Hydrogen : The Future Fuel

Hydrogen was proposed in the seventies as an energy source for the future. The main reason for the proposal was the petroleum crisis, which called attention to alternative energy sources and the necessity of hydrocabon substitution. As an energy source, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is also common on earth.

Hydrogen is the most important alternative energy source for the growing energy demand and is the answer to the present need for clean, efficient and environmentally friendly energy technologies.

Burning hydrogen produces water and a small amount of nitrogen oxides, which can be eliminated with fuel cells.

What is Hydrogen Economy ?

The Hydrogen economy refers the idea of transforming our existing hydrocarbon based infrastructure from static power generation to a full range of transportation application to run on hydrogen in order to cut carbon and CO2 emissions.

This transformation can occur wherever hydrocarbons are used as fuel, but there is particular interest in the potential transport applications, where fuel cell electric vehicles are seen as a particularly viable alternative to the conventional hydrocarbon powered vehicles.

In the current hydrocarbon economy, heating is fueled primarily by natural gas and transportation by petroleum. Burning of hydrocarbon fuels emits carbon dioxides and other pollutants.

USES :

Hydrogen can be used to power a number of different types of transportation. It can be stored and transported at high energy density in liquid or gaseous form, and it can be used as a fuel for power or in transport and in industry as feedstock.

Just like battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, including passenger cars and buses. Hydrogen powered cars also have the advantage of being able to cover long distance and only take a few minutes to refuel at a retail site.

As long as natural gas power plants are made hydrogen ready, it could replace the fossil fuel as a primary energy source and work in tandem with the electricity generated by renewable sources.