RENEWABLE ENERGY

RENEWABLE ENERGY

ABSTRACT

Fuel cells are potentially important option among other power generators that may contribute to increased economic efficiency and environmental performance of energy system.

Hydrogen fuel cells are the most recent and the most promising technology amongst the search of alternative fuels. All electrochemical reactions consist of two separate reactions: an oxidation half-reaction occurring at the anode and a reduction half-reaction occurring at the cathode. FCVs can be fueled with pure hydrogen gas stored in onboard fuel tanks. Since hydrogen gas is diffused, it must be stored in high-pressure tanks in order to store enough to travel reasonable distances on a full tank of fuel. FCVs can also be fueled with hydrogen-rich fuels, such as methanol, natural gas, petroleum distillates, or even gasoline. The fuels mentioned above contain enough hydrogen to allow FCVs to travel the same distance as a conventional vehicle on a single tank of gas—about 300 to 400 miles. Also, unlike hydrogen gas, liquid fuels like methanol and gasoline wouldn't require a completely new system for delivering fuel to consumers. General Motors Corp. unveiled Hy-wire, the world's first drivable vehicle that combines a hydrogen fuel cell with drive-by-wire technology.

INTRODUCTION

Today everybody seems to be concerned about the increasing fuel prices. What matters most is the economic viability of the fuel. That is where hydrogen fuel cell comes into picture.

Hydrogen fuel cells are the most recent and the most promising technology amongst the search of alternative fuels. A fuel cell is not a battery but a miniature chemical processing plant that can produce electricity and water when fed with a supply of hydrogen and oxygen carried in the ambient air. Individual fuel cells are quite small, but when arranged into stacks of several hundred cells can produce large quantities of electrical energy; most existing systems produce around 75 kW of power. So the fuel cell is actually an electrical generator, the power from which passes to an inverter to turn it from direct to alternating current, then to a powerful a.c. electric motor,

Most manufacturers have now moved to a hybrid configuration, providing a battery in assistance with a fuel cell, to serve as a stand by. A direct hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle would be a true, zero emission vehicle and water being the only by-product.

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