diminishing nonrenewable resource. Soon, a new fuel for automobiles will be needed. Hydrogen fuel cells may very well become the chief replacement for gasoline in our society. INTRODUCTION: In our busy world today, we often find ourselves surrounded by vehicles. But how often do we ponder about by which means these vehicles are running? Vehicles are fueled by gasoline, a gradually diminishing resource
inspires me to contribute, while learning, unlocking why everything behaves the way it does. With the hydrogen fusion project in construction and the recent use of hydraulic fracturing which has caused environmental and social dispute, I chose to undertake the extended project qualification related to this, energy, as chemistry leads these efforts. In my EPQ, I discuss whether hydrogen fuel cells are the future to generating electricity. The project has improved my primary and secondary research skills
the average citizen to commute to work without the hassle of mass transit and horses. However, with this new supply of automobiles came the demand for the fuel they required to run. It was not known back then that the consumption of these fuels could actually hurt the environment, or even run dry. Today it is commonly known that these fuels aren’t unlimited, or good for the environment. Action must be taken to reduce and eventually eliminate these threats to human existence. That is why I propose
Hydrogen: the Fuel of the Future? The Problem: For years, United States citizens have been using natural gases and oils to power their cars. While doing so we have also been polluting our environment, making ourselves dependant on other regions of the world, and depleting our oil reserves. Rory Sporrows of “Geographical” wrote, “The car is responsible for combusting eight million barrels of oil every day, contributing to nearly a quarter of total global greenhouse emissions and causing major
Hydrogen: Car Power of the Future Abstract Recent years have shown an increasingly large need for a practical renewable energy source for such reasons as diminishing fossil fuels and increases in greenhouse gasses. Hydrogen appears to be a way out of this gasoline-dug hole, or at least, a way out in the future. Hydrogen fuel cell cars are being engineered as we speak as the technologies to refuel them cleanly are being proposed. Unfortunately, most of the technologies associated with hydrogen
late 20th century to now that new fuels have surfaced to challenge the might of gasoline. One type of alternative energy that can be used instead of gasoline is hydrogen fuel cells. Ever since 2003 when President Bush announced the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative car companies have been trying to develop Hydrogen fuel cell cars that are cost effective and practical. Alone the USA has invested billions of dollars on fuel cell research and development. Hydrogen fuel cells are practical because it can generate
Hydrogen gas was first identified as an element in 1766, by British scientist Henry Cavendish, in an experiment wherein he separated hydrogen gas by reacting zinc metal plates with hydrochloric acid. Cavendish found that when he applied a spark to the resulting hydrogen gas, it yielded water. It wasn’t until some years later that French chemist Antoine Lavoisier gave hydrogen its modern name. The word hydrogen is derived from the Greek words ‘hydro’ and ‘genes’, which translate as ‘born of water
Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on the earth. It can be found in the oceans as well as the atmosphere. Over the last few years, talk about the future of hydrogen power has grown from a whisper to a roar. The use of hydrogen is not just the burning of the gas, but of its use in a fuel cell. Fuel cells might be the device that causes the extinction of the internal combustion engine. A fuel cell is a device that produces electricity from a fuel and an oxidizer, a substance that combines
Hydrogen lies in one of the copious replacements for gasoline. It is not an energy source such as oil, but an energy carrier that is produced instead of digging and finding it underground. Though replacing fossil fuels by hydrogen fuel cell is very hard and costs a great deal, for the most part, hydrogen fuel cell is a zero carbon emission fuel which highly reduces the carbon emissions that causes pandemic global warming. Hydrogen is very helpful for nature by cause of replacing fossil fuels with
Fuel of the Future It is obvious that this country has a knack for vast and rapid consumption of oil. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions, global warming threats and surging gas prices are just some of the warning signs. In the last two decades, this country has made great bounds in new, energy efficient technologies that have played a major role in the United States’ energy conservation efforts. “It’s not about turning off the lights or unplugging the refrigerator. It is a story about
nations. And the number of cars is increasingly rapidly: in the United States, the automobile population has increased 6X faster than the human population and 2X faster than the number of new drivers (Motavelli, 2000). At the same time, the average fuel economy of the 2001 fleet decreased to 20.4 miles per gallon, the same it was in 1980. This decrease is fueled by the growing trend in inefficient SUVs. As over 50% of the USA’s oil comes from overseas, the dangerous level of waste promoted by inefficient
Hydrogen as an alternative fuel Transport exporters are looking for alternative ways to keep human mobility. Gasoline is widely used in motor vehicle. Beside gasoline there is another alternative fuel such as E85, natural gas, compress natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, propane is used as substitute fuel to cut dependence on gasoline. Vehicle makers are putting a billion dollars searching for alternative fuel. Therefore, fuel cells could be a potential candidate for alternative fuel. When considering
announces, “Fuel cell: a cell producing an electric current directly from a chemical reaction.” Fuel cells were thought of in 1839 by Sir William Grove who was known as “Father of the Fuel Cell.” In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author states, “ Sir William Grove discovered that it may be possible to generate electricity by reversing the electrolysis of water.” But it wasn’t until 1889 when two researchers looked further into Sir William Grove’s studies. In the article “History of Fuel Cells”
developed are the hydrogen fuel cell and electric battery vehicles. Both of which provide pros and cons within the system, on the environment and cost wise. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles A hydrogen fuel cell is an electrochemical cell which directly converts the chemical energy in hydrogen and oxygen to electricity with pure water (figure 1). In general fuel cells have a similar arrangement which consists of an electrolyte and two electrodes, but there are many types of fuel cells which are classified
Hydrogen is a diatomic element that is in a gaseous form at room temperature. Its most identifying characteristic is the fact that it is highly explosive. It is the lightest element in the world, and has a lifting power of 8% more than that of helium. Hydrogen was used in airships and zeppelins for more than 20 years during the beginning of the 20th century. This practice stopped abruptly after the German airship Hindenburg disaster over New Jersey. It is used in fuel cells to create electricity
1. Hydrogen Economy 1.1 Introduction Coal, oil and natural gas have been at the forefront of powering the world since the industrial revolution. Whether this power is used for new technology, transport links or energy the threat that fossil fuels has on the environment is colossal. Energy availability for the masses is the main dominant challenge in the 21st century and is driven by the world’s forever increasing population and the industrialization of developing countries (Crabtree, Dresselhaus