Hydrogen+Fuel+Cells

= = **__Hydrogen Fuel Cells By: Kristina Endler __**

Many new technologies have been developed to solve the potential energy crisis. Hydrogen fuel cell energy is one of these interesting new ways to replace oil based energy. This project is to look further into Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology and informing the environmental science wiki, and the public on the potential it has and how it works.

 __**What is a Fuel Cell? **__ An electrochemical cell in which the energy of a reaction between a fuel, such as liquid hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as liquid oxygen, is converted directly and continuously into electrical energy.

**__ History of Hydrogen __** One of the original uses of hydrogen included the use as a lifting agent in the observation balloons of World War 1. NASA currently uses liquefied hydrogen as propellant for rocket boosters in its space exploration programs. Congress and federal agencies such as the Department of Energy hope to eventually convert the United States toward a hydrogen economy. Essentially, a hydrogen based economy would be completely different from the state the economy is in today. The government is currently preparing a national hydrogen energy road map to to prepare for the new energy economy. "Hydrogen’s chemical energy can be harnessed in pollution-free ways. Hydrogen is a clean and sustainable form of energy that can be used in mobile and stationary applications. It can become the ideal companion to fuel cells or internal combustion engines (ICE’s) converted to burn hydrogen. Hydrogen can be generated from diverse domestic resources and can reduce demand for oil.(Olson)”

 __**FreedomCAR**__

FreedomCAR is a new cooperative research effort between the DOE and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler) formed to promote research into advanced automotive technologies, such as FCVs, that may dramatically reduce oil consumption and environmental impacts. FreedomCAR's goal is the development of cars and trucks that are: Cheaper to operate Competitively price Free from imported oil

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