Energy Bombshell!

Are you ready for the coming energy revolution? We’re headed full-speed into a new age of technology that’s going to revolutionize your everyday life. What is it? It’s gas—hydrogen gas! Very soon, you’ll be able to instantly recharge your cell phone, drive an electric car for hundreds of miles before charging, and keep your laptop running five times longer.

Right now, Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, and Volkswagen are either developing or testing fuel cell powered vehicles. In fact, Toyota and Honda recently delivered fuel cell vehicles to the Japanese government—leased at a rate of 1.2 million yen (about $10,212) per month. While the first fuel cell vehicle is currently commercially unavailable in the U.S., your future car may one day be powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

But the revolution goes farther than mere automobiles. Today in Europe and Japan scientists are testing hydrogen fuel cells to heat and power homes. And if that isn’t amazing, the airplane of the future may be powered by fuel cells. Boeing is already testing a fuel cell powered aircraft for future use.

1. What Is A Fuel Cell?
A hydrogen fuel cell is an energy conversion device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing electricity and heat in the process. A fuel cell provides a direct current (DC) voltage that can be used to power lights, electrical appliances, boats, buses, and motors. There are several different types of fuel cells, which are classified by the type of electrolyte they use.

The fuel cell that will most likely power your car—and maybe even your house is the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Micro-fuel cells, currently being developed by Hitachi, NEC, and Toshiba, will replace lithium-ion batteries used to power your cell phone and other wireless devices.

2. Why Is It Important?
Hydrogen and fuel cell technology could revolutionize the way we live and use power globally by providing cleaner, more-efficient alternatives to the combustion of gasoline and other fossil fuels. This technology is important because it offers a way to make power more efficiently and with less pollution.
And more importantly, the use of hydrogen as an energy source can address our global energy problems, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

3. What’s Being Done Now?
Scientists are focused on developing low-cost, reliable, and high-performance fuel cell systems for transportation and buildings. Today, there are over 2,500 fuel cell systems that provide power or backup to hospitals, hotels, office buildings, schools, utility power plants, and airports.

4. Where Do We Go From Here?
The biggest roadblock facing fuel cell technology is the big price tag. Fuel cell technology is still in its early stages. Right now, the cheapest way to extract hydrogen is from natural gas; extracting hydrogen from water costs twice as much. Eventually, hydrogen fuel cells will be as cost efficient as today’s gasoline. And as more fuel cells enter the marketplace, mass production of fuel cell powered cars, boats, motorcycles, and computers will bring the price down.

The future is here…the hydrogen fuel cell technology race has begun…and it really is a gas! Want to learn more? Go to www.fuelcells.org.