Supreme Court has asked government to look into the feasibility of hydrogen-based tech to deal with vehicular air pollution in capital. India is looking closely at Japan, which is gearing up to put on its roads thousands of vehicles based on a hydrogen cell technology, also known as ‘fuel cells’.
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At the heart of the fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) is a device that uses a source of fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant to create electricity by an electrochemical process.
The fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to generate an electric current, water being the only byproduct. Like conventional batteries under the bonnets of automobiles, hydrogen fuel cells too convert chemical energy into electrical energy.
Advantages of fuel cells: Fuel cells produce much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases and none of the air pollutants that cause health problems. Such cells are also far more energy efficient than traditional combustion technologies. Unlike battery-powered electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles do not need to be plugged in.
Disadvantages of fuel cells: The process of making hydrogen needs energy which is often from fossil fuel sources. That has raised questions over hydrogen’s green credentials. There are questions of safety as hydrogen is more explosive than petrol. The vehicles are expensive, and fuel dispensing pumps are scarce.
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