Hydrogen also can be found in many organic compounds, as well as water. It's the most abundant element on the Earth but it doesn't occur naturally as a gas. It's always combined with other elements, such as with oxygen to make water. Once separated from another element, hydrogen can be burned as a fuel or converted into electricity.
Hydrogen is the lightest known element.
The heat of combustion (the amount of heat that a standard amount of substance releases on combustion) is two to three times higher than that of other fuels.
It burns over a wide range of gas mixtures.
Because water vapor is the by-product of hydrogen combustion, the combustion process emits no carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide by-products.
When generated from renewable resources, hydrogen is part of a non-polluting sustainable energy cycle.
Fuel cells can be used to produce clean energy from hydrogen. A fuel cell consists of two electrodes-a negative electrode (or anode) and a positive electrode (or cathode)-sandwiched around an electrolyte.
Hydrogen could be considered a way to store energy produced from renewable resources such as solar, wind, biomass , hydro, and geothermal. For example, when the sun is shining, PV systems can provide the electricity needed to separate the hydrogen. The hydrogen could then be stored and burned as fuel, or to operate a fuel cell to generate electricity at night or during cloudy periods.
Hydrogen, the simplest element, is composed of one proton and one electron. It makes up more than 90% of the composition of the universe. More than 30% of the mass of the sun is atomic hydrogen. It is the third most abundant element in the earth's surface, and is found mostly in water. Under ordinary (earthly) conditions, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and nonpoisonous gas composed of diatomic molecules (H2).
Hydrogen burns 50% more efficiently than gasoline, and burning hydrogen creates less air pollution. Hydrogen has a higher flame speed, wider flammability limits, higher detonation temperature, burns hotter, and takes less energy to ignite than gasoline. This means that hydrogen burns faster, but carries the danger of pre-ignition and flashback.
While hydrogen has its advantages as a vehicle fuel it still has a long way to go before it can be used as a substitute for gasoline, mainly due to the investment required to develop a hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure.
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Hydrogen Fuel for Surface Transportation, J. Heffel, et al, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), 1996. Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001; Phone: (724) 776-4970; Fax: (724) 776-5760; World Wide Web: www.sae.org. $99.00, ISBN: 1560916842.
Hydrogen Futures: Towards a Sustainable Energy System, S. Dunn, Worldwatch Institute, 2001. Available from Worldwatch Institute, Publications, P.O. Box 879, Oxon Hill, MD 20797; Phone: (888) 544-2303 or (301) 567-9522; Fax: (301) 567-9553; Email: wwpub@worldwatch.org ; World Wide Web: www.worldwatch.org . 90 pp., $5.00, Worldwatch Paper 157.
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The Phoenix Project, H. Braun, Sustainable Partners, Inc. Available from Sustainable Partners, 6245 North 24th Parkway, Suite 209, Phoenix, AZ 85016; Phone: (602) 955-4555; Fax: (602) 955-5444; Email: info@phoenixproject.net; World Wide Web: www.phoenixproject.net. 366 pp., $28.00.
The Solar-Hydrogen Energy Economy: Beyond the Age of Fire, L. Skelton, Van Nostrand Rheinhold, 1984. 200 + pages, Out of print. ISBN 0-442-28221-4
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Tomorrow's Energy - Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and the Prospects for a Cleaner Planet, P. Hoffman, The MIT Press, 2001. Available from MIT Press, c/o Triliteral, 100 Maple Ridge Drive, Cumberland, RI 02864; Phone: (800) 405-1619 or (401) 658-4226; Fax: (800) 406-9145 or (401) 531-2801; Email: mitpress-orders@mit.edu ; World Wide Web: www.mitpress.mit.edu. 320 pp., $32.95, ISBN: 0262082950.
California Fuel Cell Partnership
International Association for Hydrogen Energy
National Hydrogen Association (US)
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert the energy of a chemical reaction directly into electricity and heat. They are of great interest because they do not rely on the laws of thermodynamics for their operation so, in future, it will be possible to turn fuels into electricity with much higher efficiencies that can ever be possible with more conventional technology.
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