Pros and Cons of Hydrogen Fuel

Hydrogen fuel is proposed to global warming and pollutive effects of using hydrocarbon fuels. It seems that hydrogen fuel will replace fossil fuels in the future, in form of hydrogen cell for vehicles and as a direct combustion fuel for other purposes. Hydrogen has a lot of advantages, but its disadvantages limit use and put off fossil fuel replacement. Below are listed some pros and cons of hydrogen usage as a fuel.

Pros:

• Recourse

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe as well as on the earth. Almost every known element consists of hydrogen. The greatest recourse is the water. If hydrogen is obtained through electrolysis from water, its utilize in any form reverses same amount of water back to nature.

• Cleanliness

Hydrogen fuel direct and indirect combustion emits pure water, no pollutions. Vehicles that run on hydrogen cells are true zero-emission vehicles. There is expansion of fuel cell developing that uses hydrocarbons (methane, methanol, ethanol, LPG) to run the engine. These are contribution for the environment compared to direct fossil fuel combustion, but hydrogen is better. It emits pure water emit no heat-trapping gases and pollutions.

• Efficiency

Abut 90 percent of the energy produced by the fuel cell in vehicles is being converted to other energies. Its about twice as efficient as gasoline. Hydrogen also stores approximately 3 times the energy per unit mass as gasoline. It is a powerful fuel.

• Hydrogen is an energy carrier not an energy source

Hydrogen doesn't occur on the earth in the form which can be used as a energy source. It is a 'medium for energy transport' from original source to final destination. Nowadays, sources are mostly coal and oil, but those can replaced in the future by clean solar energy and wind power.

Cons:

• Production Cost

Production technology for hydrogen production at an efficient cost is not yet viable. It takes more energy to make hydrogen than get from it. There are plenteous scientific efforts to run production from renewable sources, but we will wait for it a long time.

• Handling Difficulty

Hydrogen can be used as a fuel either liquid or gas. Gaseous hydrogen has low energy efficiency. Therefore, it is useless as a fuel. Otherwise, liquid hydrogen must be kept at extremely low temperature or under extremely high pressure. It makes difficulties during the transport. .

• Storage

Density of hydrogen is much lower then gasoline. It means that hydrogen need as bigger as tanks then conventional fuels. Additionally, hydrogen is very flammable in air, so safety conditions have to be on high level. Carbon fiber tank are excellent solution for storage, but unfortunately, it cost more then carbon steel tanks used for gasoline and diesel

Pros and cons of hydrogen fuel commercial use for the vehicles and the industry are hot topic of arguing. I believe those technical problems with production, storage and handling can be solved within next decades and decrease energy dependence on fossil fuels.

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