Fuel cells are an emerging technology that is quite complex and mysterious in that its non-conventional method of power generation is hard to grasp. However, law makers are rooting for fuel cells because of their clean operation as water is the only by-product of the fuel cell process.
Types of Fuel Cells
There are a number of different types of fuel cells including Polymer Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFC), Molten-Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC), Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFC), and Direct-Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC).
Of all the different types of fuel cells, the U.S. Department of Energy states that the Polymer Exchange Membrane is the most common type for automotive applications “Due to their fast start up time, low sensitivity to orientation, and favorable power-to-weight ratio." The technology is indeed brilliant, but the infrastructure is lacking and the cost is high for fuel cell and hydrogen production. Therefore, a hydrogen economy running on fuel cells is a dream at best; it may be decades before we see more of this technology.
How Fuel Cells Work
Fuel cells may seem rather complex on the surface, but once the cell is looked at carefully, it becomes obvious how it works. The fuel cell has the following components:
- Anode
- Cathode
- Catalyst
- Proton Exchange Membrane
The hydrogen enters on the anode side and the proton exchange membrane “blocks” the electrons from hydrogen entering and only allows the ions to pass. The oxygen then passes through the cathode side. The catalyst allows for the reaction of the oxygen and hydrogen that then turns into water. The fuel cell works by blocking the electrons in the hydrogen and using them for electricity, which is then used to power the electric motor.
Fuel Cell Disadvantages
Fuel Cells have distinct disadvantages when compared to the traditional means of powering vehicles. The main disadvantage is cost. Contemporary fuel cells cost about $4500/kilowatt hour, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The issue is that to produce any type of power conducive to normal driving, a substantial amount of kilowatt hours is necessary to drive the car. For example, if a vehicle needs a required 20 kilowatt hours to run properly, that would equate to $90,000 for the fuel cell.
Fuel Cell Outlook
For fuel cells to be implemented into future vehicles, the cost needs to be reduced and more research and development needs to be conducted before we see them used in production vehicles. That is the first major issue.
The second major issue is the fact that you cannot go to the corner gas station and readily fill up on hydrogen; this renders fuel cell vehicles obsolete. Building a hydrogen infrastructure will cost billions of dollars and will take decades. Some estimates make mention that building a hydrogen infrastructure will cost upwards of $405 Billion dollars.
Sources
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/fuelcells/fc_types.html
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/fuelcells
http://hydrogendiscoveries.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/what-will-it-cost-to-build-the-entire-us-hydrogen-infrastructure-the-answer-is-405-billion/
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