Research paper on alternative fuels

714 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Alternative sources to fossil fuel to avoid energy crices

For a long time gasoline has dominated our world. It has been only now in the late 20th century to now that new fuels have surfaced to challenge the might of gasoline. One type of alternative energy that can be used instead of gasoline is hydrogen fuel cells. Ever since 2003 when President Bush announced the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative car companies have been trying to develop Hydrogen fuel cell cars that are cost effective and practical. Alone the USA has invested billions of dollars on fuel cell research and development.
Hydrogen fuel cells are practical because it can generate power efficiently and without pollution. Unlike gasoline when it was first used as fuel for cars it had so many pollutants other than CO2. The very first gasoline powered car was made in 1886 with the technology for the internal combustion engine being more than 200 years old. The pollutants of the first car were dangerous, such pollutants being H2O, N2, CO and NO (they are also considered volatile organic compounds). Hydrogen fuel cell technology works similar to a battery where instead holding the charge it creates the charge by combining hydrogen and oxygen to make water.
Hydrogen fuel cells are there for efficient because the only so called pollutant is water. Hydrogen fuel cells are membrane fuel cells that convert hydrogen and oxygen together to make water and during this process it produces electricity so the fuel cells capture the energy created and used to power the car and all its devices. This so called battery has too electrodes an anode (Positive current in) and a cathode (positive current out) separated by a membrane. Each element passes over there corresponding node hydrogen over the anode so it can be separated from H2 to 2H+ so that electr...

... middle of paper ...

... price for making hydrogen fuel stations being close to 20 million per fuel station they have dropped the price down to 1 million just with this simple decision.
Even to since the time of President Bush till now we have made so much progress with hydrogen fuel cell technologies we still have a long way to go to make hydrogen the ultimate fuel. Clearly car makers have made a great deal of improvements to fuel cell technology and have dealt with the main problems with hydrogen. Even though I couldn’t find anything on how they are planning to ship hydrogen from where they “make” hydrogen to the actual fuel stations. Most likely they are going to have a delivery system much like they have for gasoline which is on the roads and freeways. I personally would chose hydrogen over gasoline any day but I am very poor and I can’t afford a car of such technological achievement.

Show More
Related

  • Fossil Fuels: The Pros And Cons Of Hydrogen

    1412 Words  | 3 Pages

    On the other hand, hydrogen has a very limited infrastructure which is considered as a point on the negative side, or you can say one of hydrogen’s cons. And as Kukreja argues about the pros and cons of hydrogen energy; he mentions that “Hydrogen is also hard to move around. Whereas oil can be sent through pipelines, and coal can be carried in the back of dump trucks, super-light hydrogen is hard to transport in a reasonable fashion. It is very expensive to move anything more than small amounts of it, making it impractical for most functions.” [Kukreja] What he said makes sense. Hydrogen is some sort of gas. It’s not a liquid, or solid which can be physically carried in a way or another. Kukreja also mentions that one of the hydrogen energy cons is that it is “Not easy to replace existing infrastructure” [Kukreja] In a common sense, that is logically true. But in reality, if we felt into a problem that is related to global warming. Then the globe would regret building those gasoline stations. Even though it is hard to replace existing infrastructure, it is also necessary to get rid of those infrastructure even if we didn’t have a replacement. But in our position, we actually have a replacement which is hydrogen energy and hydrogen fuel

    Read More

  • Alternative Fuels for Motor Vehicles

    1349 Words  | 3 Pages

    Did you know that you can receive a maximum of a $7,500 tax credit for just owning an electric or hybrid vehicle? The United States government values citizens that buy fuel efficient vehicles because it gets the United States one step closer to not buying outsourced oil (Jones par.14). Hybrid vehicles are vehicles that are mostly powered by gasoline, but switch over to electric at stop signs or at coasting speeds. Electric cars are cars that are solely powered by electric from start up to shut down (Motavalli par. 6). Most cars and trucks on the road today are powered by gasoline or diesel engines, which are expensive to operate, bad for the environment, and use resources that are non renewable. To achieve better fuel economy, lower operation cost, reduce the pollution on the environment, and operate vehicles with renewable resources, this world needs to take a better look at using alternative fuels to power vehicles. Alternative fuels for motor vehicles are better for the environment, are renewable resource, and are cheaper for consumers.

    Read More

  • Fuel Cell or Battery

    1423 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fuel cells are clean, fuel efficient, and fuel flexible. Any hydrogen-rich material can serve as a potential fuel source for this developing technology. Although it is reduces carbon emissions new research will have to be carried out to ensure it becomes cost-worthy for everyday users. Battery powered cars are for the moment the most viable and inexpensive option however the carbon emissions are adding to the already thinning atmosphere. By implementing hydrogen fuel cells as an alternative for maybe large forms of transport there will be a significant reduction of greenhouse gases for everyday transportation users.

    Read More

  • alternatives to oil

    1947 Words  | 4 Pages

    The hydrogen powered car uses fuel cells to create power. A fuel cell is a device that creates energy by converting hydrogen and oxygen into water. A car powered by fuel cells would create almost no pollution, and have nearly 80% efficiency. The only problem with hydrogen is that it is very hard to store, and store safely. One can imagine the effects an accident could have on a car with a full tank of hydrogen in the back. There are other options for creating hydrogen though. A reformer takes other fuels such a methanol, and turns them into hydrogen. The problems with reformers come from the emissions. Changing methanol into hydrogen creates impure hydrogen, as well as heat and other gases, changing the overall efficiency from 80% to around 35%. A car with that amount of efficiency is not economical and would not gain a profit from the sales of the fuel.

    Read More

  • Electric Cars

    1597 Words  | 4 Pages

    The future American commuter will undoubtedly have to transition from the use of fossil fuels to new alternatives due to the diminishing availability of the nation’s oil resources. How will America respond to this upcoming issue? It is difficult to predict which alternative fuel source America will ultimately choose, but with the premier of Nissan’s electric powered Leaf and other companies; such as Tesla Motors and Chevy, with their electric cars ready for market, the electric car may be winning the race to become the new standard for the gasoline alternative. Electric cars resolve long standing environmental issues, but it will need to maneuver around many roadblocks to become a marketable consideration for the general public. The cost of electric cars, currently on the market, makes them an impractical purchase for the average consumer. If cost is not the growing concern in today’s economy which prevents the consumer from considering this option; they may deny the technological advance due to battery storage capabilities and the inadequate infrastructure in place to refuel and provide for them.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Electric Cars

    1187 Words  | 3 Pages

    With a gasoline-fueled vehicle, buying gas to operate your car is a never-ending process. With the high price change of gasoline and oil, operating a gasoline-fueled vehicle tends to be very costly. While there are some types of small gasoline vehicles that get much better gas mileage than larger vehicles, even the most powerful gasoline cars will normally desire a contribution every month. According to some experts the only way a mainstream market for green vehicles wills materlize is with a pronounced and prolonged rise in fuel prices. (Buss, 4)

    Read More

  • Informative Speech: The Benefits Of Owning A Hybrid Vehicle

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    The advanced technology used in hybrid cars also allows the car to conserve as much fuel as

    Read More

  • Overview of Fuel Cells

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fuel Cells” the author states, “ Sir William Grove discovered that it may be possible to generate electricity by reversing the electrolysis of water.” But it wasn’t until 1889 when two researchers looked further into Sir William Grove’s studies. In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author says, “Charles Langer and Ludwig Mond, coined the term ‘fuel cell’ as they were trying to engineer the first practical fuel cell using air and coal gas.” After Langer and Mond’s discovery Frances Bacon developed what was close to being the first fuel cell in 1959. In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author declares, “It was not until 1959 that Bacon and company first demonstrated a practical five-kilowatt fuel cell system.” In the late 1950’s NASA began experimenting with fuel cells by using them for compact electricity generators. Fuel cells have now supplied electricity for many space missions. In the article “History of Fuel Cells” the author states, “In more recent decades, a number of manufacturers - including major auto makers - and various federal agencies have supported ongoing research into the development of fuel cell technology for use in fuel cell vehicles (FCV) and other applications. Fuel cell energy is now expected to replace traditional power sources in coming years - from micro fuel cells to be used in cell phones to high-powered fuel cells for stock car racing.”

    Read More

  • Informative Essay On Electric Cars

    1497 Words  | 3 Pages

    It’s 2AM and you’re driving home after a long day, the gas light comes on, a lot of gas stations are closed and you’re exhausted, you don’t want to go searching for gas in the middle of the night, you probably have enough to get home, but getting to work in a few hours is going to be tricky. Vehicles that run on gas can leave you in a pickle if you don’t pay attention to the tiny needle in your instrument panel, and unless you’re extremely wealthy, you don’t have a gas station at home. Electric cars are the future and are here now, with an electric car you could bring a depleted battery home, charge it up, and be ready to go in a few hours. If you presented the idea of mass market electric cars to the people of yesteryear they would have thought you were science fiction author.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Electric Cars

    1331 Words  | 3 Pages

    They plan on doing this investing $12 billion into their research for the electric motor vehicle industry. So far experts have predicted that the electric vehicle industry will grow to $100 billion by 2030 (Pew Environment 2). As well as creating more jobs for the largest U.S. economic sector; the manufacturing industry (Pew Environment 2). A national goal set aims to have 10 million charging stations by 2020 and a complete infrastructure with a sizeable electric vehicle industry. Electric motor vehicles can pave the way for a more prosperous economy for the world and a healthier one as

    Read More

  • Urban Public Transport Essay

    1041 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hart, David. " Hydrogen: A Truly Sustainable Transport Fuel?" Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 1.3 (2003): 138-45. Web. Kühne, Reinhart. "

    Read More

  • Fossil Fuels and Alternative Energy Sources

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    Fossil fuels are an important part of life. When you turn on the lights, watch TV, or take a shower, the electricity that you are using is being generated by fossil fuels. The three types of fossil fuels are coal, crude oil, and natural gas. They all take millions of years to form, so they are considered to be “non-renewable”- eventually, the fossil fuels will all be used up. One dangerous biological effect of using fossil fuels is ocean acidification. Extracting and transporting fossil fuels can also be very dangerous. Environmentally damaging accidents such as groundwater contamination, land subsidence, and oil spills occur frequently. Global warming is another possible environmental effect. Fossil fuels have a crucial role in modern society, but since they are non-renewable and dangerous, we should reduce our dependence on them and explore alternative energy sources. Wind energy, hydroelectricity, and solar energy are some examples of renewable fuel sources. There are also many things that people can do everyday to save energy (and, in turn, conserve fossil fuels).

    Read More

  • America's Future

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Recently, the United States has experienced a boom in natural gas exploration and extraction. This has come about mainly because of the discovery of huge natural gas reserves in the Marcellus Shale Formation, an area of bedrock that stretches throughout much of the northeastern Appalachians and covers states like Pennsylvania and New York. Thus, the discovery of these reservoirs of natural gas in the region (and in other parts of the U.S.) have led to increased extraction and production of natural gas as an alternative fuel source. Natural gas as a natural resource has several benefits but it also exhibits some drawbacks. LNG (liquefied natural gas) has been an especially hot topic as corporations are looking to save money while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Read More

  • Hydrogen Car Power of the Future

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    You may ask yourself, “Self, why would they choose hydrogen in particular to power cars?” Well, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, consisting over 75% of all matter, and even though it is the lightest element, it has a strikingly large amount of potential energy for its mass because it is willing to bond with almost anything. For example, when hydrogen bonds with oxygen, it creates water (H2O) and a lot of heat energy. And because of this willingness to bond with oxygen, fuel cells can operate the way they do. This forms the next question:

    Read More

  • Hydrogen Energy Essay

    589 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on the earth. It can be found in the oceans as well as the atmosphere. Over the last few years, talk about the future of hydrogen power has grown from a whisper to a roar. The use of hydrogen is not just the burning of the gas, but of its use in a fuel cell. Fuel cells might be the device that causes the extinction of the internal combustion engine. A fuel cell is a device that produces electricity from a fuel and an oxidizer, a substance that combines with the fuel. The fuel and oxidizer react chemically at two separate electrodes to produce the direct electric current; These cells use hydrogen as the fuel and oxygen as the oxidizer. Hydrogen power could be the silver bullet to the current and future energy situation.

    Read More

More about Research paper on alternative fuels

Open Document