What is the status of hydrogen fuel cell development?

Question

I am not scientifically inclined so much as some of you geniuses out there (that's possibly not saying much), so I am curious to know what the viability of hydrogen fuel cell technology is. My state, New York, has actually purchased a model that it has on display and has driven for demonstrations. So, if there are hydrogen vehicles that have worked, what is the obstacle? Is it fuel delivery? the cost of storing hydrogen fuel? Dangers inherent in hydrogen? I think hydrogen could be a great way to get emissions down (although maybe not for decades) and could maybe boost our flagging economy for the future. Any thoughts.

Answer 1

i don't know the status but George Bush is spending 1.2 billion dollars on i so it better be good.

but if he had supported the EV1 than we wouldn't need hydrogen because we would have electric cars.

Answer 2

You pretty much got it, the cars have been ready for years, just no practical way to refuel.

Answer 3

There are a lot of obstacles.  Safety and production of the hydrogen are the two big ones.

Answer 4

Many car companies have prototypes now in operation. It was reported that GM alone has spent one billion dollars on this technology. It seems to work, and has a chance to be a major alternative. Time will tell.

Some of the problems are the cost and methods of producing H2, Safety concerns, and on board storage pressures / containers.  Also, can the cost of producing these cars get down to a reasonable range.

Answer 5

It's doing just what the oil companies want which is taking our minds off of serious fixes like plug-in hybrids and battery cars.

They are not going to change the infrastructure of the U.S. or the world to hydrogen until they get all the easy oil out of the ground. They also are not going to go to hydrogen if they think you can make it at home or from water. How can they make money that way.

Plus fuel cells are complicated and need to stay clean to work properly. The Fuel cell buses that they are testing in California already fouled there fuel cells in 17,000 miles of use.

When all is said and done fuel cells act like a battery. We can upgrade batteries to be answer to our needs if we can keep the oil companies from buying up the new technologies on batteries and throwing them under the rug and encouraging car companies to use them in battery cars and plug-in hybrids.

Batteries can be charged with any kind of generator so any future clean developments can be applied to electricity. Plus battery tech can be used now to reduce oil dependency with-in a year or two which would have a immediate effect on the economy and oil prices.

Don't let these companies trick us into hydrogen to soon. They just want us to drag our feet while they make the big money on oil. Hydrogen will come when it's time has come and if we go to batteries 1st and break the monopoly on oil then hydrogen will come cheap. Otherwise it will come as a new set of handcuffs.

Answer 6

Hydrogen fuel cell technology is extremely viable and will provide considerable benefits over the coming years. The hybrid and battery electric vehicle are an interesting diversion but fuel cells provide an opportunity to open up the renewable energy field - by producing hydrogen and storing it for later use or use elsewhere - and the opportunity to power your house when you don't need to drive the car round! There is a growing demand for fuel cell vehicles and the technology is now into the maturing period. The infrastructure for hydrogen storage and delivery isn't going to be too far behind in many countries where for example "autogas" is already being supplied.