Hydrogen Energy
- Submitted by: bimal5k
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- Category: Science
- Date Submitted: 02/13/2011 09:46 PM
- Pages: 5
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Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cells:
Part of a Sustainable Energy Future
What is hydrogen?
* Hydrogen is a chemical element colorless, odourless
* A gas at room temperature. It reacts with oxygen, generating both water and energy.
* Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in combustion engines or to generate electricity in novel fuel cells
* As similar to natural gas, with two important differences; hydrogen cannot simply be mined like methane; and when hydrogen is burned(reacted with oxygen) it does not produce carbon dioxide.
* Reduction of CO2 emissions, helping to mitigate climate change
* Reduction of energy imports
* Diversification of energy supplies, reducing dependence on fuels such as oil
* Improved local air quality
* Assistance in the introduction of new fuel cell technologies which offer high efficiencies
Hydrogen Energy Economy
* Reducing CO2 emissions and improving security of energy supply are the two main drivers for hydrogen fuel.
* An important advantage of hydrogen is that it can be produced from a range of primary energy sources, either fossil fuels or renewable.
* Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity using fuel cells, or motion
* using the simpler but less efficient internal combustion engine.
* While hydrogen could be used as a fuel in a wide range of applications, it is in the transport sector where its benefits are most clear.
* Other than hydrogen, there are two main alternatives to fossil oil in vehicles
– biofuel powered vehicles and battery electric vehicles.
* Each has its associated difficulties.
* As well as in vehicles, fuel cells have a number of stationary energy applications, from portable electronics to large scale electricity generation.
* Hydrogen energy technology – production, storage, transport and end-use –
is at the pre-commercialization stage, and significant technical and financial challenges remain.
* One of the main technical...
Part of a Sustainable Energy Future
What is hydrogen?
* Hydrogen is a chemical element colorless, odourless
* A gas at room temperature. It reacts with oxygen, generating both water and energy.
* Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in combustion engines or to generate electricity in novel fuel cells
* As similar to natural gas, with two important differences; hydrogen cannot simply be mined like methane; and when hydrogen is burned(reacted with oxygen) it does not produce carbon dioxide.
* Reduction of CO2 emissions, helping to mitigate climate change
* Reduction of energy imports
* Diversification of energy supplies, reducing dependence on fuels such as oil
* Improved local air quality
* Assistance in the introduction of new fuel cell technologies which offer high efficiencies
Hydrogen Energy Economy
* Reducing CO2 emissions and improving security of energy supply are the two main drivers for hydrogen fuel.
* An important advantage of hydrogen is that it can be produced from a range of primary energy sources, either fossil fuels or renewable.
* Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity using fuel cells, or motion
* using the simpler but less efficient internal combustion engine.
* While hydrogen could be used as a fuel in a wide range of applications, it is in the transport sector where its benefits are most clear.
* Other than hydrogen, there are two main alternatives to fossil oil in vehicles
– biofuel powered vehicles and battery electric vehicles.
* Each has its associated difficulties.
* As well as in vehicles, fuel cells have a number of stationary energy applications, from portable electronics to large scale electricity generation.
* Hydrogen energy technology – production, storage, transport and end-use –
is at the pre-commercialization stage, and significant technical and financial challenges remain.
* One of the main technical...