Hydrogen Energy: An Overview

Many scientists have begun looking for cleaner, renewable sources of energy that can save the environment while reducing the costs associated with producing energy. One of the most effective methods by which this is being accomplished is through the development of hydrogen energy. Even though hydrogen energy is still in the early stages of development, research on its potential to alleviate current energy problems suggests that this energy source may be a cure for those that have become addicted to the oil juggernaut (Rifkin, 2002). With the realization that hydrogen energy is being widely developed, there is a clear impetus to understand the basics of this new energy source and what is currently being done to promote its development. Using this as a basis for research, this investigation considers a basic overview of hydrogen energy and the specific research that is being undertaken to bring this new energy source to the market. Through a careful consideration of what has been written on this topic a more integral understanding of hydrogen energy will be gleaned.

A precursory overview of what has been written about hydrogen energy demonstrates that hydrogen has been recognized as one of the most viable sources of alternative energy for a number of years. Ogden (2002) notes that, " (p. 69). As such, it is not surprising to find that scientists all over the globe are now working to develop this technology. Providing a broad overview of the development of hydrogen energy and how it can be used, Ogden goes on to report that hydrogen can be extrapolated from any natural fuel source-i.e. coal, or natural gas-or from "renewable or nuclear sources or from 'decarbonized' fossil sources" (p. 69). When hydrogen is collected it can be burned or "chemically reacted with high conversion efficiency" to produce power with relatively no emissions (p. 69).

While it is evident that hydrogen energy has a number of salient benefits overall, Romm (2004) notes that there are some potential problems with the development of hydrogen as an alternative energy source. According to Romm, " (p. 75). In addition, Romm also notes that because hydrogen is a gas, fuel tanks that would be needed to store the fuel can be as much as 3,000 times the size of fuel tanks for gasoline. Placing this in the context of an automobile, it is evident that the use of hydrogen energy to power a car would currently require the development of a car that is significantly larger in size. These current drawbacks coupled with political and social barriers to the development and implementation of alternative energy sources have made it difficult for many researchers to effectively develop this technology such that it can be applied as the dominant energy source.

Research on Hydrogen Energy

Despite the notable barriers that have been reported when it comes to the development of hydrogen energy, a review of the research that is being undertaken in this field clearly suggests that scientists are taking the steps necessary to improve the utilization of this new energy source. For instance Evans, Light and Cashman (2001) note the advancements that BMW has made in creating a vehicle powered by hydrogen gas. According to these authors, BMW has developed a fuel system for their car that does not require the hydrogen to be produced by the vehicle. Rather, the car can be fueled at a hydrogen station in less than 3 minutes. In order to prevent the loss of hydrogen gas to the atmosphere, BMW has also created a vehicle with a "hyper-isolated" fuel tank that virtually prohibits the evaporation of hydrogen from the vehicle. Evans and coworkers note that through the use of the hyper-isolated fuel tank, less than 0.8 percent of the hydrogen stored in the tank is lost per day.

Other automobile manufacturers attempting to work within the constraints of the current hydrogen energy technology have developed automobiles that run on hydrogen fuel cells. Monasterky (2003) reports that Toyota has developed a prototype vehicle that runs on nothing but fuel cells-electrochemical devices that act like batteries, but use hydrogen as their principle fuel source. Explaining how the fuel cells work in the car, Monasterky notes that, " (p. A14). Even though the car is the model of energy efficiency, the prototype cost more than $4 million to build. As such, even though the technology can be successfully created, it is evident that there are significant financial barriers associated with brining this technology to the market.

While some researchers are working on developing new technologies that fit the constraints of current methods to produce hydrogen energy, other researchers are working on specific methods to reduce the energy that it takes simply to extract hydrogen from existing energy sources. Wunschiers (2000) reports on the use of green algae as a means to capture hydrogen fuel. As noted by this author, "A wide range of microorganisms are able to produce hydrogen gas, among them photosynthetically active organisms that use light as their sole energy source. These organisms are good candidates for the photobiological production of hydrogen gas. Green algae are of particular interest since they are capable of splitting water during photosynthesis and of releasing hydrogen gas under certain conditions" (p. 214). By using green algae, which produce hydrogen gas as a direct result of their biological functions, it may be possible for researchers to extract the hydrogen that they need for energy without spending an excessive amount of money to accomplish this goal.

Thigpen (2005) reports that researchers at the University of Leeds have been able to create a method for hydrogen production using only sunflower, air, water and two specialized catalysts. Examining this process Thigpen notes that, " (p. 71). Preliminary data shows that this recipe could be expanded to a large scale without compromising hydrogen gas production. Further, the data shows that the evolution of hydrogen gas from sunflower oil does not produce any carbon dioxide gas. As such, this method of hydrogen production provides a viable, means for creating this fuel. However, Thigpen does note that the equipment needed to create a large scale fueling station is, at the present time, cost prohibitive. For now, [the] prototype must be refined, and the cost of the process remains too high to be widely practical. But time and a few more years of rising oil prices could make sunflower power a reality" (p.71).

Conclusion

At the present time, research on the development and application of hydrogen energy is increasing dramatically both in the United States and all across the globe. Scientists and private organizations have come to see the inherent value of shifting to hydrogen based energy systems, rather than to continue to rely on the importation of oil from foreign countries. Even though oil has become well established as the principle energy source for most countries, it is evident that a continued reliance on this non-renewable energy source has precarious consequences for society and the economy as a whole.

While the current research on the development of hydrogen energy seems to suggest that considerable investment has been made in this area, it is evident that more research will be needed to make hydrogen energy a principle energy source. At the present time, the current research demonstrates that there are two significant barriers when it comes to brining this new energy source to the market. First, the current research shows that even though advancements have been made, hydrogen fuel is difficult to generate and store. Although new research in this area clearly demonstrates that progress has been made, the reality is that harvesting hydrogen energy remains a challenging process. Second, research on the development of hydrogen energy shows that the costs of developing this technology are, in many cases, prohibitive. Even though hydrogen energy would reduce emissions to zero and reduce a country's dependence on foreign oil, the cost of developing this technology on a large scale is one that remains a significant barrier to its proliferation. In spite of this barrier, it is reasonable to argue that as the amount of research on the development of hydrogen energy increases, new methods for harvesting and storing this energy form will eventually lead to more cost effective means for large-scale production.

References

Evans, T., Light, P., & Cashman, T. (2001). Hydrogen-A little PR. Whole Earth, 106, 44-47.

Monasterky, R. (2003). Running on fumes. Chronicle of Higher Education, 50(7), A14-17.

Ogden, J.M. (2002). Hydrogen: The fuel of the future. Physics Today, 55(4), 69-75.

Rifkin, J. (2002). Hydrogen: Empowering the people. Nation, 275(22), 20-23.

Romm, J.J. (2004). The hype about hydrogen. Issues in Science & Technology, 20(3), 74-81.

Thigpen, D.E. (2005). Flower petal to the metal. Time, 166(18), 71.

Wunschiers, R. (2000). Light dependent production of hydrogen gas by green algae. The future energy carrier in the classroom? Journal of Biological Education, 34(4), 214-218.