Hydrogen fuel cells are a renewable energy source that can solve the problems of fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution. It generates energy by reversing the decomposition of water, and it is noiseless and does not have to worry about resource depletion. It is also highly anticipated as a future energy source due to its high efficiency and various application possibilities.
Recently, climate change and the depletion of fossil fuels have become serious issues around the world. These problems are the result of humans’ continuous destruction of the environment and depletion of resources, and new sources of energy are now essential. Existing fossil fuels have the disadvantages of causing environmental pollution and being finite, so they cannot be used in the long term. As a result, renewable energy is gaining attention, and hydrogen fuel cells are expected to play a role in the future of energy. In this article, we will take a look at the working principle and characteristics of hydrogen fuel cells and their various application possibilities.
For most renewable energies, the name of the energy source gives some indication of how it is produced. For example, it’s easy to recognize that photovoltaics harnesses the sun’s light and wind power harnesses the wind to generate energy. However, if you’re new to the term hydrogen fuel cell, it may not be as easy to grasp how it works. So, let’s start by explaining how hydrogen fuel cells work, and then move on to the characteristics and applications of this technology.
First, let’s take a look at how hydrogen fuel cells generate energy. The principle of hydrogen fuel cells is to reverse the process of water decomposition. The chemical formula for water is H₂O, which is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. In order to break it down, we need to apply an electrical impulse, but hydrogen fuel cells reverse this process: they combine hydrogen and oxygen to create water, which in turn generates electrical energy. The energy difference between hydrogen and oxygen is the key to how hydrogen fuel cells generate energy. As a result, combining hydrogen and oxygen lowers the energy and converts the remaining energy into electricity.
To understand this principle in more detail, we need to know about the inherent energy of substances. Every substance in the world has a different energy, and hydrogen and oxygen have different energy states than water. A hydrogen fuel cell utilizes the energy difference between these substances to generate electricity. Since it extracts the energy generated by the process of combining hydrogen and oxygen, it leaves only clean water as a byproduct, making it an environmentally friendly way of generating energy.
Let’s take a look at the main characteristics of hydrogen fuel cells. First, hydrogen fuel cells are very attractive because they use an inexhaustible fuel resource. Oxygen is abundant in the atmosphere, and hydrogen can be obtained from water, so there’s no need to worry about running out of resources. This is one of the biggest advantages of hydrogen fuel cells at a time when we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. In particular, hydrogen can be extracted from water in the ocean, so it is a resource that has few geographical constraints and can be reliably sourced from any region.
The second characteristic is that they produce very little noise during the generation process. Other renewable energy sources, such as wind power, have the disadvantage of being noisy during the generation process. For example, wind turbines generate a lot of noise due to air resistance as they spin their blades using the wind. For this reason, wind farms must be located far away from residential areas, which poses accessibility and installation cost issues. Hydrogen fuel cells, on the other hand, are virtually silent and can be installed and operated anywhere. Therefore, they can be used in urban centers and near residential areas.
The third is that hydrogen fuel cells offer high efficiency compared to conventional energy. Currently, many renewable energy sources are struggling to commercialize due to energy efficiency issues. For example, solar power is only about 20% efficient, so it is difficult to expect sufficient energy production. Hydrogen fuel cells, on the other hand, have a power generation efficiency of 60-70%. This means that more energy can be produced for the same cost, which can contribute significantly to speeding up the energy transition.
These fuel cells have a wide range of potential applications. In fact, many countries and companies are investing heavily in the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. With no pollution and high fuel efficiency compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have the potential to become the main form of transportation in the future. They also have the potential to be used in large-scale transportation, such as airplanes and ships, and are expected to revolutionize transportation around the world.
But hydrogen fuel cells aren’t just for transportation. Because they are easily scalable, hydrogen fuel cells can be used as energy storage devices on a variety of scales, from large buildings to small electronics. For example, they can be used as power supply systems for large buildings, as well as batteries for small devices such as cell phones. This flexibility is another advantage of hydrogen fuel cells.
Of course, there are challenges to commercializing hydrogen fuel cells with current technology. There are still challenges to overcome, such as safety issues and the high cost of hydrogen storage and transportation technologies. However, research and investment in the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology continues around the world, and it is likely to become a popular energy source in the near future. In the future, hydrogen fuel cells will play an increasingly active role in our daily lives and play an important role in moving towards a sustainable energy society.
