Abstract
Fuel cell energy conversion devices and use of hydrogen as an energy carrier have benefited from major technological advancements in recent years. Fuel cells can provide continuous power with extremely low (or zero) criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from a variety of renewable and fossil fuels that well compliments the relative intermittency of many forms of renewable power. The sustainability of energy conversion is aided by the highly efficient use of limited fossil fuel reserves, of renewable fuels such as biogas, landfill and digester gas, and of waste fuel streams that can be accomplished using a fuel cell system. Hydrogen can play a significant role in that it is one of only a few options that can enable transportable power with zero pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions at the point of use. In addition, hydrogen can be efficiently produced with very low emissions from a variety of renewable and more sustainable primary energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear power (by water electrolysis or splitting), from biogases and industrial waste streams, as well as from fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal. While there are many significant technical hurdles to overcome before fuel cell technology can become widely available and while significant investments will be required to enable the widespread use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, recent developments are proving the environmental and energy efficiency performance, diversity, continuous power capabilities, and potential future economic competitiveness of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies that could enable their future contributions to a more sustainable and renewable energy future. The current paper introduces some potential future roles of fuel cells and hydrogen and highlights some work being conducted at the National Fuel Cell Research Center.
Highlights
Recent fuel cell systems have been engineered with sufficiently low cost, and high enough power and energy density to meet increasingly stringent consumer demands in three major application areas: (1) stationary power, (2) transportation, and (3) portable power
A convergence concept is presented in which fuel cells and hydrogen can be evolved to more sustainably meet power and transportation energy demands in the future
Stationary fuel cell systems can provide continuous power with extremely low criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from a variety of renewable and fossil fuels that well compliments the relative intermittency of many forms of renewable power
Summary
Energy and its transformation play critical roles in our lives and directly impact every sector of the economy affecting the overall economic and societal well-being. Energy is used in almost every human activity including: transportation, household uses, agriculture, industry and manufacturing, service, buildings, and more. Energy is consumed by us directly, as in transportation and household uses, as well as indirectly by consuming goods that require energy in their production, delivery or preservation. As a result of scientific and public awareness, great strides have been made in reducing the pollution emitted by combustion sources [1]. Regulations and significant advances in understanding and technology have resulted in the production of modern engines, power plants, and furnaces with dramatically reduced emissions. This has yielded significant improvements in air quality in locations where strict regulatory enforcement occurs [2]. Combustion emissions remain the major source of urban air pollution leading to respiratory health problems [4], and remain the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions [5]
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