Fuel Alternative

One of the most intriguing possibilities for alternative fuels is the most basic and abundant element in existence. Seductive in its simplicity, the hydrogen molecule has been an intense subject of interest for physicists and engineers looking for a source to power everything from our homes to the journey to the stars.

We have already seen the mighty potential of hydrogen…empires have been built and crumbled on the mere threat of missiles containing the explosive energy of a small star. Indeed, all the energy on the Earth ultimately derives from the ferocious hydrofusion reactions at the core of the Sun.

Containing that force, however, has proven to be a dangerous and elusive task. While inventors have striven to capture the unique properties of Nature’s commonest substance to power everything from balloons to the very electric grid itself, the volatile atom has evaded nearly every attempt to tame it.

Nevertheless, the dream of running an automobile on simple tap water has driven research dollars as well as scientists scurrying after a practical application for hydrogen in the powering of motor vehicles. Most of the attention has focused on the fuel cell, which is a device to dynamically store electricity from the chemical interactions of a variety of substances, including hydrogen and oxygen.

While a host of promising prototypes have been developed as early as the 1960’s, none of the designs have been able to overcome the issues which plague development of the hydrogen-powered automobile enough to become a viable option for consumers. Despite a global clamoring for renewable alternatives to petrochemicals, only a handful of hydrogen-fueled vehicles have entered the roadways to challenge the dominance of Big Oil.

The problem is Newton and his pesky Second Law of Thermodynamics…so far, so much energy is required to separate the hydrogen from water that the bottom line simply doesn’t add up. Pairing the technology with other green power sources, such as geothermal and solar, is yielding positive results in environmentally aware nations like Iceland, where a hydrogen fueling station has been in operation for six years.

There is a promising future in the possibility of switching our power focus from coal and nuclear power to the most simple and basic of all: hydrogen.