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Is Hydrogen the Fuel of the Future?

One of the world's hottest and most divisive issues has always been the battle over sustainable energy. Clean energy or not? Is there any truth to the claim that fracking is harmful? To what extent is it possible to get "clean energy?" There are many inquiries, but finding definitive solutions is quite difficult. Solar panels, so the argument goes, will soon be obsolete. However, some people think fuel cells are the future. We have seen hydrogen-fuel cell automobiles and even buses operating on these forms of fuel.

Electric vehicles, aircraft, boats, and houses may be powered by hydrogen in the future. It is a zero-emissions fuel source that will eventually deliver renewable energy.

Hydrogen is the fuel of the future for several reasons.

Hydrogen: Abundant on Earth

It’s the simplest energy source we know of, but it isn't a fuel you can use to power your automobile (at least not directly). Nuclear fusion in our sun makes hydrogen, which in turn makes all the other elements in the periodic table. That implies there's enough energy on Earth to generate all the power we'd ever need if we could do so without harming the environment. The chemical symbol for hydrogen is "H," which has two protons and one electron. All forms of water and any item derived from living creatures contain it.

Given its abundance and ease of extraction from Earth's resources, it would be far better for the environment than coal or petroleum. Unlike those other fuels, it has no hazardous byproducts when used for energy, producing only water.

No Carbon Emissions

Hydrogen fuel could be the energy source of the future, but maybe not in the way you'd expect. Because it produces only water and heat as waste, this is an excellent contender for green power. It's environmentally friendly because it produces no carbon emissions. It's also beneficial for the environment since it uses only trace quantities of metals (like nickel and iron), and it's easy to come by because all you need is water and an electric charge to create it. Hydrogen gas also allows you to utilize it in place of natural gas in the kitchen, heating water, or running machinery like generators or turbines.

Water Vapor Byproduct

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the cosmos, yet it's more complex to come by here on Earth. So far, humans have struggled to extract and put to use it's power, but new techniques are constantly being developed. In contrast to fossil fuels, hydrogen fuel produces only water vapour as a byproduct of combustion and no greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4). If we can figure out how to make and use it at an affordable cost, it could be an ideal replacement for fossil fuels—but a lot needs to happen before we can start powering with this element.

High Energy Density

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about mitigating climate change and finding alternative energy sources. One of the most promising concepts is hydrogen fuel. This concept goes beyond increasing our use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Instead, it raises the possibility that a wholly novel approach to power generation exists.

Since every hydrogen atom has one proton and one electron, it is the most common element in the universe. We don't utilize it for energy since it is difficult to produce and store. However, progress in technological innovation is now making this once-unthinkable goal a reality.

Fuel Cells Produce Zero Emissions

Though they've been available for decades, fuel cell electric vehicles have not gained widespread use. The primary issue has always been their price, since they are too costly for general usage due to the high cost of the precious metals and chemicals required to mass-produce them. But today, according to exciting new work by university scientists, the prospect of cheap hydrogen fuel is closer than ever.

Using their previously reported process, the group created electrodes ideal for use as proton exchange membranes in EV cell electric vehicles. As one of the costliest components of a fuel cell, having electrodes built from inexpensive materials might make fuel cells accessible to a much wider demographic.

Renewability

When all is said and done, hydrogen fuel might be a promising sign for the energy industry's future. Given that it can be made from renewable resources, it can be manufactured in large quantities without threatening the world's supply of fossil fuels or drinkable water. In the future, we may use it to power our cars, so it's secure, efficient, and quite practical. Again, we'll need a lot of new reasons to be hopeful about the future if we're going to prevent climate change, let alone start to reverse its impacts.

One of these reasons is the possibility of hydrogen fuel. Although we may theoretically prepare for a future with fewer greenhouse emissions by driving electricity-powered cars today, their broad acceptance is likely to need other technological advancements to occur first (like economic plug-in systems and longer-lasting batteries). However, until then, we have this energy source to keep us motivated and well on our way to a greener future.

While you're waiting to purchase a hydrogren-fueld vehicle, check out heyauto.com to shop a large selection of electric vehicles.