6.11 Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Describe the use of hydrogen fuel cells in power generation.

• Hydrogen fuel cells are an alternate to non-renewable fuel sources. They use hydrogen as fuel, combining the hydrogen and oxygen in the air to form water and release energy (electricity) in the process. Water is the product (emission) of a fuel cell.
• Enduring understanding ENG-3: Humans use energy from a variety of sources, resulting in positive and negative consequences.

Describe the effects of the use of hydrogen fuel cells in power generation on the environment.

• Hydrogen fuel cells have low environmental impact and produce no carbon dioxide when the hydrogen is produced from water. However, the technology is expensive and energy is still needed to create the hydrogen gas used in the fuel cell.
• Enduring understanding ENG-3: Humans use energy from a variety of sources, resulting in positive and negative consequences.