Fuel Cell Environmental Benefits
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Fuel Cell Environmental Benefits
High Fuel Efficiencies
By converting fuel directly into energy through an electrochemical reaction, fuel cells extract more power out of the same quantity of fuel when compared to traditional combustion. This direct process results in a reduced amount of fuel being consumed and greater efficiencies, 30% to 90%, depending on the fuel cell system and if the surplus heat is utilized. Combustion-based energy generation first converts the fuel into heat, limited by Carnots Law of Thermodynamics, and then into mechanical energy, which provides motion or drives a turbine to produce energy. The additional steps involved in combustion generation allow energy to escape as heat, friction and conversion losses, resulting in lower overall efficiencies.
Low Emissions
When hydrogen is the fuel; water, heat and electricity are the by-products of the electrochemical reaction in a fuel cell generating electricity, instead of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter inherent to fossil fuel combustion.
When fossil fuels are reformed into hydrogen, emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur oxides and other pollutants are a fraction of those produced through the combustion of the same amount of fuel.
Reduction in Environmental Damage Inherent to Extractive Industries
Fuel cells avoid the environmental damage associated with the extraction of fossil fuels from the Earth when the hydrogen is produced from renewable sources. If a hydrogen spill occurred, it would evaporate instantly, because hydrogen is lighter than air, leaving only water behind. This a dramatic departure from the legacy that oil drilling, transportation, refining and waste products have left on the Earth.
Fuel Cell Engineering Benefits
Fuel Flexibility
Fuel cells are capable of operating on hydrogen, or hydrogen reformed from any of the common fossil fuels available today.
High Power Densities
The amount of power a fuel cell can generate within a given volume is usually given in kWh/liter. These numbers continue to rise as manufacturers continue research and development on their respective products.
Low Operating Temperatures and Pressures
Fuel cells operate at 80o C to over 1,000o C, depending on the type of fuel cell. These numbers might seem high, but the temperature inside your vehicles internal combustion engine can reach over 2,300o C.
Site Flexibility
Fuel cells, with their inherently quiet operation, zero to minimal emissions and reduced permitting requirements, can be located in a variety of areas, both residential and commercial, inside and outside.
Cogeneration Capability
When the waste heat from the fuel cells electrochemical reaction is captured, it can be utilized for water, space heating and cooling. With cogeneration capabilities, the efficiencies achieved by a fuel cell system approach 90%.
Quick Response to Load Variations
To receive additional energy from a fuel cell, more fuel is introduced into the system. Fuel cell load response is analogous to depressing the gas pedal in your vehicle, more fuel more power.
Engineering Simplicity
Fuel cells