Hydrogen Fuel Cells - What Are They?

Research has found several sources of alternative energy. Hydrogen fuel cells are at the top of the list because they are allow us to use hydrogen for power. Hydrogen is a renewable energy source. That is what makes it so desirable.

 
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  Hydrogen fuel cells are much like batteries in that a chemical reaction produces electricity. They are unlike batteries because they are constantly supplied with hydrogen while batteries eventually run out.

Just how much electricity is produced is determined by the size of the cell and the flow of hydrogen. A chemical reaction between air and hydrogen produces water, heat, and electricity. The hydrogen fuel cells have a lower heat output than fossil fuels but there are more advantages to be found with hydrogen fuel cells than with petroleum based fuel.

The byproducts of hydrogen fuel cells are water, heat and oxygen. The byproducts of petroleum based fuels are carbons. Carbons hurt the environment where oxygen only helps. This is an obvious advantage that hydrogen has over gasoline. Hydrogen fuel cells have a 45 to 53 percent efficiency rate. Gasoline has a 20 percent efficiency rate. That is another obvious advantage hydrogen has over gasoline.

Hydrogen fuel cells can produce electricity cleanly and their size can be scaled to fit any need. In theory, a hydrogen fuel cell can power an iPod or an entire town. Aside from these applications, hydrogen fuel cells can be used to power our vehicles.

Right now, car companies all over the world are designing and planning for hydrogen fuel cell systems. They have some of their concepts online if you care to search for them. When we are finally able to tap into this source of energy with efficiency, our environment will be cleaner and dependence on petroleum will be greatly reduced.

It is estimated that within the next few decades, hydrogen fuel cells will have completely replaced petroleum and coal as our source of power. We will use them to power everything and the problems with greenhouse gases should be solved. There are places that are using hydrogen fuel cell technology right now. Their experience will tell us a lot about what we can expect from hydrogen technology as our primary power source.

With most of the world contributing to research into alternative fuels including hydrogen fuel cells, it will not be long before we are using it in day to day applications.

For now, the best way we have of producing hydrogen involves the use of fossil fuels. It is the only way we can produce hydrogen in enough quantities to be useful. This is a problem that is being looked at my scientists the world over. Researchers are trying to find another means of producing hydrogen that will not add to carbon emissions and oil depletion. They are making advancements and coming up with new theories every day.

Hydrogen fuel cells are used for making electricity but we need more information before we can use them with exclusion to petroleum based fuels.

The next big thing in hydrogen fuel technology will be hydrogen powered vehicles. They are being tested right now and it is predicted they will be in mass production in just a couple of years.