Hydrogen As An Alternative Fuel Source example essay topic

As you know, gas prices are going up. Nobody likes paying more money for gas and yet nobody is willing to do anything about it. Now that we are at war with the Middle East (the main gasoline providers) the gas prices are going to keep going up. Some people (like foreign ambassadors) say that trade with the Middle East is good for there economy, but I for one don't like being dependant on foreign oil. That is where hydrogen fuel cells come into the picture.

Rather than depending on a foreign countries oil, to provide fuel, businesses today should look to hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. The United States is too dependent on foreign oil. If something were to happen, like another war with the Middle East, we would not have any oil to power our cars or heat our homes. That's why hydrogen is the answer.

Everybody could make their own fuel for their country by creating hydrogen plants and buying hydrogen cars and not be dependent on foreign oil. Hydrogen is also better for the environment. Hydrogen is good because its only byproduct in water coming out of the exhaust pipe, unlike oil which's byproduct is CO 2, a chemical that is very harmful. Hydrogen is made through a process called electrolysis. This process just separates the molecules. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe.

It is the best fuel. As with all things, there are two sides. One of which is the fact that all gas stations would have to start pumping hydrogen, this would be better for the economy but bad for the gas company's profits. Another not so good point for hydrogen is the fact that the plants to make the hydrogen are very expensive while the hydrogen is very cheap.

Then there is the fact that everybody would have to buy new cars in order for the process to work, most people do not have the money, but the government could always do some kind of fund to get the money for the people to buy the cars. Mechanics would have to go back to school to learn how to work on the new cars, or they could put a small training course out and give it to the mechanics. Finally, the last major problem with hydrogen is the fact that it is more flammable then gasoline, this is only true if the gas is not contained properly. When you think of hydrogen, you think of the blimp the Hindenburg, which was a hydrogen filled blimp, and then it explodes because the gas was not contained properly.

I think that all these problems can be fixed. Cars powered by hydrogen get better gas mileage. They can go double the distance or even triple the distance of the car with the best gas mileage on the market. The cars can't go as fast as cars can today, but they can get very close. Toyota is the biggest supporter of hydrogen powered vehicles. They already have working hydrogen cars in other countries on the road.

They have many prototypes ready and waiting for the US. Some people (like President Bush) like the idea for hydrogen powered vehicles. He put in $3 billion after 9/11 towards hydrogen powered vehicles. With the president and most of the other govt. officials wanting hydrogen as the main power source, who knows how far it will go. Even other countries such as India want hydrogen for the few cars their country has".

There are other prototype fuels out their, but I think hydrogen is the best. It is the best fuel in my opinion. It doesn't take many people wanting to be paid to park, rather than the other way around... to put the coal and nuclear people out of business. And of course, using fuel cells would dramatically decrease the need for oil". Said Cole Lovins. I agree with him on this fact.

I think that we should change from fossil fuel (gasoline) to hydrogen, yes it has its bad points, but over all I think that were looking in the right direction on alternative power sources.