One of the industry's leaders, Ballard Power Systems, has produced several models of fuel cell-powered cars. Initially, the cells took up the entire storage space of a large van, but now the cells stacks can fit in the frame of a regular car. Companies such as Ford and DaimlerChrysler have unveiled their own versions of fuel cell vehicles using Ballard technology. Once distribution of hydrogen fuel is made a reality, these automobiles can be introduced to the major markets and become common in private use. There is even the possibility of generating the fuel at one's own home, eliminating the need to stop at refueling stations to purchase gasoline, or in this case, hydrogen fuel.
A component illustration of one of DaimlerChrysler's new fuel cell cars, the NECAR 4. It is housed inside a Mercedes-Benz A-Class compact sedan frame.
Photograph courtesy of EV World.
Manhattan Scientifics, Inc. has developed a "Hydrocycle," which is an alternative to the common electric bicycle. This bicycle is powered by hydrogen fuel cells and can travel up to one hundred miles on a flat surface with a maximum speed of eighteen miles per hour. The Hydrocycle is quiet-running and there is no need to wait many hours for it to recharge, a quick refill of its hydrogen fuel source is all that is needed to get it up and running again.
This Hydrocycle prototype from Manhattan Scientifics was displayed in June 2000. It has a driving range of 70 to 100 km/h and is completely pollution free.
Photograph courtesy of Manhattan Scientifics, Inc.
Projects around the globe have also been started to introduce hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses. With the number of people that use public transportation daily, pollution could be drastically cut if public buses were powered by this new, clean technology. Recently, Mercedes-Benz has introduced the Citaro Fuel Cell Bus into the European market. The European Union is promoting this zero-emissions technology into many cities in an effort to slow the effects of global warming and ozone depletion.
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Other possibilities for fuel cells exist in the power-production industry. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have created small fuel cells approximately the size of pencil erasers. These can generate power of up to one hundred milliwatts. This is not enough to power most commercial devices, but can be used to power small sensors in use by the military. Instead of using traditional batteries, these fuel cells can power many small devices that are commonly used in the field to detect motion or chemicals.
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On a larger scale, fuel cells can be used to power individual homes. EBARA Corporation of Japan has, along with Ballard Power Systems, created a one kilowatt power generation system. Other companies, namely Idatech and Plug Power Inc., have also created their own fuel cell stacks for home use. These systems get their hydrogen fuel from natural gas and currently operate with a total efficiency of up to 81%, although efforts are being made to increase that. The power generated is enough to supply the majority of a typical household's power needs. Additionally, one of the byproducts of fuel cell operation is water vapor. This can be used to heat homes and provide hot water, thereby furthering the usefulness and efficiency of the fuel cells.
Ballard and other companies have designed large-scale power production facilities for hydrogen fuel cells. These units generate up to 250 kilowatts and can be placed in almost any location. They have enough power to accommodate apartment housing or a building complex, even some small businesses. These are currently in the testing stage to ensure their safety to the public, but hold very promising futures for moving away from fossil fuel based power.
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Hydrogen fuel cells can also be used to store energy. In fact, their discovery was in finding a process to split water into its hydrogen and oxygen components. Given a source of electrical energy, such as solar cells, hydroelectric dams, or wind farms, one could reverse the normal process in fuel cells and produce hydrogen and oxygen gas from a water source.
Equipped with storage for these gasses, it would be possible to "fuel up" the cells at one time and then reuse them later when electricity is needed. This is akin to using solar cells to charge batteries in a house during the day with excess current, and then powering the house with the batteries at night. The same water could be used and reused many times to store and release energy, providing yet another viable means of powering the world for years to come.
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Since the industrial revolution of the early 19th century, we have had an increasing reliance on fossil fuels for power. However, we are finally realizing that these sources will eventually run out. The effects of their tremendous use are also beginning to affect the world now. Global warming is an ever-pressing concern and the only way to fix it is to reduce the harmful emissions generated every day.
Hydrogen fuel cells present a solution to these problems. By utilizing practically renewable resources in hydrogen and oxygen and coupling that with a clean-operating system, fuel cells can power the world and the needs of a global population without harming the environment. As fuel cell technology advances, they will become smaller and more efficient, eventually replacing traditional power systems. Distribution centers for hydrogen fuel will become as abundant as gas stations and people will also have the option of creating their own fuel right at home. Soon, fuel cells will be the way the world gets its power.
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