Clarkson University | Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Science

HYDROGEN ECONOMY AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS

With rising oil prices and the established negative environmental impacts of burning fossil fuels, humanity is looking toward a new means of obtaining energy. One promising alternative to fossil fuels is hydrogen. Hydrogen, which can be burned for heat energy or used in a fuel cell to provide electricity, is thought to be the next viable and plentiful source of energy.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and a promising solution to the world's oil dependence. However, the availability of hydrogen is limited in Earth's atmosphere and must be produced from other elements or compounds.

Reforming natural gas is one method of producing hydrogen. The simplest way to obtain hydrogen is through a process called electrolysis. This involves exposing water to DC voltage which separates it into hydrogen and oxygen. One environmentally attractive method to generate that DC voltage is to use such renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, hydro, and biomass. This removes harmful fossil fuels from the equation completely and allows for an energy infrastructure that is sustainable.

Problems caused by Fossil Fuels:

1. Air Pollution

2. Environmental Pollution

3. Global Warming

4. Oil Dependence

Advantages of Hydrogen Economy

The hydrogen economy promises to eliminate all of the problems that the fossil fuel economy creates. Therefore, the advantages of the hydrogen economy include:

The elimination of pollution caused by fossil fuels - When hydrogen is used in a fuel cell to create power, it is a completely clean technology. The only byproduct is water. There are also no environmental dangers like oil spills to worry about with hydrogen.
The elimination of greenhouse gases - If the hydrogen comes from the electrolysis of water, then hydrogen adds no greenhouse gases to the environment. There is a perfect cycle -- electrolysis produces hydrogen from water, and the hydrogen recombines with oxygen to create water and power in a fuel cell.
The elimination of economic dependence - The elimination of oil means no dependence on the Middle East and its oil reserves.
Distributed production - Hydrogen can be produced anywhere that you have electricity and water. People can even produce it in their homes with relatively simple technology.

The problems with the fossil fuel economy are so great, and the environmental advantages of the hydrogen economy so significant, that the push toward the hydrogen economy is very strong.

Research at Clarkson

Clarkson Universityrecognizes the importance of ongoing research in alternate energy. Some of the research in the Engineering and Science departments concentrates in wind energy, fuel cells, solar and biomass.

Dr. Ian Ivar Suni
Associate Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
Research Interests: Fuel Cells
Research Site: http://people.clarkson.edu/~isuni/

Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy
Associate Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
Research Interests: Fuel Cells
Research Site: http://people.clarkson.edu/~raghu/

Courses at Clarkson

EE438/EE538 - Alternate Energy Systems

Wind energy fundamentals, wind generators including induction machines and permanent magnet machines. Basics of solar energy. Solar cells, power tracking. Fuel cells and the hydrogen economy. Fuel Cells for transportation. Introduction to Tidal power, biomass, geothermal.
Link to the Course Site

IEEE Emerging Technology Web Portal

IEEE Volunteer Technical Editor: Prof. Pragasen Pillay
Content and design supported by Clarkson University students: Ankur Saxena, Davis Sun, Luke Dosiek, S. Meena Cullen-Corson, Timothy Roth

Web portal developed for Hydrogen Economy and Alternative Fuels