PPT Slide
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert a fuel’s energy directly to electrical energy (NFCRC 2000). They work like a battery and would replace the relatively inefficient traditional combustion process of extracting energy in vehicles, homes and industries. There are four primary types of fuel cells currently being developed: solid oxide, molten carbonate, proton exchange membrane (PEM), and alkaline – all use hydrogen as the fuel source (Jensen 2000). The most feasible way to get hydrogen is from fossil fuels, especially natural gas because it is abundant. Combustion engines use fossil fuels and generate carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, whereas fuel cells generate only water and heat as waste (NFCRC 2000). Fuel cells would reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources. If 20% of cars use fuel cells, oil imports would be cut by 1.5 million barrels per day (Fuel Cells 2000).
Technical challenges facing fuel cell development include: integrating lightweight, inexpensive fuel cell engines into vehicles, and designing sufficient hydrogen storage tanks. The major challenge is developing an appropriate refueling infrastructure. Widespread refueling stations must come before fuel cell vehicles can be successfully marketed. The initial startup cost of installing this infrastructure would be between $3 and $15 billion (Jensen 2000). This may seem like an expensive and risky investment, but when compared to the total social cost of air pollution from burning fossil fuels (estimated at $9 billion in health care costs in the L.A. air basin alone), fuel cells work out to be sufficiently more economical in the long run (Jensen 2000).