Hydrogen: Fuel Of The Future?

We look at some of the advantages and challenges that hydrogen fuel possesses, and pit it against the alternate power sources currently available in the market.

We have been running our transportation system completely dependent on non-renewable energy sources like petrol or diesel. Although automotive companies are investing millions of dollars every day on research and development to make engines more fuel efficient, the fact of the matter is that we are running out of oil and that too at a fast pace. To counteract, automobile manufacturers are now making EVs (Electric Vehicles) around the globe. So, where does hydrogen fuel fit in?

Hydrogen is nature's fuel. It is hydrogen that powers the sun and it is the most abundant element in the universe. Unlike any other energy source that we might have used till date, hydrogen will never run out. Japanese automotive manufacturers Honda and Toyota have produced cars which are capable of running on hydrogen fuel. Nerd moment: The compressed hydrogen from the storage tank combines with oxygen from air in the fuel cell to generate electricity which powers the electric motor connected to the wheels of the car. In essence, hydrogen fuel helps create an on-board electricity generator. The Japanese have tested their cars extensively in markets such as the US and Japan and it surely creates a strong case for itself as the fuel of the future. Let's start by listing some of its main advantages.

1) No Harmful Emissions: Water is the only resulting emission based on what goes on inside the fuel cell. Just like the pure electric vehicles that we have today, hydrogen is completely harmless to the environment. Horror stories revolving around the degrading air quality and drastic climate change are on the rise. Hydrogen-powered vehicles make perfect sense to replace our current line of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

2) More Fuel Efficient: Hydrogen-powered vehicles are nearly twice as fuel efficient than the hybrid-electric vehicle setup (for example Toyota Prius) and thrice as more efficient when compared to vehicles powered by flammable liquid fuels like petrol.

3) Production: Unlike flammable liquid fuels which are extracted from crude oil, hydrogen can be produced from a number of ways. 

A) Electrolysis - It is a process to separate the hydrogen atom from oxygen by passing electricity. 

B) Steam Methane Reforming - It revolves around extracting hydrogen from natural gas.

C) Gasification - It is a process wherein hydrogen can be produced by steaming coal.

All these processes can be set up anywhere in the world. Countries can completely eradicate the need to be dependent on oil-rich countries for fuel imports. This in turn will save a lot of money. Not just that, hydrogen can be produced using electrolysis at fuel stations itself. That means there is no requirement for transporting fuel to stations.

4) Safer Fuel: Just like petrol or diesel fuels, pure hydrogen is highly flammable. However, hydrogen storage is more robust in cars as compared to diesel or petrol fuel tanks. In an accident, even if the fuel tank leaks, the compressed hydrogen will escape into the atmosphere because it’s lighter than air.