Fuel prices are nearing their all time highs. And as fuel becomes more and more scarce, this non-renewable energy source is going to become increasingly expensive. Fuel cells may be the answer we need, and the sooner we figure it out, the better off we are.
I have heard a lot about how great an advancement fuel cells could be. It is true. The exhaust is water vapor—talk about an environmentally friendly technology. This is it. The pollutants released from the combustion of gasoline and diesel would no longer be an issue, because they wouldn't be used. Oil spills such as Exxon Valdez would truly be a thing of the past. The only thing coming out of a tailpipe would be water vapor.
From an economic standpoint, it makes perhaps even more sense to be the first country to make the use of hydrogen fuel practical. We would no longer depend on the Middle East for oil and this could greatly stabilize our economy—I remember just weeks ago when the stock market dropped considerably in response to oil barrel prices approaching and surpassing fifty dollars.
It is true that fuel cells could be a great advancement, but they still have a lot of obstacles to overcome before they provide a viable energy choice. Oil riggers must extract crude oil from underground, it must then be shipped by oil tankers, refined, and then shipped again. It is a pretty involved process but one that has been done for years. And because of that, it has become more and more efficient. Furthermore, gas and diesel powered engines have been refined for approximately a century. Some fuel economy cars are now getting amazing mileage and significantly reduced emissions.
The switch to hydrogen power would be costly. Hydrogen powered engines have not been around long enough to be scrutinized at the same level as their gas powered counterparts. But obtaining hydrogen may be a greater problem.
Ford cars and many others are being designed to use hydrogen as a fuel source; however, Ford predicts that at present, it will cost one million five hundred thousand dollars to build just one new hydrogen fueling station. And the irony is that these fuel stations would rely on natural gas to produce hydrogen. So, although you would not have any pollutants coming out of your tailpipe, your hydrogen fuel station would be producing pollutants. It is a problem that deserves much attention in the years to come. Fortunately, they are already aware of many other environmentally friendly ways to perform hydrolysis and produce hydrogen. The challenges will still be there though. Cost efficiency, energy efficiency, and the ability to produce enough hydrogen will still be issues that need to be dealt with. It is great that there are already Ford cars out there that can run on hydrogen, but we need to find a practical way to obtain the hydrogen.
Iceland is aware of these challenges, but has committed itself to becoming a hydrogen based economy. Iceland has had a history of innovation in the energy industry. So far, they have done excellent jobs of utilizing hydro power, and they have been using geothermal heat to heat homes and other buildings. They are hoping that they can continue to utilize these power sources to yield a sufficient amount of hydrogen in an environmentally friendly way. So far, it sounds, like things are going well and there is already a functioning fleet of hydrogen powered buses in operation. They still have work to do and it is a difficult task, but hopefully it will be a rewarding one. Iceland hopes to eventually convert their local transportation and their fishing fleet to hydrogen power. Their level of their success is very important because they may help us to determine just how successful this pursuit could be. Their impact on the environment, their independence from fossil fuels and the impact they will undoubtedly have on the rest of the world are all strong reasons to continue pursuing their goals.
The transition to hydrogen power is already underway in Iceland, but how far behind is the United States and the rest of the world? Hopefully with innovations like those seen in Ford cars and with a role model like Iceland, a future powered by hydrogen will be a reality sooner than some of the skeptics think. In a 2003 article from the Detroit News, Bush stated his hopes that fuel cell powered cars could be present by 2020– GM says it can be done by 2010. I realize that fuel cells and hydrogen power may not become mainstream for years after their presence in the industry. But when it happens, I am sure you will be seeing the next generation of Ford cars like the FCV-hybrid and the Ford P2000 on the road. The long term benefits are too good to pass up and maybe the grass really will be just a little greener in the years to come.
By David Wade