sters, and an increase in the number of hurricanes and droughts. All these problems are caused by the burning of fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gases like CO2, NOx and SOx.This causes quite the dilemma. How can we replace our main form of energy which is not only killing our planet, but is also diminishing because fossil fuels are finite resources and our needs and demands are infinite? Either our planet will become too polluted to be inhabited or we will run out of fossil fuels and will need a new source of energy. This is why certain organizations and governments are looking into alternative energy sources like hydrogen, earth’s most abundant element, (Esselstyn 1) which can be isolated from water, natural gas, methanol, organic wastes, and petrochemical spills. (Esselstyn 4)Hydrogen, oxygen, water and electricity have a remarkable relationship, which, when used in an effective manner can produce infinite amounts of energy, with very few negative consequences. (Esselstyn 3) We get energy from hydrogen by using fuel cells, which are voltaic cells in which a fuel substance undergoes oxidation and from which electrical energy is obtained continuously. Fuel cells have a maze of membranes which allow oxygen and hydrogen to combine. This combination of elements is an electrochemical process, which produces electricity, as well as water vapor and an insignificant amount of heat. (Wilbraham 346) Henceforth a remarkable loop is formed, hydrogen can make electricity and electricity can make hydrogen, giving us an infinite source of consequence free energy. (Esselstyn 1)The first person to really start working with hydrogen was Sir William Grove and is often referred to as the “father of the fuel cell”. His work with hydrogen started in about 1839, but it wasn’t until early in the 20th century that people actually tried to use hydrogen as an energy source by attempting to create fuel cells. The failure of...
