Hydrogen fuel cells will produce electricity by combining oxygen and hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen will react with oxygen across an electrochemical cell similar to a battery to produce water, small amounts of heat and electricity.

Several different types of fuel cells are available for a wide range of various applications. Small fuel cells are able to cell phones and even power laptop computers as well as military applications.

Larger fuel cells can provide the electricity for emergency or backup power in buildings and supply the electricity in places that are not directly connected to an electric power grid.

The Hydrogen Economy

Hydrogen is promoted as the perfect, environmentally friendly fuel for the future.It will be readily available even when fossil fuels have become exhausted.It is planet earth's tenth most plentiful element and is the most copious element in the universe.

• Hydrogen is generated from water and then returns to water when it is burnt.
• It is available in copious quantities from the World's oceans.
• Hydrogen is used to create electrical power in fuel cells.
• Hydrogen can be used as the fuel in internal combustion engines to replace diesel or petrol.
• Pound for pound it actually contains more than three times the energy of the majority of most hydrocarbon fuels.
• It is non-toxic, odourless and invisible.

Using Hydrogen fuel cells to produce electricity, a fuel, such as hydrogen, is fed to the anode (An anode is an electrode through which a conventional current enters into a polarized electrical device).

The air is then fed to the cathode (A cathode is an electrode from which a conventional current leaves a polarized electrical device).

In a hydrogen fuel cell, the catalyst at the anode will separate hydrogen molecules into electrons and protons, which will then take different paths to the cathode. The electrons then go through an external circuit, which in turn creates a flow of electricity.

Is Hydrogen A Clean Fuel?

Hydrogen use in Vehicles

Hydrogen gas is used to power the electric motor in a fuel cell vehicle. Unlike other conventional vehicles which run on diesel or gasoline, fuel cell cars and trucks will combine oxygen and hydrogen to produce the electricity, which runs the motor.

Should Cars Run on Hydrogen?

In short, the answer is that hydrogen behaves differently from gasoline or diesel. However, it is as safe as the diesel or gasoline we put in the majority of fuel tanks in our vehicles.

Its vapours will not pool on the ground, as do the heavier-than-air vapours in gasoline. So in the majority of cases, hydrogen doesn't present as great of an explosive or fire danger.

Are Hydrogen Cars better than Electric Cars?

Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles tend to be much more frugal than their battery electric counterparts.

According to experts, the Hyundai Nexo comes with a real-world range of 414 miles and filling up its tank charging an electric car's battery can take over an hour at times.

What is the Future of Hydrogen Fuel Cell?

Our cars, in the not too distant future, could be powered by Hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen would replace the petroleum fuel that is used in the majority of today's vehicles.

Many vehicle manufacturers are actively developing and researching transportation hydrogen fuel cell technologies. The most powerful and most extensive hydrogen fuel cells are stationary fuel cells.

Are Hydrogen Cars Quiet?

In short, hydrogen-powered cars are quieter than conventional gasoline and diesel cars. They do, of course, have a definite, low-decibel sound. This concept is due to their fuel cell systems, but prevailing wind and tyre noise are most likely to be noisier than this anyway.

How do you Power a Car with Hydrogen?

Like a conventional internal-combustion engine, the power is made by using fuel from the tank ( although this fuel is  (though the energy is pressurized hydrogen gas as opposed to conventional diesel or gasoline).

However, unlike a regular engine, a fuel cell does not burn the hydrogen. It is fused chemically with oxygen from the air to produce water.

Where is Hydrogen Found?

Hydrogen is found in most of the stars and the sun. The planet Jupiter is composed of mainly hydrogen.

On Earth, the most significant quantities of hydrogen are found in water. It is also present in the atmosphere as a gas although it is only tiny amounts, in fact, less than 1 part per every million per volume.

What Is The Hydrogen Economy?

The term Hydrogen Economy refers to a vision for the use of hydrogen as an external carbon energy source. It would replace gasoline and diesel as a fuel for transportation or as a natural gas to be used as heating fuel. 

In all cases, it will take energy to convert these into pure hydrogen. We are all too aware of the urgent and vital need to reduce the worlds CO2.  Hydrogen is extremely versatile, and it can be used for power, transportation and power.

Hydrogen can then be used in many different industries. The potential for worldwide renewable hydrogen is massive: which country will step up to be the leading green hydrogen economy remains to be seen.

One of the most useful ways to use hydrogen is in electric buses or cars alongside a fuel cell which will convert the hydrogen into electricity. Fuel cells are desirable due to being far more efficient than an internal combustion engine it can replace, although the latter can still be used with hydrogen fuels if desired.

Hydrogen as Sustainable Energy

Hydrogen has now emerged as an integral part of the cleaner energy mix we need to ensure a sustainable future.

Falling costs for hydrogen produced with renewable energy, combined with the urgency of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, has given a clean hydrogen unprecedented political and business momentum.

Hydrogen is essential as sustainable energy.  Because it can be used as a fuel with high efficiency, generally causes little or no environmental impact when used and can be produced from a flexible array of energy resources via water splitting.

If you are looking for hydrogen production services in the UK contact our specialist team today for information and advice.