Practical use of Hydrogen energy

When I pass an oil station, my feeling is nervous and worried because oil prices are getting higher day by day. Now I am one of the people complaining about soaring oil prices. Also, oil energy discharges lots of emissions while we are driving; its pollutants give harmful effects to environment and humans. In modern times nobody can live without vehicles. So most people want clean and cheap energy for their vehicles instead of higher prices of oil. Thus I introduce hydrogen energy with alternative energy. Hydrogen is the lightest chemical element and offers the best energy. Also, hydrogen is colorless and odorless, and its only byproduct is water. So several countries and auto companies are dealing with the hydrogen alternative energy. “Hydrogen can be produced, with varying degrees of efficiency, from multiple sources, almost anywhere. Consequently, the security-of-supply issue that plagues the world’s fossil-fuel resources could be all but overcome by the adoption of a hydrogen economy” (Malloy, 2007, para. 4-5). Now leaders of this field are striving with how to use hydrogen energy as soon as possible. If hydrogen energy becomes cheaper in price and easier to get than oil energy, everyone will want to change their main energy to hydrogen. “In dozens of laboratories and research centers, scientists and engineers are busy searching for ways to reduce the cost and improve the practicality of hydrogen –powered vehicles” (Sherman, 2007, para. 3). I insist that the hydrogen energy is the best way to escape a global crisis of oil energy and to turn toward a green environmental future.

In this paper, I plan to argue about how to promote the practical use of hydrogen energy for vehicles. First, more developed countries should give guidance on infrastructure for using hydrogen to developing countries from their countries. Second, the bigger auto companies should create a method for larger sales of hydrogen vehicles. Finally, people on the earth should remind themselves that the hydrogen alternative energy is very important for human beings.

First, developed countries should lead developing countries to using hydrogen as an alternative energy for vehicles. Now, the biggest problem is lack of infrastructure such as hydrogen stations. If people could easily get hydrogen while driving, they wouldn’t worry about the practical use of hydrogen. For example, now some countries have hydrogen stations, for example, Iceland, United States, Canada and Japan. “In Iceland, a hydrogen filling station near Reykjavik creates and stores the hydrogen on-site in pressurized tanks for use in fuel cell-powered buses. The United States is rich in unexploited geothermal resources, primarily in the West. Tapping that energy to create hydrogen fuel is one path to making enough hydrogen commercially available for emerging vehicle fleets” (Moran, 2006, para.22). Thus, these countries should show the good infrastructure to others. Also, the countries using hydrogen should establish policies that help development of the practical use of hydrogen to their nation’s people. If people can speed during a traffic jam, they will want to drive on a hydrogen highway. For example, “Remember the ‘hydrogen highway?’ This was California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s vision back in 2004. He proclaimed that, by 2010, California highways would be lined with hydrogen fueling stations, some 20 miles apart throughout the state, enabling hydrogen-powered cars and buses to travel freely. He signed an executive order setting up a private and public partnership to implement that vision” (Perry, 2008, para.1). In addition, governments using hydrogen vehicles around the country should change official vehicles to hydrogen vehicles. For example, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered a hydrogen car and used it for himself. In this way, the developed countries might guide other countries; the developing countries should take a good example and consider the practical use of hydrogen vehicles.

Second, bigger auto companies should promote revitalization of the hydrogen vehicles. The bigger auto companies of the world are faced with the cost of the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells. The cost is still a problem; now several companies are dealing with the intermediation process to make hydrogen fuel cells from oil fuel. For example, “BMW, Ford, and Mazda have all developed conventional internal combustion (IC) engines that operate on H2 and all three are in the process of putting hydrogen-powered vehicles into real-world service in demonstration fleets around the world” (Malloy, 2007, para.8). These productions might provide available hydrogen vehicles earlier. Also, auto companies should give an experience driving hydrogen vehicles to applicants. If someone is curious he or she probably wants to get driving experience with the new technology vehicles. For example, “It didn’t take long to realize that GM was actually using this ‘forum’ to find drivers who would understand and appreciate the technology, and give meaningful feedback to the project. They were also looking for early adopters-those of us willing to accept the bugs and annoyances common in new technology rather than be overly sensitive to them” (Krach, 2008, para.4). In addition, the auto companies consider the high price of hydrogen vehicles at first; they might take financing ideas of hydrogen vehicles. For example, if the auto companies sell hydrogen vehicles on easy installment plans, the common people can easily access them. Therefore, the bigger companies should create their methods for hydrogen vehicles’ popularization.

Third, the most important connection is that people should be aware of the world situation. Oil prices are getting more and more steep, and the oil resources are decreasing in quantity in oil-producing countries. For example, “Goldman Sachs predicted last week that the price could rise to an unprecedented $200 a barrel over the next year, and the world is coming to terms with the idea that the age of cheap oil has ended, with far-reaching repercussions on their activities” (Lean, 2008, para.5). Thus people on the earth should be concerned about the critical state and will try to use hydrogen vehicles. Also, now if someone wants to use hydrogen energy, they can get hydrogen energy the easy way at their home. If people get a regular amount of hydrogen fuel for their vehicle every morning, it will be an undreamed of reality of life. For example, a company in London invented and introduced hydrogen manufacture at individual home. “The hydrogen generator, which when it goes on sale will be small enough to fit in a garage or homes, will use water and off peak electricity to generate the gas” (Daily Mail, 2008, para.2). In addition, people should pay attention that hydrogen energy is clean energy. For example, a vehicle using hydrogen gets its fuel with the electrolysis method, which splits hydrogen from water. Its result would be emission-free. Therefore, individual people, everyone should contribute to effective energy for a better future.

My opponents argue that practical use of hydrogen energy for vehicles is an impossible problem. Current infrastructures focus on oil fuel energy; people must learn how to change its giant systems with hydrogen infrastructures. “McMahon’s book outlines the many options available to us immediately -electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and human-powered vehicles- because even though it is possible to make hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles or even a hydrogen fuel –cell electric vehicle, creating the supporting infrastructure will take decades” (Mannion, 2007, para.9). However, now oil energy is soaring and increasing serious air pollution. The numerous motor vehicles are responsible for most air pollution like smog and acid rain. For example, a lot of motor vehicles in Los Angeles, Denver, Salt Lake City, Sydney, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires all have caused serious photochemical smog problem (Miller, Jr., 1994). Also, this air pollution causes damage to people and living organisms. The developed countries, especially Iceland and the United States, think that hydrogen energy is the most possible alternative energy. Thus the developed countries have supported and studied in this field. Already oil refining companies and auto companies lead practical use for hydrogen energy for vehicles in the United States, Japan, and Europe. For example, Shell and BP made a ‘California Fuel Cell Partnership’ where they study and advance hydrogen energy for vehicles and practical use in California. “The California Fuel Cell Partnership is a collaboration of 31 members working together to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Today, our members are operating more fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations in California than any other region in the world” (California fuel cell partnership, 2007, paras.1-2). Therefore, established infrastructures of oil fuel energy can renew the hydrogen fuel energy, which is an abundant resource, so people can use enough amounts with fuel energy for their vehicles anywhere.

In conclusion, the hydrogen energy is a gift for people, because hydrogen is clean, plentiful enough, and cheap energy as it is used in vehicles. The world should use hydrogen energy for vehicles as soon as possible. The countries should establish rational and strong policies that make oil energy go toward extinction. Also, the auto companies should induce drivers into hydrogen vehicles. In addition, the people should recognize the energy problem and try to lead others to fuel energy for vehicles. Hydrogen is not widely used today, but it has great potential as an energy carrier in the future. The world should change hydrogen fuel vehicles from oil energy; if they do, their attempt can overcome energy crisis problems. Now people should try to be sure that hydrogen vehicles are starting to move from the imagination to the roads.

Reference:
Bettencourt, M. (2006, November 16). BMW’s hydrogen-powered ride to a green utopia. The Globe and Mail (Canada). Retrieved on July 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.

California fuel cell partnership. (2007). Commercialization of fuel cell vehicles. Retrieved on July 19, 2008, from: http://www.fuelcellpartnership.org/tourguide/tour2.html

Daily Mail. (2008, July 16). Fill up your car… at your home hydrogen fuel station. Retrieved on July 19, 2008, from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1033683/fill-car--home-hydrogen-fuel-station.htm/

Krach, D. (2008, May 29). Why GM let me drive its new hydrogen car: Citizen fuel cell. Popular Mechanics. Retrieved on July 19, 2008, from: http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new-cars/4266144.html?page=2

Lean, G. (2008, May 25). Oil: A global crisis. Independent.co.uk. Retrieved on July 1, 2008, from: http://independent.co.uk/enviroment/green-living/oil-a-global-crisis-834023.html?service=print

Malloy, G. (2007, April 21). Cost, infrastructure hinder hydrogen; But several big auto makers see the gas as a solid long-term bet. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on July 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.

Mannion, S. L. (2007, January 8). Hydrogen: A lot of hot air? The Gazette (Montreal). Retrieved on July 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.

Miller, Jr., G.T. (1994). Environment: Problems and solutions. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Moran, T. (2006, November 20). Fuel for the future; Iceland has vast resources to produce hydrogen. Automotive News. Retrieved on July 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.

Perry, T. (2008, January 22). Road blocks on the hydrogen highway. Spectrum online. Retrieved on July 19, 2008, from: http://blog.spectrum.ieee.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-t.fcgi/4013

Sherman, D. (2007, April 29). Hydrogen’s second coming. The New York Times. Retrieved on July 7, 2008, from Lexis Nexis database.