There is no denying the fact that invention of hydrogen fuel cell as an alternative fuel is great from environmental perspective but the question is about its execution . How does that work? It can be easily said that adopting hydrogen fuel is good for saving our environment and decrease global warming but saying and embracing the facts are two different ball games
Hydrogen fuel cell: It is environmental friendly
The hydrogen fuel cell is one of the cleanest burning fuels ever developed. Hydrogen is extracted from water and put into the fuel cell as gas and it can power the vehicles. In this process the only by product that is emitted out of the fuel cell is the water vapor. Thus this is a fact that hydrogen fuel cell are good for the environment . Hydrogen fuel cell basically acts like a world’s humidifier.
Hydrogen fuel Cell: The darker side
There are some drawbacks also with the hydrogen fuel cell. It is understood that only a completely efficient system can produce, store and transport the hydrogen with no unwanted emission of gases into the atmosphere. But achieving this will be very costly affair and after all this researchers also fear that 10-20% can still leak into the atmosphere. Thus if we estimate that hydrogen fuel cell will replace all the technology that uses oil and gas then such leakages would double or triple the total hydrogen content deposited in the atmosphere . Other research point out that when this hydrogen will reach the stratosphere hydrogen would be oxidized and this will make the stratosphere more cooler leading to more cloud formation. This will in turn delay the break up of polar vortex at the poles causing holes in the ozone layer to grow bigger and larger and long lasting . The rough estimate shows the depletion of ozone in north pole to be in the range of 5-8% in North pole and 3-7% in South pole . The correct depletion will depend on some unknown quantities. Also we know little about the soil absorption capacity of hydrogen from the atmosphere . It is believed that this process can compensate for all new anthropogenic emissions.
Despite all this drawbacks and concern the use of hydrogen fuel cell in the long run will be environmental friendly. If the only emission from these hydrogen fuel cell is water vapor then this is a huge plus over the toxic gases that are released into the atmosphere with the gasoline burning cars.
We find that though there are some disadvantages of hydrogen fuel cell but advantages out weigh those and the bottom line is that Hydrogen fuel cell have a positive effect on the atmosphere . So hydrogen fuel cell holds a good promise in future among the alternative fuel.
© 2010 Fuel Technology
