Learn about Hydrogen Alternative Fuel and Energy

Hydrogen Fuel Cells produce electricity from a reaction of oxygen from the air and water. A conventional combustion engine using oxygen and fossil fuel is burned or oxidized which produces heat and mechanical motion. A fuel cell also uses oxidization to produce electricity. When powered by hydrogen the only by-product is heat and water. A fuel cell is made up of many thin flat cells layered together each producing electricity. Electricity is produced when hydrogen and oxygen from the air are fed into the proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack. Enough electricity can be produced to power electric vehicles.

Currently in the U.S. there are no hydrogen fuel cell vehicles being produced for the public, only a few demonstration vehicles can be found. Passenger buses and long-haul trucks are primarily being used to test and demonstrate fuel cells. Japan has developed a hybrid fuel cell train which uses diesel engines for two thirds of its power, and the other third is provided by two electric engines powered by fuel cells. The industry is just starting to test and develop these vehicles, so there is no reliability data available. It is also too early to know what the cost of the first production vehicles will be. Due to the current technical and cost barriers as well as the need for an infrastructure to support the vehicles, it may take 10 to 20 years before hydrogen vehicles will be in production. There are a few hydrogen fuel stations being built mainly for the purpose of demonstration. Much needs to be tested and developed before fuel cells can be used for everyday purposes. Some of the challenges the industry is facing include reducing cost, increasing the durability in extreme conditions, and increasing the reliability to produce consistent energy.

Hydrogen is a renewable resource that can be produced from unlimited resources making the fuel cell very important to the United States transportation system. Hydrogen can be extracted from natural gas or other fossil fuels, or from methane gas produced from landfills or animal waste. Hydrogen can be produced using domestic resources which include natural gas, coal, biomass, nuclear as well as solar, hydro-electric, and wind.

The benefits from using pure hydrogen to power fuel cell vehicles include zero emissions which will provide for cleaner air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Using pure hydrogen produces only water vapor. Fuel cells are expected to be twice as efficient as domestic gasoline combustion engines. Energy independence from imported oil could be achieved by the nation by the use of fuel cell technology. When fuel cell technology is developed where it is cost effective and efficient to use, it will revolutionize the way the nation is powered.

Learn More:
California's Hydrogen Highway Project
Hydrogen Combustion Vehicles