5.8 Great Hope for Future—Fusion Power and Fuel Cell
193
the greatest advantages of fuel cells is that they do not emit carbon dioxide or any
other air pollutant. Besides, fuel cells do not require recharging (as in batteries) and
can continue to supply electric current as long as fuel is supplied. There are different
types of fuel cells such as alkali fuel cells that use potassium hydroxide as electrolyte,
molten carbonate fuel cells that use sodium or magnesium carbonate as electrolyte,
phosphoric acid fuel cells that use phosphoric acid as electrolyte, proton exchange
membrane fuel cells with a polymer electrolyte in the form of a thin permeable
sheet, and solid oxide fuel cells that use ceramic compounds of metal (calcium and
zirconium etc.) oxides as electrolytes.
31
In a fuel cell using hydrogen as fuel, a catalyst at the anode separates hydrogen
molecules into protons and electrons which take different path to the cathode.
The electrons pass through external circuit and generate electrical current, whereas
protons travel through the electrolyte to the cathode where they combine with oxygen
and the electrons to produce water and heat but no carbon dioxide. Fuel cells have
found best use in spacecrafts and satellites where energy is required for a very long
duration and the electrical current produced by the cell can be directed outside the
cell for energizing equipment and illumination, and so on. Globally, there are over
300,000 fuel cells in use and USA generates around 500 megawatts of non-stop
power from fuel cells to more than 7500 cars, 40 hydrogen stations, data centers,
hospitals, and defense establishments.
32 Germany uses fuel cell vehicles and many
countries in Europe and Japan use fuel cells for transportation system.
References
Aayog NITI (2017) Draft national energy policy. National Institution for Transforming India,
Government of India, New Delhi http://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/new_initiatives/NEPID_276
Allen MR, Frame DJ, Huntingford C, Jones CD, Lowe JA, Meinshausen M, Meinshausen N
(2009) Warming caused by cumulative carbon emissions towards the trillionth tonne. Nature
458(7242):1163–1166
Bhattacharya SC (2015) Wood energy in India: status and prospects. Energy 85:310–316
Brown LR (2003) Plan B: rescuing a planet under stress and a civilization in trouble. WW Norton
& Company
Brown L (2012) World on the edge: how to prevent environmental and economic collapse. Routledge
Brown LR (2013) Eco-economy: building an economy for the earth. Routledge
Chengappa R (2015) Whiz-bang tech for a green tomorrow. How cutting-edge breakthroughs could
provide succour by offering an alternative path to cleaner energy and lower emissions. India
Today Magazine, 14 Dec 2015
Faostat FAO (2018) Statistical databases. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Goodall C (2010) How to live a low-carbon life: the individual’s guide to stopping climate change
Government of India (2019) Economic survey 2018–19
International Energy Agency (2018) Key world energy statistics 2018. OECD Publishing
IPCC AR (2007) IPCC fourth assessment report (AR4). IPCC 1:976
31 https://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm.
32 https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cells.
193
the greatest advantages of fuel cells is that they do not emit carbon dioxide or any
other air pollutant. Besides, fuel cells do not require recharging (as in batteries) and
can continue to supply electric current as long as fuel is supplied. There are different
types of fuel cells such as alkali fuel cells that use potassium hydroxide as electrolyte,
molten carbonate fuel cells that use sodium or magnesium carbonate as electrolyte,
phosphoric acid fuel cells that use phosphoric acid as electrolyte, proton exchange
membrane fuel cells with a polymer electrolyte in the form of a thin permeable
sheet, and solid oxide fuel cells that use ceramic compounds of metal (calcium and
zirconium etc.) oxides as electrolytes.
31
In a fuel cell using hydrogen as fuel, a catalyst at the anode separates hydrogen
molecules into protons and electrons which take different path to the cathode.
The electrons pass through external circuit and generate electrical current, whereas
protons travel through the electrolyte to the cathode where they combine with oxygen
and the electrons to produce water and heat but no carbon dioxide. Fuel cells have
found best use in spacecrafts and satellites where energy is required for a very long
duration and the electrical current produced by the cell can be directed outside the
cell for energizing equipment and illumination, and so on. Globally, there are over
300,000 fuel cells in use and USA generates around 500 megawatts of non-stop
power from fuel cells to more than 7500 cars, 40 hydrogen stations, data centers,
hospitals, and defense establishments.
32 Germany uses fuel cell vehicles and many
countries in Europe and Japan use fuel cells for transportation system.
References
Aayog NITI (2017) Draft national energy policy. National Institution for Transforming India,
Government of India, New Delhi http://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/new_initiatives/NEPID_276
Allen MR, Frame DJ, Huntingford C, Jones CD, Lowe JA, Meinshausen M, Meinshausen N
(2009) Warming caused by cumulative carbon emissions towards the trillionth tonne. Nature
458(7242):1163–1166
Bhattacharya SC (2015) Wood energy in India: status and prospects. Energy 85:310–316
Brown LR (2003) Plan B: rescuing a planet under stress and a civilization in trouble. WW Norton
& Company
Brown L (2012) World on the edge: how to prevent environmental and economic collapse. Routledge
Brown LR (2013) Eco-economy: building an economy for the earth. Routledge
Chengappa R (2015) Whiz-bang tech for a green tomorrow. How cutting-edge breakthroughs could
provide succour by offering an alternative path to cleaner energy and lower emissions. India
Today Magazine, 14 Dec 2015
Faostat FAO (2018) Statistical databases. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Goodall C (2010) How to live a low-carbon life: the individual’s guide to stopping climate change
Government of India (2019) Economic survey 2018–19
International Energy Agency (2018) Key world energy statistics 2018. OECD Publishing
IPCC AR (2007) IPCC fourth assessment report (AR4). IPCC 1:976
31 https://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm.
32 https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cells.