Hydrogen Fuel Cells Essays

Submitted By jhaz8875
Words: 298
Pages: 2

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Energy Hydrogen fuel cell energy is a form of energy that has great potential, but is more or less of a running joke to the science community. Practical applications like a hydrogen fuel cell car will always be the marvel of the next decade, or maybe the decade after that... Hydrogen fuel cell cars are no emissions vehicles. But it is tricky to harvest the energy of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a source. The energy has to harvested by adding electrical energy to water, thusly splitting the H20 into one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms. Inside the fuel cell, the two recombine and make electrical energy, which powers the vehicle, and the exhaust is pure water. Current prototypes of these vehicles run about $1,000,000; certainly not pocket change. Hydrogen, also, has a low energy density, so the hydrogen must be compressed, which uses energy, (Introduction to Renewable Energy. 2012). Another application to hydrogen fuel cells is at home. According to Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association, “Fuel cells are ideal for residential zones. They are virtually silent with no moving parts and provide reliable power 24/7. In addition, a fuel cell big enough to power an entire home is about the size of a traditional AC Unit. Fuel cells already power thousands of homes in Japan and are beginning to do so in the United States.” Obviously, this type of application could also be amplified to a larger scale, for business and work