Hydrogen fuel cells are one alternative to gasoline for your car. Although we were originally excited about hydrogen and fuel cell cell technology we've become a bit negative recently. This article explores the issues with hydogen fuel cells.
Electric cars, hybrids, and even water powered cars are all viable options for the near term. It's true that hydrogen fuel cells have promise but they are not a viable answer right now. Here are the top four reasons why hydrogen fuel cells are not the solution at this time.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Issue #1 = Lack of Fueling Infrastructure
This is perhaps the single largest obstacle in implementing hydrogen fuel cell technology. While electricity is available anywhere gasoline is, there are only a handful of hydrogen filling stations in existence in the U.S. It is estimated that it could cost up to five hundred billion dollars to update current infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Issue #2 = Cost of Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen production is expensive, and lacking drastic advances in technology, it will remain so. With current production technology, hydrogen remains three times more expensive to produce than gasoline. It is four times more expensive than coal.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Issue #3 = Problems in Low Temperature Conditions
By the very nature of the technology, fuel cells demand water vapor for energy production and produce liquid water as waste. It is easy to see how cooler temperatures, especially those below freezing would negatively affect hydrogen fuel cells. The bulk of fuel cell designs simply will not start in freezing conditions.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Issue #4 Cost and Total Life of the Fuel Cell
Fuel cells are reliant upon certain rare metals such as platinum to produce energy. In addition, fuel cells are inherently fragile and require significant reinforcement to survive life on the road. These two factors contribute to the nearly $12,000 cost of a 200 horsepower equivalent fuel cell. Combine this with a service life well below that of the average $3000 internal combustion engine, and the costs become insurmountable for the ordinary consumer.
While hydrogen fuel cell technology can be very exciting, it still has a very long road ahead to become a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Indeed, should the power of hydrogen ever be pragmatically harnessed in a passenger vehicle, it would mean a complete paradigm shift for transportation. Scientists and technologists should continue to diligently explore this option, but for now, it most certainly is not the answer.
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Wednesday, July 9, 2008
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