While the U.S. runs on a petroleum-based economy, few would argue that change
isn’t needed and there are those who believe the best alternative is hydrogen.
Identified as a viable long-term energy option, even its staunchest supporters
admit that transition to a hydrogen-based economy would take innovation,
investment and many decades to achieve. But some fear the challenges that
hydrogen brings to the mix are causing an excessively pessimistic attitude
toward this alternative energy.
Here are five things you should know about hydrogen and fuel cells:
1. Hydrogen is kind to the environment. It can be produced both though renewable
and conventional energy sources, providing more flexibility and energy security
than some alternatives. It fits well with solar and wind power especially.
Hydrogen fuel cells operate cleanly, producing no conventional pollutants. On a
per-unit-of-work basis, fuel cells almost always produce less carbon dioxide
than other alternative fuels.
2. Hydrogen is becoming more cost-effective. One of the biggest criticisms of
fuel cell vehicles is the cost. But most experts agree that as fuel cell
vehicles hit the marketplace, those high costs will become more reduced. It’s
the prototypes and first-generation vehicles that have left people wondering how
a fuel cell vehicle could ever be viable. If you step back and consider a number
of other technologies personal computers, cell phones, even gas-powered cars all
had much higher prices when first introduced, yet have dropped dramatically.
The same can be expected from
hydrogen fuel cell cars. While currently, the Department of Energy
estimates mass production of a fuel cell vehicle engine to be $225, the
industry’s innovators expect to bring that down to between $30 and $50. General
Motors has already voiced its intention to nurture the technology, another sign
that the industry believes the cost will eventually be at a point that makes
these cars profitable.
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Taiwan, Taipei,
Provo, Utah
Oman, Muscat
Sweden, Stockholm
Ontario, California
McKinney, Texas
Argentina, Buenos Aires City
Subiaco Victoria Australia
Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain
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