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Hydrogen Fuel Cells

One of the main problems with fossil fuels is that they release large quantities of carbon dioxide when they are burned. But what if there was a fuel you could burn that produced no carbon dioxide at all? In fact, there is such a fuel, namely hydrogen. Hydrogen is a flammable gas, which, when burned with oxygen, produces harmless water vapour. Combining oxygen with hydrogen is a clean, efficient way to make huge amounts of both heat and electricity!

Instead of burning the hydrogen in the presence of oxygen, fuel cells allow the two gases to pass near each other on opposite sides of a thin membrane. The chemical interaction of oxygen and hydrogen across this membrane produces an electric charge, similar to that produced by a regular alkaline battery. But unlike the battery, which goes dead after the chemicals inside it are used up, the fuel cell continues to produce electricity as long as it receives fresh supplies of air and hydrogen. The only by-product of the process is water, which the fuel cell releases as steam.

Hydrogen fuel cells are used to make electricity for the American Space Shuttle's computers and electrical systems. Hydrogen is also the fuel used by the Shuttle's main engines on liftoff.

Fuel cells are an important enabling technology for the hydrogen economy and have the potential to revolutionize the way we power our nation, offering cleaner, more-efficient alternatives to the combustion of gasoline and other fossil fuels. Fuel cells have the potential to replace the internal combustion engine in vehicles and provide power in stationary and portable power applications because they are energy-efficient, clean, and fuel-flexible. Hydrogen or any hydrogen-rich fuel can be used by this emerging technology.

DOE is working closely with its national laboratories, universities, and industry partners to overcome critical technical barriers to fuel cell commercialization. Current R&D focuses on the development of reliable, low-cost, high-performance fuel cell system components for transportation and buildings applications.

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