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Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Technology

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

Hydrogen In Use

Today hydrogen is used primarily as a chemical to produce industrial commodities, such as reformulated gasoline, ammonia for fertilizer production, food products, and various petrochemicals. But hydrogen has the potential to be a clean and nearly limitless fuel for America's future. Hydrogen can be used for every end-use energy need in the economy, including transportation, power generation, industrial heaters, and portable power systems. Demonstrations are now underway to prove hydrogen's potential for transportation, for producing electricity, and for providing heat and electricity to buildings. These demonstration programs are paving the way for future improvements that will help make cost-effective hydrogen use a reality.

The transition to a hydrogen economy will progress through development and commercialization of a range of advanced technologies to use hydrogen. Read on to learn more about hydrogen's

Current Uses

Today the United States uses more than 90 billion cubic meters (3.2 trillion cubic feet) of hydrogen yearly. Most of this hydrogen is used as a chemical, rather than a fuel, in a variety of commercial applications:

* Commercial fixation of nitrogen from the air to produce ammonia for fertilizer (about two-thirds of commercial hydrogen is used for this)

* Hydrogenation of fats and oils, in which vegetable oils are changed from liquids to solids; shortening is an example of a hydrogenated oil

* Methanol production, in hydrodealkylation, hydrocracking, and hydrodesulphurization

* Welding

* Hydrochloric acid production

* Metallic ore reduction

*Cryogenics and the study of superconductivity (liquid hydrogen)

Hydrogen's main use as a fuel is in the space program. Today hydrogen fuels both the main engine of the Space Shuttle and the onboard fuel cells that provide the Shuttle's electric power.

Hydrogen Basics

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

Fuel Cells

Hydrogen In Use

Potential Applications