Alternatives to Hydrogen Power
Hydrogen is widely recognized as a potentially viable energy source for modern transport systems as the cost of fossil fuels continues to rise. According to Dr. Crabtree and Dr. Desselhaus, hydrogen is a cleaner fuel source than gasoline and hydrogen fuel cell powered automobile engines are more efficient than internal combustion engines. Unfortunately, as discussed by Rahul Mahtani at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, hydrogen is a dangerous substance to transport and difficult to produce. Even the National Hydrogen Association points out that a number of alternative future energy sources compete with hydrogen power, including hybrid gasoline electric systems, pure electric systems, liquefied natural gas and ethanol-based engines.
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The Problems With Hydrogen
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Hydrogen is the most basic known atomic element, consisting of one proton and one electron. It is also the energy source that powers star fusion and is one of the most abundant elements in the universe. Hydrogen is extremely reactive in an oxygen atmosphere, reacting with oxygen to produce water vapor. This reactivity and the innocuous nature of the byproduct so produced makes hydrogen a highly valuable source for fueling modern society. However, as Rahul Matani points out, hydrogen is less energy dense than gasoline and is more difficult to transport and store. In addition, hydrogen is highly explosive and can be dangerous to use as a fuel.
Biofuels, the Short-Term Hydrogen Alternative
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The National Hydrogen Association points out that biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesels are increasingly being used as an alternative to both fossil fuels and hydrogen. Biofuels are effectively organic materials that have been processed to form alcohols similar to gasoline. They burn cleaner than standard gasoline and are a renewable energy source that sequesters carbon dioxide while growing. They are already in wide use and significant research is being devoted to making them more efficient for use as a future energy source.
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Electric Power, Another Hydrogen Alternative
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Electric power is widely used to power an incredible variety of commercial, residential and industrial devices and processes, and could be expanded to power vehicles as well by storing electric energy in high-capacity automotive batteries. Electric engines are highly efficient and the means of generating electricity are well developed. As fossil fuels will be eliminated in the long term, renewable energy sources like biofuels, solar power and nuclear power will increase capacity and contribute to the electrical grid, allowing transportation energy to be derived from the same power plants as used by homes.
Liquefied Natural Gas
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Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is already in use in many public and mass transportation applications worldwide. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, but is more plentiful than oil and produces less carbon dioxide waste than gasoline derived from oil. Primarily used in power plants, natural gas can be stored in liquid form in tanks much like gas or oil and burned to power an internal combustion engine. LNG is more stable than hydrogen and the technologies to utilize it are more mature, so it is a currently expanding alternative to hydrogen.
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References
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