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Fuel Cells | National Geographic


for something that could revolutionize

for something that could revolutionize the world it’s come along very slowly

the world it’s come along very slowly

the world it’s come along very slowly the fuel cell was invented in 1839 but

the fuel cell was invented in 1839 but

the fuel cell was invented in 1839 but there was little development until the

there was little development until the

there was little development until the 1950s when NASA started to use them in

1950s when NASA started to use them in

1950s when NASA started to use them in space where they’re still used today now

space where they’re still used today now

space where they’re still used today now after years of continuous development

after years of continuous development

after years of continuous development things are speeding up at its core the

things are speeding up at its core the

things are speeding up at its core the fuel cell is very simple it uses

fuel cell is very simple it uses

fuel cell is very simple it uses hydrogen the most abundant element in

hydrogen the most abundant element in

hydrogen the most abundant element in the universe as fuel one type of fuel

the universe as fuel one type of fuel

the universe as fuel one type of fuel cell uses a membrane that looks

cell uses a membrane that looks

cell uses a membrane that looks something like plastic wrap it allows

something like plastic wrap it allows

something like plastic wrap it allows the hydrogen’s proton to pass through

the hydrogen’s proton to pass through

the hydrogen’s proton to pass through while the electron is forced to take a

while the electron is forced to take a

while the electron is forced to take a different course this produces

different course this produces

different course this produces electricity the fuel cell runs as long

electricity the fuel cell runs as long

electricity the fuel cell runs as long as it’s fed hydrogen the cleanest and

as it’s fed hydrogen the cleanest and

as it’s fed hydrogen the cleanest and most readily available source of

most readily available source of

most readily available source of hydrogen is very easy to find its water

hydrogen is very easy to find its water

hydrogen is very easy to find its water of course it couldn’t be this simple

of course it couldn’t be this simple

of course it couldn’t be this simple somehow the hydrogen in the water

somehow the hydrogen in the water

somehow the hydrogen in the water molecule must be stripped and stored and

molecule must be stripped and stored and

molecule must be stripped and stored and that takes power

that takes power

that takes power Peter Lehmann at Humboldt State

Peter Lehmann at Humboldt State

Peter Lehmann at Humboldt State University in Northern California

University in Northern California

University in Northern California decided to build a renewable hydrogen

decided to build a renewable hydrogen

decided to build a renewable hydrogen fuel cell system for a research aquarium

fuel cell system for a research aquarium

fuel cell system for a research aquarium I think the legacy of the 20th century

I think the legacy of the 20th century

I think the legacy of the 20th century is that we were very good at burning

is that we were very good at burning

is that we were very good at burning things

things

things fuel cells offer a clean and efficient

fuel cells offer a clean and efficient

fuel cells offer a clean and efficient way to generate electricity

way to generate electricity

way to generate electricity they are totally pollution free and they

they are totally pollution free and they

they are totally pollution free and they are significantly more efficient than

are significantly more efficient than

are significantly more efficient than traditional ways of generating

traditional ways of generating

traditional ways of generating electricity

electricity

electricity he bought solar panels to provide power

he bought solar panels to provide power

he bought solar panels to provide power to remove the hydrogen from water and

to remove the hydrogen from water and

to remove the hydrogen from water and tanks to store the hydrogen fuel the

tanks to store the hydrogen fuel the

tanks to store the hydrogen fuel the problem was the fuel cell no one

problem was the fuel cell no one

problem was the fuel cell no one produced one that would work with the

produced one that would work with the

produced one that would work with the aquarium so Peter went ahead and built

aquarium so Peter went ahead and built

aquarium so Peter went ahead and built it during the day it uses power from the

it during the day it uses power from the

it during the day it uses power from the solar panels but only part of that power

solar panels but only part of that power

solar panels but only part of that power the rest is turned into hydrogen for use

the rest is turned into hydrogen for use

the rest is turned into hydrogen for use later by the fuel cell that creates a

later by the fuel cell that creates a

later by the fuel cell that creates a completely renewable full time system

completely renewable full time system

completely renewable full time system the goal of fuel cell makers is to offer

the goal of fuel cell makers is to offer

the goal of fuel cell makers is to offer totally reliable independent systems but

totally reliable independent systems but

totally reliable independent systems but the competition is tough to thrive in

the competition is tough to thrive in

the competition is tough to thrive in the marketplace fuel cell makers must

the marketplace fuel cell makers must

the marketplace fuel cell makers must compete against the cheap and reliable

compete against the cheap and reliable

compete against the cheap and reliable power provided by fossil fuels Peter’s

power provided by fossil fuels Peter’s

power provided by fossil fuels Peter’s reliable fuel cell system is already

reliable fuel cell system is already

reliable fuel cell system is already satisfied customers who are off the

satisfied customers who are off the

satisfied customers who are off the power grid now he’s ready to convince

power grid now he’s ready to convince

power grid now he’s ready to convince the rest of us

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