The Impact of Increased Use of Hydrogen on Petroleum Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Impact of Increased Use of Hydrogen on Petroleum Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions SR/OIAF-CNEAF/2008-04 The Impact of Increased Use of Hydrogen on Petroleum Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions September 2008 Energy Information Administration Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels U.S. Department of Energy Washington, DC 20585 This report was prepared by the Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical and analytical agency within the Department of Energy. Unless referenced otherwise, the information contained herein should be attributed to the Energy Information Administration and should not be construed as advocating or reflecting any policy position of the Department of Energy or any other organization. Service Reports are prepared by the Energy Information Administration upon special request and are based on assumptions specified by the requester. Preface and Contacts The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. EIA provides timely, high-quality energy information and prepares objective, transparent analyses for use by the Congress, the Administration, and the public. EIA does not, however, take positions on policy issues. Because of EIA’s statutory independence with respect to the content of its energy information program, the analysis presented herein is strictly its own and should not be construed as representing the views of the Department of Energy or the Administration. The model projections in this report are not statements of what will happen but of what might happen, given the assumptions and methodologies used. EIA does not propose, advocate, or speculate on future legislative and regulatory changes. All laws are assumed to remain as currently enacted; however, the impacts of scheduled regulatory changes, when defined, are reflected. EIA’s Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting (OIAF) and Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels (CNEAF) prepared this report. General questions concerning industry statistics described in the report can be directed to Scott Sitzer ([email protected], 202/586-5509), Director of the Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels, and Thomas Schmitz (thomas.schmitz@ eia.doe.gov, 202/586-1641), Director of its Coal, Nuclear and Renewable Fuels Division. General questions concerning projections described in the report can be directed to John Conti ([email protected], 202/586-2222), Director of the Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, and A. Michael Schaal ([email protected], 202/586-5590), Director of its Oil and Gas Division. Specific questions about the report can be directed to the following analysts: Hydrogen Infrastructure ................James Joosten ([email protected], 202/586-5468) Peter Gross ([email protected], 202/586-8822) Systems Analysis...........................Andy Kydes ([email protected], 202/586-2222) James Joosten ([email protected], 202/586-5468) Technology Learning ....................Andy Kydes ([email protected], 202/586-2222) Transportation Modeling...............John D. Maples ([email protected], 202/586-1757) For ordering information and questions on other energy statistics available from EIA, please contact EIA’s National Energy Information Center at: National Energy Information Center, EI 30 Energy Information Administration Forrestal Building Washington, DC 20585 Telephone: 202/586-8800 TTY: 202/586-1181 FAX: 202/586-0727 E-mail: [email protected] World Wide Web Site: http://www.eia.doe.gov/ FTP Site: ftp://ftp.eia.doe.gov/ Energy Information Administration / Hydrogen Use, Petroleum Consumption, and Carbon Dioxide Emissions iii Contents Preface and Contacts........................................................................................................................ iii Contents...............................................................................................................................................v Executive Summary...........................................................................................................................ix 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................1 Background ......................................................................................................................................1 Report Organization .........................................................................................................................1 2. Hydrogen Economy Systems and Technology Review................................................................3 Hydrogen Supply .............................................................................................................................4 Hydrogen Production .......................................................................................................................5 Hydrogen Transmission and Distribution ......................................................................................11 Hydrogen Dispensing.....................................................................................................................16 Hydrogen End Use Applications....................................................................................................17 Market Potential for Hydrogen in Distributed Generation.............................................................23 3. Energy and CO2 Emissions Impacts of Fuel Cell Vehicles .......................................................26 Fuel Cell Vehicle Market Penetration Scenarios ...........................................................................26 Fuel Cell Vehicle Fuel Economy Scenarios...................................................................................29 Impacts on Light-Duty Vehicle Direct Energy Use .......................................................................31 Conclusion......................................................................................................................................40 4. Technological and Economic Challenges....................................................................................41 Challenges to Deployment of a Hydrogen Economy.....................................................................41 Competition in the Light-Duty Vehicle Market and Technological Progress................................41 DOE’s Key Targets and Goals for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles ...........................................43 Appendix A. Analysis Request Letter.............................................................................................49 Appendix B. Heat Content and Useful Conversions......................................................................51 Appendix C. Existing Hydrogen Production Capacity .................................................................53 Appendix D. Operational Hydrogen FCVs ....................................................................................57 Appendix E. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Scenarios .......................................................................61 Appendix F. Technology Learning and Market Penetration .......................................................65 Appendix G. FCVs and the Market for Platinum .........................................................................69 Energy Information Administration / Hydrogen Use, Petroleum Consumption, and Carbon Dioxide Emissions v Tables ES1. Potential Impacts of Hydrogen-Powered FCVs on Petroleum Use and CO2 Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles in 2050 .......................................................................................................x 2.1. Estimated Hydrogen Production Costs..........................................................................................8 2.2. Miles of Hydrogen Pipeline in the United States ........................................................................12 2.3. Hydrogen Refueling Stations in the United States, 2007 ............................................................17 3.1. Hydrogen Feedstock and Production Scenarios ..........................................................................30 4.1. New Car Efficiency in the AEO2008 Reference Case.................................................................42 B.1. Heating Values............................................................................................................................51 C.1. Estimated United States Hydrogen Production Capacity, 2003 and 2006..................................53 D.1. California Hydrogen Vehicles ....................................................................................................57 D.2. DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory Heavy Vehicle Fuel Cell/Hydrogen Evaluations.................................................................................................................................58 D.3. Typical United States Transit Bus Costs ....................................................................................59 F.1. Estimated Learning Rates............................................................................................................66 Figures ES1. Historical Light-Duty Vehicle CO2 Emissions and Petroleum Use, and Potential Impacts of a Hydrogen Economy, 1970-2050..........................................................................................xi 2.1. Simplified Overview of the
Recommended publications
  • Innovation Insights Brief 2019
    Innovation Insights Brief 2019 NEW HYDROGEN ECONOMY - HOPE OR HYPE? ABOUT THE WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS INNOVATION INSIGHTS BRIEF The World Energy Council is the principal impartial This Innovation Insights brief on hydrogen is part of network of energy leaders and practitioners promoting a series of publications by the World Energy Council an affordable, stable and environmentally sensitive focused on Innovation. In a fast-paced era of disruptive energy system for the greatest benefit of all. changes, this brief aims at facilitating strategic sharing of knowledge between the Council’s members and the Formed in 1923, the Council is the UN-accredited global other energy stakeholders and policy shapers. energy body, representing the entire energy spectrum, with over 3,000 member organisations in over 90 countries, drawn from governments, private and state corporations, academia, NGOs and energy stakeholders. We inform global, regional and national energy strategies by hosting high-level events including the World Energy Congress and publishing authoritative studies, and work through our extensive member network to facilitate the world’s energy policy dialogue. Further details at www.worldenergy.org and @WECouncil Published by the World Energy Council 2019 Copyright © 2019 World Energy Council. All rights reserved. All or part of this publication may be used or reproduced as long as the following citation is included on each copy or transmission: ‘Used by permission of the World Energy Council’ World Energy Council Registered in England
    [Show full text]
  • Does a Hydrogen Economy Make Sense?
    INVITED PAPER Does a Hydrogen Economy Make Sense? Electricity obtained from hydrogen fuel cells appears to be four times as expensive as electricity drawn from the electrical transmission grid. By Ulf Bossel ABSTRACT | The establishment of a sustainable energy future options and identify needs for further improvements. is one of the most pressing tasks of mankind. With the They are concerned with the cost of hydrogen obtained exhaustion of fossil resources the energy economy will change from various sources, but fail to address the key question of from a chemical to an electrical base. This transition is one of the overall energy balance of a hydrogen economy. Energy physics, not one of politics. It must be based on proven is needed to synthesize hydrogen and to deliver it to the technology and existing engineering experience. The transition user, and energy is lost when the gas is converted back to process will take many years and should start soon. Unfortu- electricity by fuel cells. How much energy is needed to nately, politics seems to listen to the advice of visionaries and liberate hydrogen from water by electrolysis or high- lobby groups. Many of their qualitative arguments are not temperature thermodynamics or by chemistry? Where based on facts and physics. A secure sustainable energy future doestheenergycomefromandinwhichformisit cannot be based on hype and activism, but has to be built on harvested? Do we have enough clean water for electrolysis solid grounds of established science and engineering. In this and steam reforming? How and where do we safely deposit paper the energy needs of a hydrogen economy are quantified.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy and the Hydrogen Economy
    Energy and the Hydrogen Economy Ulf Bossel Fuel Cell Consultant Morgenacherstrasse 2F CH-5452 Oberrohrdorf / Switzerland +41-56-496-7292 and Baldur Eliasson ABB Switzerland Ltd. Corporate Research CH-5405 Baden-Dättwil / Switzerland Abstract Between production and use any commercial product is subject to the following processes: packaging, transportation, storage and transfer. The same is true for hydrogen in a “Hydrogen Economy”. Hydrogen has to be packaged by compression or liquefaction, it has to be transported by surface vehicles or pipelines, it has to be stored and transferred. Generated by electrolysis or chemistry, the fuel gas has to go through theses market procedures before it can be used by the customer, even if it is produced locally at filling stations. As there are no environmental or energetic advantages in producing hydrogen from natural gas or other hydrocarbons, we do not consider this option, although hydrogen can be chemically synthesized at relative low cost. In the past, hydrogen production and hydrogen use have been addressed by many, assuming that hydrogen gas is just another gaseous energy carrier and that it can be handled much like natural gas in today’s energy economy. With this study we present an analysis of the energy required to operate a pure hydrogen economy. High-grade electricity from renewable or nuclear sources is needed not only to generate hydrogen, but also for all other essential steps of a hydrogen economy. But because of the molecular structure of hydrogen, a hydrogen infrastructure is much more energy-intensive than a natural gas economy. In this study, the energy consumed by each stage is related to the energy content (higher heating value HHV) of the delivered hydrogen itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Making Markets for Hydrogen Vehicles: Lessons from LPG
    Making Markets for Hydrogen Vehicles: Lessons from LPG Helen Hu and Richard Green Department of Economics and Institute for Energy Research and Policy University of Birmingham Birmingham B15 2TT United Kingdom Hu: [email protected] Green: [email protected] +44 121 415 8216 (corresponding author) Abstract The adoption of liquefied petroleum gas vehicles is strongly linked to the break-even distance at which they have the same costs as conventional cars, with very limited market penetration at break-even distances above 40,000 km. Hydrogen vehicles are predicted to have costs by 2030 that should give them a break-even distance of less than this critical level. It will be necessary to ensure that there are sufficient refuelling stations for hydrogen to be a convenient choice for drivers. While additional LPG stations have led to increases in vehicle numbers, and increases in vehicles have been followed by greater numbers of refuelling stations, these effects are too small to give self-sustaining growth. Supportive policies for both vehicles and refuelling stations will be required. 1. Introduction While hydrogen offers many advantages as an energy vector within a low-carbon energy system [1, 2, 3], developing markets for hydrogen vehicles is likely to be a challenge. Put bluntly, there is no point in buying a vehicle powered by hydrogen, unless there are sufficient convenient places to re-fuel it. Nor is there any point in providing a hydrogen refuelling station unless there are vehicles that will use the facility. What is the most effective way to get round this “chicken and egg” problem? Data from trials of hydrogen vehicles can provide information on driver behaviour and charging patterns, but extrapolating this to the development of a mass market may be difficult.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating a Hydrogen Economy: Challenges & Opportunities
    Creating a Hydrogen Economy: Challenges & Opportunities Dr Maria Curry-Nkansah - Hydrogen Business Development Manager USAEE/IAEE Conference Washington DC, July 9, 2004 Overview Context The Hydrogen Economy BP Hydrogen Experience H2 Challenges Role of BP Role of Government Summary Lower carbon growth Reduce Flaring Energy Efficiency CO Capture & Venting 2 Energy & Emission Efficiency Gas replacing Coal Hybrids Fuel Cell Vehicles Decarbonisation of Fuels Hydrogen Economy Wind PV Solar Geothermal Renewables Past Present Future What is the hydrogen economy? Internal combustion engines are only about 15-20% efficient Fuel cells offer an efficient means of energy conversion (50- 70% efficiency) Fuel cells require hydrogen (and oxygen) Hydrogen is an energy carrier The ‘hydrogen economy’ can be defined as a scenario in which hydrogen is used as one of the world’s major energy carriers Will there be a hydrogen economy? Despite increased momentum the timing to a Hydrogen Economy is uncertain… es pushing toward Forc Hydrogen powered fuel cells promise to pr vehicles and stationary power generation. The “Hydrogen Economy” is an end state bas energy such as solar or wind. It is not ye Cost/technical hurdles to overcome to al A long transition based on hydro Local Air Quality Technological Innovation Energy Security and Supply Global Environmental Concerns Government and Industry general investment in “Hydrogen Economy” gen from hydrocarbons is likely $1.5bn/yr low mass adoption of fuel cell technology t economic to produce ovide clean and efficient energy for future ed on hydrogen produced from renewable Fuel Cell Viability / Cost Fuel Cell Vehicle reliability and durability hydrogen in this way.
    [Show full text]
  • THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY. a Non-Technical Review
    Hydrogen holds out the promise of a truly sustainable global energy future. As a clean energy carrier that can be produced from any primary energy source, hydrogen used in highly efficient fuel cells could prove to be the answer to our growing concerns about energy security, urban pollution and climate change. This prize surely warrants For more information, contact: THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY the attention and resources currently being UNEP DTIE directed at hydrogen – even if the Energy Branch prospects for widespread 39-43 Quai André Citroën commercialisation of hydrogen in the A non-technical review 75739 Paris Cedex 15, France foreseeable future are uncertain. Tel. : +33 1 44 37 14 50 Fax.: +33 1 44 37 14 74 E-mail: [email protected] www.unep.fr/energy/ ROGRAMME P NVIRONMENT E ATIONS N NITED DTI-0762-PA U Copyright © United Nations Environment Programme, 2006 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNEP would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations Environment Programme. Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Hydrogen Energy Storage: Grid and Transportation Services February 2015
    02 Hydrogen Energy Storage: Grid and Transportation Services February 2015 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy EfficiencyWorkshop Structure and Renewable / 1 Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. Hydrogen Energy Storage: Grid and Transportation Services February 2015 Hydrogen Energy Storage: Grid and Transportation Services Proceedings of an Expert Workshop Convened by the U.S. Department of Energy and Industry Canada, Hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the California Air Resources Board Sacramento, California, May 14 –15, 2014 M. Melaina and J. Eichman National Renewable Energy Laboratory Prepared under Task No. HT12.2S10 Technical Report NREL/TP-5400-62518 February 2015 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at www.nrel.gov/publications National Renewable Energy Laboratory 15013 Denver West Parkway Golden, CO 80401 303-275-3000 www.nrel.gov NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof.
    [Show full text]
  • Hydrogen Storage in Propane-Hydrate: Theoretical and Experimental Study
    applied sciences Article Hydrogen Storage in Propane-Hydrate: Theoretical and Experimental Study Mohammad Reza Ghaani 1,* , Satoshi Takeya 2 and Niall J. English 1,* 1 School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4 Dublin, Ireland 2 Research Institute for Material and Chemical Measurement, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] (M.R.G.); [email protected] (N.J.E.); Tel.: +353-1-7161758 (M.R.G.); Fax: +353-1-7161177 (N.J.E.) Received: 29 October 2020; Accepted: 10 December 2020; Published: 15 December 2020 Abstract: There have been studies on gas-phase promoter facilitation of H2-containing clathrates. In the present study, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations were conducted to analyse hydrogen release and uptake from/into propane planar clathrate surfaces at 180–273 K. The kinetics of the formation of propane hydrate as the host for hydrogen as well as hydrogen uptake into this framework was investigated experimentally using a fixed-bed reactor. The experimental hydrogen storage capacity propane hydrate was found to be around 1.04 wt% in compare with the theoretical expected 1.13 wt% storage capacity of propane hydrate. As a result, we advocate some limitation of gas-dispersion (fixed-bed) reactors such as the possibility of having un-reacted water as well as limited diffusion of hydrogen in the bulk hydrate. Keywords: hydrogen storage; hydrogen/propane hydrate; molecular dynamics; cage occupancy 1. Introduction Hydrogen is considered as an efficient, operationally convenient, and cost-effective energy resource for a clean future.
    [Show full text]
  • Making the Hydrogen Economy Possible: Accelerating Clean Hydrogen in an Electrified Economy
    The Making Mission Possible Series Making the Hydrogen Economy Possible: Accelerating Clean Hydrogen in an Electrified Economy April 2021 Version 1.2 Making Clean Electrification Possible Accelerating Clean Hydrogen in an Electrified Economy The Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) is a global coalition of leaders from across the energy landscape committed to achieving net- zero emissions by mid-century, in line with the Paris climate objective of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and ideally to 1.5°C. Our Commissioners come from a range of organisations – This report constitutes a collective view of the Energy energy producers, energy-intensive industries, technology Transitions Commission. Members of the ETC endorse providers, finance players and environmental NGOs – which the general thrust of the arguments made in this report operate across developed and developing countries and but should not be taken as agreeing with every finding play different roles in the energy transition. This diversity or recommendation. The institutions with which the of viewpoints informs our work: our analyses are developed Commissioners are affiliated have not been asked to with a systems perspective through extensive exchanges formally endorse the report. with experts and practitioners. The ETC is chaired by Lord Adair Turner who works with the ETC team, led by Faustine The ETC Commissioners not only agree on the importance Delasalle. Our Commissioners are listed on the next page. of reaching net-zero carbon emissions from the energy and industrial systems by mid-century, but also share a Making Clean Electrification Possible: 30 Years to broad vision of how the transition can be achieved.
    [Show full text]
  • Green Hydrogen in All Sectors Where It Will Accelerate a Carbon Free Energy Future
    About the GHC www.ghcoalition.org Mission: Facilitate policies and practices to advance the production and use of Green Hydrogen in all sectors where it will accelerate a carbon free energy future Approach: Prioritize Green Hydrogen project deployment at scale; leverage multi- sector opportunities to simultaneously scale supply and demand *The GHC is a 501c3 Tax Exempt Non Profit Corporation What is green hydrogen? The industry is aligned. Green Hydrogen: hydrogen that is not produced from fossil fuel feedstocks Gasification & Brown Coal or lignite - 18 to 20 reformation Gasification - 10 to 12 Fossil Fuel Gray Natural gas (SMR) Feedstock Fuel to s Carbon Capture Hydrogen - 0.6 to Brown or Gray plus Sequestration 3.5 Blue CCS during gasification - 0 Gasification & Biogas or Biomass Carbon Renewabl reformation impact e Green Clean (kg CO2/kg Feedstock Electricity H ) Water Electrolysis 2 s to Hydrogen Source: GHC, 2020 – above conversion pathways commercially available pathways today – many more are under development 2 Green Hydrogen Definition Framework Focuses on the Production Pathway Each production pathway (outlined below) and application pathway has different carbon and emissions implications that should be evaluated at the program level Primary Primary Energy Primary Production Applications Feedstock Source Process Water (H2O) Electricity Electrolysis H Eligible organic Chemical Anaerobic H waste feedstocks Energy in Digestion + 1. Biomass Feedstock Reformation 2. Biogas Thermal Thermochemical Energy to conversion Power (gasification, Conversion pyrolysis) Secondary Emission Sources: Station Power Green hydrogen is commercially viable now and on trajectory for lowest cost Hydrogen production costs from solar and wind vs. fossil fuels [ [ [ Source: IRENA, 2019. Hydrogen: A Renewable Energy Perspective.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Deployment Plan
    Northeast Regional 2017 Hydrogen Economy Zero Emission Vehicles Climate and Energy Low Carbon Fuel 2017 Northeast Regional Hydrogen Economy Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Deployment Plan Supporting Partners Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT) Hydrogen Energy Center (HEC) New Energy New York (NENY) Massachusetts Stakeholders Project Management and Plan Development Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster Joel M. Rinebold – Program Director Paul Aresta – Project Manager Alexander C. Barton – Energy Specialist Jennifer Dierkens – GIS Specialist H2USA Supporting Agencies United States Small Business Administration1 H2USA Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. © 2017. All Rights Reserved. 1 NEESC is funded through a contract with the U.S. Small Business Administration Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Drivers................................................................................................................................................... 5 Barriers .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Policy ...................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles; Current Status and Future Prospect
    applied sciences Review Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles; Current Status and Future Prospect Yogesh Manoharan, Seyed Ehsan Hosseini *, Brayden Butler, Hisham Alzhahrani, Bhi Thi Fou Senior, Turaj Ashuri and John Krohn Combustion and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (ComSEL), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arkansas Tech University, 1811 N Boulder Ave, Russellville, AR 72801, USA; [email protected] (Y.M.); [email protected] (B.B.); [email protected] (H.A.); [email protected] (B.T.F.S.); [email protected] (T.A.); [email protected] (J.K.) * Correspondence: [email protected] or [email protected]; Tel.: +1-(479)-964-0877 Received: 30 March 2019; Accepted: 14 May 2019; Published: 4 June 2019 Abstract: The hazardous effects of pollutants from conventional fuel vehicles have caused the scientific world to move towards environmentally friendly energy sources. Though we have various renewable energy sources, the perfect one to use as an energy source for vehicles is hydrogen. Like electricity, hydrogen is an energy carrier that has the ability to deliver incredible amounts of energy. Onboard hydrogen storage in vehicles is an important factor that should be considered when designing fuel cell vehicles. In this study, a recent development in hydrogen fuel cell engines is reviewed to scrutinize the feasibility of using hydrogen as a major fuel in transportation systems. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that can produce electricity by allowing chemical gases and oxidants as reactants. With anodes and electrolytes, the fuel cell splits the cation and the anion in the reactant to produce electricity. Fuel cells use reactants, which are not harmful to the environment and produce water as a product of the chemical reaction.
    [Show full text]