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Introduction to Fuel Cells
Home » Automobiles » Fuel Cells » Introduction to Fuel CellsIf you are the average person, the term "fuel cells" registers somewhere in your brain alongside the words "hybrid" vehicle and maybe "eco-friendly" or even "global warming". Rising gas prices and lingering questions about the future of the oil industry have opened the doors to the development of alternative energy sources. To set the record straight, hybrid vehicles and fuel cells cars operate very differently, but they are both advancements that are environmentally friendly. A hybrid vehicle utilizes both the "typical" gasoline-operated internal combustion engine and the electric engine, thus reducing emissions and increasing fuel efficiency. On the other hand, fuel cells are a further step away from the internal combustion engine: these devices take the simple elements of hydrogen and oxygen and change them into water. This chemical conversion produces energy that scientists have figured out how to "capture" and use to operate engines and other energy-requiring devices. As wonderful as this discovery has been as an alternative energy source, there are many obstacles to overcome in order to make fuel cells viable for broad-based applications.
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