Hydrogen fuel cells have a strong potential to create a 100% carbon free, transportable form of fuel. These cells have revolutionized the industry, for example in British Columbia, car manufacturers are forced to produce ZEVs (Zero Emission Vehicles) through a mandate that takes effect in spring of 2019. The hope is that by 2025, 10% of all vehicles sold to dealerships are ZEVs, in order to actively combat climate change.
Hydrogen is the most basic element on earth and is in abundance throughout the planet. However, Hydrogen gas (H2) is not available without means of separation. The best way, is through the electrolysis of water (H2O) in order to form hydrogen and oxygen gas. Hydrogen is combustible with oxygen, and forms water vapor. This allows for energy to be produced anywhere the fuels may be combusted, as Oxygen is readily available throughout our atmosphere.
They also negate the issues involved with internal combustion engines. While this type of energy gets lost through a lot of heat and mechanical energy, hydrogen fuel cells convert directly into electrical energy that is distributed readily and efficiently to the mechanical parts. This conversion allows for minimal losses when converting different forms of energy. “Fuel cells have no moving parts. They are thus much more reliable than traditional engines.”(www.hydrogenics.com)
The beauty of fuel cells, is their ability to be easily transported. Hydrogen gas can be stored and shipped via our transportation infrastructure. This eliminates the costly disadvantage of transporting liquids, as gases can be compressed where as liquids cannot. Hydrogen fuel cells are also so versatile, they can be used to power anything from a home, to a vehicle, to a plane. This is because fuel cells work around the same basis as a battery (Anode, Cathode, Electrolyte).
Unfortunately, these advantages will have consequences. Since electrolysis involves running currents through water to separate the molecules into their constituent atoms, as much energy is needed to separate hydrogen as it would to combust it within our atmosphere (Hess’ Law). The energy needed to separate these atoms still runs off hydrocarbon based fuels from power grids and in order to be fully renewable, the infrastructure must be based off of renewable power, such as solar or wind.
Hydrogen must be compressed into liquids for these systems to work. Because of this, even more energy is required to cool or pressurize the gas into liquid forms. The energy required is fairly immense, and therefore we are losing energy in state conversions causing the process to be less efficient to use.
Though Hydrogen Fuel Cells have the potential of becoming a widespread, cheap and efficient form of fuel for transportation, the process of separation and storage issues have severely negated this upside. Hydrogen fuels are no less dangerous than hydrocarbons. They are all flammable to a strong degree. Until infrastructure and demand rises, it is difficult to say when Hydrogen Fuel Cells use will become widespread.
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