Hydrogen as an Alternative Fuel 

The need for an alternative fuel that supplies true benefits for consumers around the globe is incredible. While many solutions have been offered and some even instituted on a limited basis, hydrogen may be the best option for alternative fuel needs.

What does hydrogen offer for consumers? What drawbacks does hydrogen have? How would this technology change the way consumers drive? What are the costs associated with this technology?

These and many other questions can plague the mind of a consumer contemplating the benefits of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

Where Does It Come From?

Hydrogen may be the most abundant element in the universe, but it can seem scarce on Earth. This is because there are no natural hydrogen gas reserves. The only place on Earth where hydrogen exists in its natural gaseous state is in the outer atmosphere, making it impossible to harvest.

How can this gas benefit the world, then? How does it offer benefits if you cannot harvest it efficiently?

Surprisingly, hydrogen is widely available. However, it does require an additional step in the refining process. Rather than simply extracting hydrogen gas from below the ground the way natural gas is produced, hydrogen must be distilled from other sources. 

Hydrogen makes up a large percentage of the world around us. For instance, water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.

Hydrogen is produced by algae and bacteria under the right conditions. Hydrogen can even be found in the chemical makeup of petroleum and natural gas.

Extracting this hydrogen requires special techniques. For instance, electrolysis is used to break water down into its two constituent elements. This can be used to provide usable hydrogen for automotive use. 

How Clean Is It?

Unlike petroleum products, hydrogen burns very cleanly. When burned in the presence of oxygen or air, nitrides are produced.

These trace elements are also produced when gasoline is burned. However, hydrogen produces far less of these harmful substances.

This makes hydrogen one of the cleanest alternative fuel options currently available.  

Because it burns cleanly, and produces mostly water as a byproduct, hydrogen offers enormous benefits to the environment.

In fact, using hydrogen in automobiles can eliminate the largest source of greenhouse gas, helping to reduce the threat posed by global warming.  

How Can You Use It?

Using hydrogen as an alternative fuel in your automobile requires special equipment.

A hydrogen generator can, in theory, provide supplemental hydrogen to reduce the amount of fuel consumed and the amount of emissions produced.

However, to realize the ultimate benefits of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source, fuel cells hold the key. Fuel cells utilize hydrogen gas to create an electric charge. This charge is then delivered to an electric motor, which will operate the vehicle.

In essence, fuel cells will be the key to breathing life into the dream of a viable electric car. 

While hydrogen shows enormous promise, the technology to use it fully is still in development. Automakers estimate that the technology will be available in less than 20 years, though during the interim, other alternative fuel sources will have to be developed.