Hydrogen Cell Technology: Where Water Is Power

How HHO Cars Work by Allison Savage

2009-11-26T08:20:00.002-08:00

HHO stands for hybrid hydrogen oxygen. It is also referred to hydroxyl gas. It is becoming increasingly common for cars to be fitted for HHO conversion, which essentially enables a car to burn water as fuel. HHO doesn't completely replace gasoline, but rather allows the car to run on a hybrid of gas and HHO.

Water is stored under the hood of a vehicle and is ignited by a spark from the battery. This causes an electric current to pass through the water, creating an electrolysis that produces HHO gas. The car engine's air intake valve then pulls this gas, also called Brown gas, into the combustion chamber. There it mixes with gasoline. This hydrogen fuel cell technology significantly improves gas mileage and reduces emissions. The resulting increased fuel efficiency has the added bonus of extending the life of the car, because the HHO breaks down carbon and removes it from the engine.

Although it sounds somewhat complicated, installing an HHO conversion system in your vehicle is simple, safe and inexpensive. Furthermore, the advantages are considerable:

* Saves money on gas - anywhere from 30% to 60% * $2,000 IRS tax rebate upon installation * Cleans the valves of your engine and helps it run cooler, extending its life by an average of 70% * Decreases frequency of oil changes * Modifications are non-intrusive, easily reversible and only take a few hours to complete * Works with gas or diesel * 100% environmentally responsible, as the only byproduct is water * Renewable energy resource - hydrogen and oxygen are in infinite supply

Although the idea of a car running on water sounds like a futuristic notion, hydrogen fuel cell technology is nothing new. The principle was developed in the mid 1800s and scientists from companies such as GE and NASA have been working on developing it since the 1950s.

The 21st century has brought renewed awareness about human impact on the environment and concerns over the cost and availability of oil. Innovative companies have begun emphasizing the power of hydrogen fuel cell technology and making it accessible to average citizens in the form of HHO cars.

About the Author

Go Go Green, LLC is committed helping consumers become more environmentally responsible through the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell technology. The author of the article, Allison Savage, is a freelance writer.

Hydrogen Fuel and Your Car: Learn More by Ramon Glyde

2009-11-26T08:20:00.001-08:00

Water fuel, hydrogen fuel, whatever you may want to call it - it all pertains to one thing. many years ago people could have been afraid to use hydrogen gas technology, but today they are embracing it, especially countries like America, Europe and Canada. If you want to use hydrogen fuel, convert your vehicle now. You are surely aware that seventy five percent of the earth is water, and with this as the backdrop, scientists have proved that water can actually be a source of fuel energy. It is true that water as a stand alone element cannot be used to run a car, as a conversion instrument is needed as well as a HHO generator, but it is still a basic element of hydrogen technology.

One of the greatest scientists who studied about the viability of water as generator of clean fuel is Nikola Tesla. Although he had made a lot of discoveries, not all his research were not revealed to the world. Tesla's work was more futuristic in flavor and content, which are tough for you and me to understand. Though there is nothing novel about hydrogen gas technology, as it has been existent for some time now, it is the hydrogen-powered cars, which has caught national attention recently. This is bad news for the oil making corporations, as this is a blow to their revenue, if an increased number of hydrogen fueled vehicles are made available.

On the other hand, hydrogen fueled vehicles are attracting more public awareness and knowledge about highly debated matters like global warming and increasing world pollution. At present, 1,000's of modified cars are now using 'water' to fuel their vehicles, but of course, you need to change first your car before you can make use of water to power your car. Will you believe that you can increase mileage from seventy five to one hundred percent? That sounds unbelievable, right? But then, the facts speak for themselves so check online for user recommendations and product reviews and everyone is raving about hydrogen gas fuel.

Perhaps you've also seen TV interviews about satisfied car owners who are already using hydrogen technology. If you own a car and the increasing price of gas is burning a hole in your pocket, change your car today. If you are thinking of calling a mechanic to do the job, stop now, as the conversion is easy and can be handled by yourself, or you got to buy a HHO generator and a converting instrument. Though the latter may seem a bit costly, with an eight hundred dollar as its price tag, but be assured that once you have modified your car with the help of hydrogen gas fuel cell technology, you are sure of years of pleasant driving without any hole in your pocket for gas prices. Even functionally the car performs optimally, over and above saving on oil expenditures. Gear shifting gets smoother and there is significant noise decrease.

So, do you want to be a happy and satisfied driver too? Well if you do - use hydrogen fuel and covert your vehicle now! Anyway, if ever you're not satisfied with the performance of the hydrogen technology, you can readily take it off it from your car and return to using gas to power your vehicle. Because the percentage of people who are satisfied with hydrogen fuel is very high, chances are that you could be content too. This has so far been the best generator of green fuel so become one of the many who have decided to continue such efficient ways of driving and remember, you are doing something for the environment also.

About the Author

Ramon Glyde lives and works in Arizona. I enjoy learning new things and trying new food. The author has also setup a cordless phone headsets website with information on plantronics wireless headsets and cordless phone headsets.

Can Hybrid Cars Be Named As The Best Car Technology? by Danny Green

2009-11-26T08:19:00.002-08:00

New innovations come out every second, because the world is changing so fast. The global village helps to come up with more and more technology, each set on being better than the predecessor.

The onslaught of technology on our senses has had its positive impact. New car innovations compete with each other to keep prices competitive resulting in better fuel efficiency, and more features for their consumers.

Car technology has reached amazing heights, and that too in a variety of different technologies, and not in diesal cars alone. There are hybrids, and small cars. Smart cars and Diesel vehicles. E85 Ethanol and plug-in hybrid cars. Start-stop cars, electric vehicles, and hydrogen powered vehicles. Whoa!

Small cars provide you with the best solution for fuel efficiency. Downsizing does not in any way lessen the choices of an individual, there are stylist, and sporty options on sale as well. A few small cars, highest to lowest mpg, are Smart For Two, Mini Cooper, Toyota Yaris, Mini Cooper Clubman, and Honda Fit. The newest range of Deisel vehicles supply lower emissions, higher efficiency, and magnificent performances. On our list, we have Volkswagen Jetta TDI, BMW 335d, Mercedes E320 Bluetec, BMW X5 xDrive 35d, and Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD.

E85 Ethanol are those cars that can run on 85% blend of ethanol, but they are quite rare. Some of the available ones are Dodge Caravan E85, Chevrolet Impala E85, Chrysler Sebring E85, Chevrolet Silverado E85, and Ford F-150 E85. Plug in Hybrid are 100+ mpg hybrids that can be plugged into the electric grid. Selected few are Fisker Karma, VentureOne, Chevrolet Volt, GM Plug-in Crossover SUV, Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid. Stop-start cars are hybrids that do not consume gas when they come to a halt. It helps to achieve better fuel efficiency. Stop-start cars that are now available, are Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Saturn Vue Hybrid, and Saturn Aura Green Line.

Electric Vehicles are also on the list of new technologies. These will be super expensive although will also offer internal combustion that you cannot question. The new electric cars that one should be on the look-out for are BMW City, BYD E6, Ford Focus EV, Mercedes Blue Zero and Renault Fluence. Hydrogen powered cars are now becoming a reality. Limited models are available. Hydrogen powered cars that will be available include, Honda FCX Clarity, Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell, BMW Hydrogen 7 and Cadillac Provoq.

Hybrid cars can surely make it to the list of best car technology owing to several reasons. The campaign that hybrid cars launched was basically to promote a greener future, and to use cars that are environmentally friendly. They do not harm the environment, nor the peoplewalking to and fro on the streets.

The principal point of the hybrid car movement is to embrace technology, propulsion systems, and try to keep improving on fuel efficiencies. Hybrid cars are the latest in technology, they are gas electric cars that are the greenest, and most efficient in terms of fuel. Toyota Prius comes on number one featuring 50mpg. According to mpg next is Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight, Ford Fusion Hybrid, and Mercury Milan Hybrid.

About the Author

Danny Green is a car specialist. Discover more about Lexus Hybrid Cars, Visit the Lexus website for more information and to book a test drive at http://www.lexus.co.uk.

Hho Dry Cell - What The HHO Dry Cell Kit Will Do by Larry

2009-11-26T08:19:00.001-08:00

3 Good Reasons Why You Need A HHO Dry Cell For Your Car

If you are like many others and looking for a solution for the ever increasing price of gasoline, now and in the future. You may have heard of a device called a HHO generator or Hydrogen on demand device that converts water into gas. Many will hear of this and blow it off as a hoax. I am here to tell you it is not a hoax or scam and if you install the right Hydrogen on demand system on your vehicle and do it correctly you will absolutely see reduction in the amount of fuel you vehicle uses, along with less emissions from your gas or diesel burning car or truck.

"Hydrogen on Demand" system is the term that you will hear to describe these devices. This was adopted to separate these systems from other hydrogen fuel additive system that add Hydrogen that is stored in a tank and added to your fuel mix. The fuel produced by these HHO generators is 2 parts Hydrogen and 1 part Oxygen so I supposed these system should have adopted the name "HHO on demand".

These hho generators are actually very simple devices that work off of known technology that has been around for hundreds of years. Most people know that if you apply electrical current to water the water is divided into gases which formed together make a liquid, (H2O). Most of us learned the basics to this in science class in Junior high. Water is 2 parts Hydrogen (a gas) and 1 part Oxygen (a gas). Without getting side tracked, I for one find that an amazing gift from God.

Once you get past the thought process of separating water back into gases, which really is very simple electrolysis science you can see clearly how adding this hho gas to another fuel can help burn that fuel more effectively. Most Hydrogen on Demand installers are using what is called a HHO Dry Cell for their systems lately. These have proven to be the most efficient devices on the market to date. HHO Dry Cells can be easily installed on your vehicle and need very little maintenance.

In any event HHO is even more explosive than pure Hydrogen, as Oxygen mixed with any fuel speeds up the burn ratio. That is exactly why hho gas mixed with gasoline or diesel fuel saves people money. It simply enhances the burn of the existing fuel to make something that is inefficient more efficient.

Why Would You Want To Install A HHO Dry Cell Kit ?
1. Guaranteed Return on Investment - Small investment goes a long way - For a relatively small amount of money you pay for a complete hho dry cell kit, depending on how many miles you drive, you get all your initial investment back in a short period of time and everything after that is like stuffing money in you sock.
2. Fuel Efficiency - HHO is able to improve fuel economy. In actual fact HHO, when added to the air/fuel mixture going into the engine, causes the petroleum fuel to burn more rapidly. Scientists say that it considerably increases the flame speed of the petroleum mixture. And it is this fact that sums up the primary way that HHO improves fuel mileage. Scientist have proven HHO gas to be at least 3 times more potent than gasoline, adding hho gas simply improves the combustion of fuel already there.
3. Reduces Air Pollution - With improved efficiency, your vehicle will create less emissions that pollute the air. There is a remarkable simplicity to this technology. If you add HHO to your engine, you will get an increase in combustion efficiency. That is just simple science, you will get a dramatic increase in fuel mileage and a corresponding decrease in fuel emissions. This to me is the single most important positive aspect of these HHO Dry cell - Hydrogen on Demand systems, cleaner air.

About the Author

Larry has been experimenting with Hydrogen on demand systems and HHO dry cells for a long time and has found the best deals on hho parts for hundreds of people. Again Thanks to all you who support hho2u.com hydrogen on demand for your auto or truck - The Original Hho dry cell kits

Reasons to Switch to Water as Car Fuel by Laura Tran

2009-11-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

Water 4 Gas is a revolutionary new movement, based on the ongoing scientific study behind the supplemental hydrogen devices. Lower mileage and lower exhaust emission are some of the more compelling results of our experiments. However, due to the differing mechanisms behind each vehicle, there is no guarantee that the exact same results will be replicated with your vehicle.

Water 4 Gas is a company started by Ozzie Freedom, leading the water-as-fuel movement internationally by educating millions of people on how to with ease and little expense convert any card or truck into a hybrid hydrogen car.

Utilizing Simple Technologies

Using simple technologies that have existed for many years, but have been suppressed, Water4Gas has made it possible for anyone to safely supplement fuel, save money and help the environment. We have grown to become the industry leader in Hydrogen-On-Demand technology.

What is Supplemental Hydrogen?

It means what it basically says. Supplemental hydrogen is a system where the vehicle is fitted with a device that can utilize hydrogen as an auxiliary source of fuel, apart from regular fuel. While not promoting the overly hazardous hydrogen-only fuel arrays and aggrandizing the "water powered car" claptrap most similar products would advertise, Supplemental Hydrogen uses water fuel cell cars and is still a better way to conserve fuel mileage and protect the environment.

What is Hyrdrogen-from-Water

Hydrogen-From-Water is a technical term for a tank of pressurized hydrogen. It's the only way to obtain Supplemental Hydrogen cheap and safe, as it will be fitted in the vehicle you drive. Commonly called Hydrogen-On-Demand, this type of fixture will supply your car with an alternative and peripheral fuel source. With this inside your car, your vehicle can truly be called a water car. You'll literally be using water as car fuel, but in a way that will be economical, safe and environmentally-friendly.

Good News

Not convinced? Well, take a gander at the system's staunchest supporters: NASA, US Dept of Transportation, the US Patent Office, Detroit and scientists from the international front, all agree that Supplemental Hydrogen is a good way to improve fuel efficiency, improve your water car engine cycle, allow better and lighter operation of your internal combustion engine and reduce noxious discharges.

More Good News

To learn more about this revolutionary new method, we invite you to educate yourself via our manuals and DVDs. 100% refundable, your money if it doesn't meet your expectations (limited to 60 days), with no further questions asked. If you order our online PDF manuals, you will be able to keep them! When it comes to the DVDs, 3rd party vendors usually have a policy of 30 days.

About the Author

Laura Tran is doing online business through affiliate marketing. To find out more about water4gas, click here! Visit also her site for more help at http://tinyurl.com/yjhacc9

Middle School Science Fair Projects Made Fun and Easy by Dee Schrock

2009-11-10T05:40:00.001-08:00

Middle school science fair projects are a transition phase for students, neither too elementary nor too high school level. However, just because it is your transition stage does not mean that you have to be ambivalent about your middle school science experiments, far from it. Instead, you should show off your accumulated knowledge and passionate interest in science by adopting any of the following projects. Just remember that before you choose one, you should have assessed in which field of science you are most interested in. This way, you will be more motivated to do your research, conceptualize your project and then accomplish your vision.

Renewable Energy

One of the hottest topics for middle school science fair projects today is renewable energy in the form of solar power and wind turbines. You can tap into this interest by constructing a model of how solar panels and/or wind turbines work to provide energy and electricity to home and industries. This is probably one of the easiest and yet most eye-catching middle school science fair projects for many reasons. For one thing, you can purchase ready-made, easy-to-assemble and easy-on-the-pocket kits for solar energy and wind power science projects. For another thing, you can make it as eye-catching as possible with the addition of houses and buildings complete with lights.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car

You may also purchase a ready-made kit for the hydrogen fuel cell car, which provides for 30 distinct experiments. You will be able to demonstrate the workings and benefits of the energy-efficient car, which is one of the more notable inventions technologies of the century. Among the experiments contained in the kit are the uses of solar power for vehicle power, the utilization of fuel cell to separate the oxygen and hydrogen atoms in water, and demonstration of electrolysis. Well, of course, you can always make your own experiments just so your middle school science fair projects stand out from the rest of the competition.

Magnetic Levitation Train

Now this is one science fair project that is absolutely possible! You will, of course, need to do your research about the principle behind the magnetic levitation train, purchase the necessary materials like ceramic magnets for the lifter-rails, wood for the guide rails and model cars, and then execute your drawings and plans. You can then perform experiments with the completed Maglev train set such as using gravity to push the car forward and using the car itself to move something along its path. You can be very creative, maybe even perform quantitative and qualitative analysis of your experiments.

Resurrecting the Dead

Fishes, that is. You are basically recreating the technology of cryonics where dead fishes are placed in a state of suspended animation, which is used in Japan to preserve the freshness of the day's catch. As part of your middle school science fair projects, you can follow the example of two brothers who supposedly resurrected a dead goldfish by using Mountain Dew, water and a 9-volt battery. Of course, you have to do it on a trial and error basis but that's where the fun of discovery lies. However, conduct your research before you go about killing all the goldfishes in your home's aquarium.

With these ideas for middle school science fair projects, you will definitely get the attention of the judges and do yourself, your parents and your teachers proud.

About the Author

For more middle school science fair projects and step-by-step instructions, visit http://www.easy-kids-science-experiments.com/middle-school-science-fair-projects.html. Be sure to check out the site for tons of simple science projects.

© Copyright 2009. Feel free to reprint this article on your site as long as the article is not modified in any way and the resource information (about the author) is listed as above.

How HHO Cars Work by Allison Savage

2009-11-10T05:39:00.001-08:00

Hydrogen Fuel and Your Car: Learn More by Ramon Glyde

2009-11-10T05:38:00.006-08:00

Hho Dry Cell - What The HHO Dry Cell Kit Will Do by Larry

2009-11-10T05:38:00.005-08:00

How To Save Money by Driving An Eco-Friendly Car by Julia Smith

2009-11-10T05:38:00.003-08:00

British drivers may find they have the choice of taking out car insurance for a range of different low-emission cars in the future. We may start seeing more green friendly cars in our car parks if a new report is anything to go by.

The Committee on Climate Change has submitted its first suggestions to parliament on how the country is progressing in meeting CO2 reduction targets and it recommended a variety of eco-friendly technologies should be developed in order to make transport greener.

The committee - who are in favour of cars that have green credentials - should be provided to help companies produce more environmentally-friendly petrol and diesel engines, as well as electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell cars.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders welcomed the report.

Chief executive Paul Everitt commented on the report, said, "The Committee recognises that a portfolio of technologies will deliver emissions reductions in the medium-term and that if longer-term targets are to be achieved, that incentives and an integrated approach between industry, fuel companies and government will be crucial for the uptake of electric vehicles.

"Industry, through the work of the New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team, has established a technology roadmap and researched priorities to enable widespread delivery of ultra-low carbon transport solutions," he concluded.

But drivers really should consider buying an eco-friendly motor as low-emission models qualify for cheaper road tax.

About the Author

Julia writes for motor insurance site Swiftcover.com where you can get cheap car insurance quotes.

Can You Use a Green Energy Source like Water to Power a Car? By: William R. Nabaza of www.Nabaza.com by William R. Nabaza of www.Nabaza.com

2009-11-10T05:38:00.001-08:00

For more than a century, we rely on oil to fuel our cars. But did you know that the world's oil is close to drying up because it is a nonrenewable resource? Well that may not happen tomorrow or next year but we are getting closer because of the demand in the world market. Why wait for that day when we can rely on a green energy source like water to power our cars.

Water can power a car? If you think that's impossible, well it is already here but this is not yet being made on a commercial scale.

The German automobile BMW has produced the world's first ever hydrogen powered car. While only 100 of these units were produced, you can already imagine if more of these vehicles are on the road.

The initial model namely the BMW Hydrogen 7 uses the body of the 760i model. Once you pop the hood, you will notice that the engine is different since it uses gas and hydrogen.

This just means we have not yet totally abandoned are dependence on gas. Given more time and money, the current 4.7 miles per gallon it can travel using water alone could hit double digits in the future.

The biggest challenge to using water as a green energy source as opposed to oil in vehicles is the engine. While there are cars around like the Prius which runs on electricity and gas thanks to fuel cell technology, the hydrogen combustion is less than 10 years old so you could say we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

To prevent the water from evaporating, this has to be stored in a large, 30-gallon, bi-layered and highly insulated tank so this does not evaporate into compressed gas. Another safety mechanism is the valves which are designed to open should the pressure within the tank exceed 5 bars.

With the success of the BMW H7, the company came out with a new car that is also partly powered by water known as the H2R. While we cannot yet put our garden hose into the fuselage to fill it up, this vehicle uses liquid nitrogen as a fuel.

Tests on this vehicle have shown it can achieve 285hp and reach a top cruising speed of 185.5 miles per hour. It can also accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour under 6 seconds.

But why use water? It is because hydrogen combustion is clean so it does not emit harmful gases into the atmosphere unlike cars that run on petrol or diesel that emit carbon monoxide. Studies have shown that it also weighs less than hydrocarbon-based fuels and burns faster than conventional gasoline.

So when can you expect to buy a car that uses water as a green energy source? Hopefully in the next 10 to 20 years. It is really up to the automakers because all we can do is wait until a better and clear car hits the dealership.

Right now, the best option we have are electric cars. Since its introduction in 1999, more people are using it because they don't want to spend anymore for gasoline that could hit an all time high of more than $110 per barrel.

If water as a green energy source can be used to power a car, why don't we do the same for solar power which has been around much longer?

About the Author

William Nabaza of www.Nabaza.com specializes in domains, webhosting, webmaster's tools, netpreneur's articles and resources. Stands out as a freebie provider, business opportunity provider and the like.

How Hydrogen Can Help Save the World by Michael Raber

2007-12-14T00:26:00.002-08:00

There is a lot of hype about hydrogen in the news today. Not surprisingly, this is due to our dependence on foreign oil. It is no secret that there are only two ways for the United States to experience freedom from our dependence on foreign oil: increase our production, or decrease our demand. The most promising route is to create alternative sources of energy, a source that is available in the United States. There are many options; however only one will produce fastest and most economical results and that is hydrogen.

Lawmakers and government officials have been looking at many alternative sources of energy for a long time. They have considered coal, natural gas, wind, solar, water and nuclear energy over the years. Still, the best option appears to be hydrogen, and for good reason. Hydrogen is plentiful, is more effective at storing energy than batteries, it burns twice as effectively in a fuel cell than gasoline, and leaves only water in it's wake, not chemicals.

In order to get this done in a timely manner, the US will have to put to rest the complacency and get to work. In as little as ten years we could see mass production of hydrogen-powered vehicles. Ten years, if the US develops a plan and gets to work. According to one group of researchers and developers, there are five objectives that the United States would have to take care of to make this a realization. It relies on the fact that the US would have to utilize existing infrastructures to get it done. After the supply and demand is lined up, a cleaner version of the hydrogen product could be created.

1. Come up with a solution to the hydrogen fuel-tank dilemma. In other words, should gaseous, liquid or solid hydrogen be used? The simplest of the three options would be gaseous, however the most promising would be the solid hydrogen because of the method of dispersal.

2. Mass production of fuel-cell cars would have to become priority. Today, the cars are slow to release to the public. With a mass production and release of new and fuel efficient cars, many believe that Americans will be much more responsive to the concept of a new type of vehicle.

3. The government must create the fuel infrastructure for hydrogen-powered cars. Of course, unless consumers are convinced they can fuel up when they need it, they are not going to invest in the car. The fuel-cell cars and the infrastructure will have to move forward at the same pace and get completed simultaneously.

4. Find a way to mass-produce hydrogen in a clean way. Ideally, it would be best to create a power source from solar, wind or hydropower to produce the electricity needed to split the water into hydrogen and oxygen.

5. A public campaign would have to be started to sell the new technology. American consumers are waiting for an alternative such as this. However, one key component is going to be cost. Expecting the average American consumer to shell out two to four times more for a car is not practical in today's slow economy. If the government can find a way to make a hydrogen car that is fuel efficient, clean to the environment and cost effective, they will hit a home run with the people of this country.

With costs going up for everything, Americans are desperate for an answer. Gasoline engines are no longer practical, not only because of costs but also because of our increased dependency and strained country relationships. It is time that we take matters into our own hands and introduce the energy source of the future, and that is definitely hydrogen.

Before it's too late, be Earth-Friendly, be informed, just click GLOBAL WARMING

About the Author

Hi, this is Michael Raber an avid environmentalist. I have been around and have seen the negative effects of our abuse of this world's natural resources the most alarming of which is global warming. I felt it was my obligation to do something and I wrote some articles on the subject. Give them a read and let's start making a difference for our children's sake.

Fuel Cells: Out Of The Hype But Still Coming by Anthony Fontanelle

2007-12-14T00:26:00.001-08:00

In the past decades, fuel cells auto technology has become a buzzword in the industry. But the hype was silenced more than a decade ago. But experts are sure that technology will play a great part in the future of the automotive realm.

John Sheridan, the president, chief executive and the director of Ballard Power Systems, remembered it fondly and paradoxically. Sheridan said in an interview: "For the most part, we had only a working proof-of-concept back then," he said. "We hadn't really begun to do anything with it. But everybody was excited about it."

Between 1989 and 1994 Ballard, hydrogen fuel cells and car companies like General Motors Corp. have begun investing heavily in fuel cell technology. But there were inherent problems that would restrict the public's interest. Fuel cell technology is science. And according to some, science often does not conform to the needs of the next news cycle. There are trials and errors.

Science has little respect for deadlines. Additionally, it is also complicated and expensive. Its intricacy defies the sound bite, whether political or straight news. As a fact, its expense rattles investors who are more interested in the next big payoff than they are in the next big or best thing.

Ballard, founded in 1979 as Ballard Research and now headquartered in Burnaby, had formulated a technology fated to change the world. It was a hydrogen fuel cell with a proton-exchange membrane. The technology would trigger a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. In cars and trucks, hydrogen fuel cells would signify an end to pollution coming from the Saturn muffler and other manufacturers' tailpipes. It would also mean curbing reliance on foreign oil. Additionally, the technology would remove the vehicle as a negative component in the environmental equation. The press was agog and politicians rapt. But the hype and the enthusiasm faded.

Ballard and hydrogen fuel cells faded from the news, ceded to the plea of gas-electric hybrid technology and to the delusions of the quick fix and the silver bullet. And therein dwells the satire. Neither hydrogen fuel cells nor Ballard went away. In fact, they are bigger than ever, as evidenced by Ballard's extensive research-and-development and manufacturing facility.

"Maybe we made some mistakes in the beginning by over-promising - that is, giving people the idea that the benefits of this technology would be immediate," Sheridan conceded. "The reality is that we're in a marathon race." He suggested that Ballard and the technology it has pioneered have many more miles to run before it reaches any finish line.

At present, notwithstanding its reported loss of $14.2 million in the first quarter, Ballard's future looks hopeful. And fuel cells are beginning to surface in sectors largely invisible in the past. Sheridan said that the continued development and application of the technology amounts to a long-distance race.

But at least he and Ballard now appear to be gaining more political backing as evidenced at the Pacific Economic Summit's Clean Energy Conference held last week. Both Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger commended Ballard for its contributions to the development of alternative energy.

"We have to embrace the changes in front of us," Campbell said at the summit. "We have to look at what is being offered and ask: `How do we make the world a better place?' "That means we have to be willing to develop technologies that might not have an instant impact, "but that will have an impact 20 or 30 years from now."

About the Author

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

GM Readies Fuel Cell Technology by Anthony Fontanelle

2007-12-14T00:24:00.001-08:00

General Motors has announced it is moving more than 500 fuel cell experts from advanced development laboratories to core engineering functions to prepare fuel cell technology for future production.

Over 400 fuel cell engineers will report to the company's Powertrain Group to start production engineering of fuel cell systems. The automaker added that 100 workers will transfer to GM's Global Product Development organization to begin integrating fuel cells into future product lines. Additionally, over 150 fuel cell scientists and program support will remain as part of the automaker's Research and Development center. They will continue advanced research in hydrogen storage, fuel cells and program commercialization. The decision of the largest American automaker is aimed at expediting its efforts to produce vehicles that displace petroleum through energy diversity.

GM Vice President Research and Development and Strategic Planning Larry Burns stands with the company's E-Flex Fuel Cell variant. "Eight years ago we said that hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle technology could make a major contribution to solving the energy and environmental challenges facing the automobile industry," said Burns. "Today's announcement signals another important milestone as we move fuel cell vehicles closer to future production."

"Moving our fuel cell experts from advanced development laboratories to our core engineering organizations highlights our strong commitment to developing electrically-driven vehicles using diverse energy sources" said Tom Stephens, the GM Group Vice President of Global Powertrain.

The GM realignment is another initiative in its commitment to displace petroleum usage in the industry through a range of propulsion alternatives. The alternatives include the E85-capable biofuel vehicles, two-mode hybrid system for large city buses, a two-mode hybrid system for the Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon, the Saturn Vue Green Line and Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid Systems, and a two-mode hybrid Vue Green Line.

The largest American automaker shared details about its fifth-generation fuel cell system technology at the Shanghai Auto Show in April when it introduced the fuel cell-powered E-Flex version of the Chevrolet Volt. This updated system is half the size of its forerunner but delivers the same performance and power. The Volt may not be flaunting the Chevrolet Camaro heat shield but it features the most advanced technology in the auto industry. The Volt is expected to be released a few years from now.

Currently, the company's fourth-generation system powers the Chevrolet Sequel and Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles. The Sequel is the first electrically-driven fuel cell vehicle to achieve over 300 miles on one tank of hydrogen, in and out of traffic on public roads, while generating zero emissions. The Equinox Fuel Cell will be introduced later this year as part of Project Driveway, which will place over 100 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with consumers in New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Leading the fuel cell engineering team is Dr. J. Byron McCormick, the current executive director of GM Fuel Cell Activities. McCormick will report simultaneously to Dan Hancock, the GM Powertrain Vice President for Global Engineering, and John Buttermore, the GM Powertrain Vice President for Global Manufacturing.

McCormick has been working on electric and fuel cell propulsion system research and development for more than three decades. He was part of the development of the EV-1 electric vehicle. In the past decade, he has led the GM fuel cell activities team to becoming the leader in fuel cell technology worldwide.

GM offers more vehicles that achieve 30 mpg on the highway than any other automaker in the U.S. market. Additionally, the company is also the first automotive member to join the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a group of global companies and non-governmental organizations formed to back an campaigns aimed at limiting carbon emissions.

About the Author

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

GM Exec: Hydrogen Powered Cars Could Be On the Road in 6 Years by Iver Penn

2007-12-14T00:22:00.000-08:00

Soon hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles could be on the road with regular drivers behind the wheel in a few test areas. How soon? Within five or six years, according to Larry Burns, vice president of research and development for General Motors Corp. The GM official offered the prediction this week as the company announced that it has moved 500 fuel cell engineers and scientists from the laboratory side of the company into the chain of command that actually produces cars.

Burns said he's not yet willing to say exactly when hydrogen vehicles will be mass produced, but did say that it should happen before 2020, the year many experts have predicted.

"I sure would be disappointed if we weren't there before 2020," he said during a Wednesday interview with The Associated Press at his office in GM's sprawling technical center campus in the Detroit suburb of Warren. He also added that GM's organizational change, announced Friday, shows the company is confident enough in its research to take the step toward making the cars.

Burns compared GM's organizational change to when it moved its engineers working on hybrid gasoline-electric power systems from research to production in 2003. At that time GM had no hybrid models on the market -- now it has five, he said.

Hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars use hydrogen to produce electricity that fuels an electric motor. They are quieter than gasoline engines and their only waste product is water. The benefits of this technology are reduced dependence on petroleum for transportation as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Virtually every automaker is testing hydrogen-powered vehicles, with Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. considered the furthest along.

Government and industry experts have said that there are many obstacles to widespread use of hydrogen-powered cars, ranging from high costs and a lack of fueling stations to the need for improved storage capacity and better range.

GM workers will not physically move from their three U.S. locations and one site in Germany. But Burns said the structural change is important in GM's quest for leadership in the race to bring a fuel-cell electric vehicle into mass production. A small group will stay in research to develop longer-term technology.

GM - which also is maker of quality GMC shock absorber - already has hand-built the Sequel, a hydrogen-powered crossover sport utility vehicle with a range of about 300 miles. It was driven safely on public roads during a recent trip in upstate New York. Engineers still need to reduce the costs though to make fuel cell vehicles marketable, Burns said.

The company also plans to place more than 100 fuel cell-powered vehicles with consumers in New York, Washington and Los Angeles later this year.

Once the wider testing areas are set up and engineers can check real-world performance, Burns said he expects fuel cell vehicles and the necessary filling stations to spread gradually throughout the world.

About the Author

Iver Penn is a Mass Communications graduate who hails from Wyoming. She is at present an associate editor of a publishing company in Colorado.

What's mean is Fuel Cell (1) ? by mary lv

2007-12-14T00:21:00.004-08:00

(1)?Hydrogen must be carried in a pressurized bottle. If propane, natural gas

or diesel are used, a reformer is needed to convert the fuel to hydrogen.

Reformers for PEMFCs are bulky and expensive. They start slowly and

purification is required. Often the hydrogen is delivered at low pressure and

additional compression is required. Some fuel efficiency is lost and a

certain amount of pollution is produced. However, these pollutants are typically 90 percent

less than what comes from the tailpipe of a car. The fuel cell concept was developed

in 1839 by Sir William Grove, a Welsh judge and gentleman scientist. The

invention never took off, partly because of the success of the internal

combustion engine. It was not until the second half of the 20th century when

scientists learned how to better utilize materials such as platinum and

Teflon? that the fuel cell could be put to practical use. A fuel cell can be thought of as

electrolysis in reverse, using two electrodes separated by an electrolyte.

Hydrogen is presented to the negative electrode (anode) and oxygen to the

positive electrode (cathode). A catalyst at the anode separates the hydrogen

into positively charged hydrogen ions and negatively charged electrons. On

the PEM system, the hydrogen is catalyzed; the smaller protons migrate across

the membrane to the cathode where they combine with oxygen to produce water

and heat. The electrodes pick up the electrons to produce an electric

current. A single fuel cell produces 0.6 to 0.8V under load. Several cells

are connected in series to obtain higher voltages. more info:www.good-battery.com

About the Author

if you have any questions,pls feel free to contact www.good-battery.com

Challenges of Using Fuel Cells to Power Our Cars by Bob Jent

2007-12-14T00:21:00.003-08:00

Clean, reliable, efficient energy is possible through the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Fuel cell vehicles that have hydrogen stored on board do not produce any pollution. Their only byproducts are water and heat.

High volume hydrogen production will be necessary to provide the fuel for the hydrogen car. Most hydrogen in the United States is produced today through the steam reforming of natural gas produced by companies like Western Pipeline Corporation. The cost to produce and deliver this hydrogen is too expensive to make it economically feasible. New technologies are being developed that will lower the cost. These methods will include splitting water into its two components of hydrogen and oxygen such as photobiological water splitting and photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Creating an affordable on-board hydrogen storage system (gas tank) is the biggest challenge hydrogen researchers are faced with. Storing hydrogen is a problem because as a gas hydrogen takes up a lot of space. There are three types of storage tanks: compressed hydrogen, liquid hydrogen and metal hydride tanks. Compressed hydrogen is most prevalent today because it doesn't require the super cooling and insulation of liquid hydrogen. Liquid hydrogen requires special handling and materials to contain and keep the fuel cool and safety is an issue. Metal hydride tanks use specific metallic compounds to release hydrogen at consistent pressures.

A hydrogen generation and delivery infrastructure such as pipelines, trucks, fueling stations and hydrogen generation plants need to be developed. One of the largest infrastructure challenges of hydrogen are fueling stations. For hydrogen cars to be successful hydrogen fueling stations will be required. California has active hydrogen fuel stations. There are hydrogen home stations available as well.

Hydrogen is highly flammable. Hydrogen concept cars are placing the fuel tanks in the middle of the chassis to protect the passengers. Hydrogen fuel cells are also fragile and need to be strong enough to handle the automobile bumps. Processes will have to be developed to respond to hydrogen related accidents. Firemen, policeman and all other responders will have to be trained.

Hydrogen fuel cells today are expensive to produce. New technology is needed to reduce the cost of the component pieces of fuel cells. GM has set a deadline of 2010 to make hydrogen technology safe and affordable. However, production of hydrogen vehicles depends on safe, affordable and convenient availability of hydrogen. Government and industry will have to invest heavily to assure this.

About the Author

Bob Jent is the CEO of Western Pipeline Corporation. Western Pipeline Corp specializes in identifying, acquiring and developing existing, producing reserves on behalf of its individual clients.

What's All This Talk about Fuel Cells Anyway? by Bob Jent

2007-12-14T00:21:00.001-08:00

Fuel cell is a term heard in the media and it seems to have something to do with running our cars and heating our homes. Hope that the fuel cell can be one of the solutions to our energy needs is talked about but it's a bit unclear as to what exactly a fuel cell is, how it works and what exactly it can and will do.

In simple terms a fuel cell can be thought of as a battery. A battery converts chemicals inside it into electricity and eventually goes dead. Batteries have all of their chemicals stored inside. Fuel cells have chemicals constantly flowing into them so they never go dead. The majority of fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.

The fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity with water and heat as the by product. The fuel conversion does not involve combustion; it's an electrochemical process so it is clean, quiet and two to three times more efficient than combustion.

Our high school chemistry classes taught us that hydrogen is the most plentiful gas in the universe. Hydrogen is similar to natural gas in that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. If you are thinking that natural gas does have an odor remember that something is added to the natural gas in processing to produce an odor so that we know when there is a leak. Hydrogen is the lightest chemical element but it has the highest energy content per unit of weight of all the fuels.

Hydrogen is always combined with other elements such as oxygen and carbon, never found alone. Oil and natural gas are a mix of primarily hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. The hydrogen is extracted from the hydrogen compound to be used to run the fuel cells. Oil companies, like Western Pipeline Corporation, extract natural gas which is then used to produce hydrogen through steam reforming.

There is a lot of fear regarding hydrogen as a fuel source because of safety issues. It has high energy content and must be handled properly. Fear is largely based on the fact that hydrogen is an unknown quantity. People remember the Hindenburg blowing up in 1937 and the threat of the hydrogen bomb. Hydrogen has been used in the chemical, food and electronics industries with an excellent safety track record for years.

Fuel cells provide a direct current that can be used to power almost any type of motor, lights and other types of electrical devices. Automakers are working to commercialize a fuel cell car with expectations of commercial availability by 2010. President Bush announced a $1.2 billion Hydrogen Fuel Initiative in 2003 funded to develop the technology needed for commercially viable hydrogen-powered fuel cells to power cars, trucks, homes and businesses. Fuel cells are used today as stationary generators in hospitals, utility power plants and schools. They are also used in telecommunications, wastewater treatment plants and landfills.

Fuel cells offer a very attractive alternative to oil dependency and their use will continue to grow as the cost of production declines.

About the Author

Bob Jent is the CEO of Western Pipeline Corporation. Western Pipeline Corp specializes in identifying, acquiring and developing existing, producing reserves on behalf of its individual clients.

The Hydrogen Economy by Euan Blauvelt

2007-12-14T00:20:00.002-08:00

The energy sectors in both the United States and Europe are on the cusp of immense change. New technologies are being developed and opportunities for entrepreneurial ideas and innovative approaches are ripening at a time when capital-intensive, aging energy infrastructure is in need of improvement.

The world currently exists in a carbon economy. 80% of the primary energy which drives the world is derived from hydrocarbon fossil fuels; oil 35%, coal 24% and natural gas 21% and 11% is contributed by renewables, almost all renewable biomass. In the last two centuries the volume of carbon consumption has increased exponentially with the world's industrialisation.

The carbon economy has given great economic benefits to mankind but it is subject to two limitations. Although new reserves of hydrocarbons and new technologies to exploit them are being discovered all the time, these resources are not limitless. Secondly, fossil fuels emit greenhouse gasses and other pollutants when they are burned and these emissions have reached dangerous proportions. Alternatives to the carbon economy are feasible although wide scale use is some years in the future. A hydrogen economy is one such option, in which the sustainable energy supply system of the future features electricity and hydrogen as the dominant energy carriers. Hydrogen will be produced from a diverse base of primary energy feedstocks, or from water using renewable electricity in the process. The use of hydrogen energy would reduce dependence on petroleum and the pollution and greenhouse gas emissions caused by carbons.

The development of the hydrogen economy will advance on two fronts. The development of another technology, the fuel cell, is essential to the exploitation of hydrogen; the two are interlinked. It is important to understand that hydrogen is not a primary energy source like coal and gas; it is an energy carrier, like electricity. Hydrogen can be converted to energy via traditional combustion methods and through electrochemical processes in fuel cells. Initially it will be produced using existing energy systems based on different conventional primary energy sources and carriers. In the longer term renewable energy sources could become the most important source for the production of hydrogen.

Fuel cells utilise the chemical energy of hydrogen to produce electricity and thermal energy. A fuel cell is a quiet, clean source of energy. Water is the only by-product it emits if it uses hydrogen directly. Fuel cells are similar to batteries in that they are composed of positive and negative electrodes with an electrolyte or membrane. The difference between fuel cells and batteries is that energy is not recharged and stored in fuel cells as it is in batteries. Fuel cells receive their energy from the hydrogen or similar fuel that is supplied to them. No charge is thereby necessary.

Fuel cells are already used in a wide variety of products, ranging from very small fuel cells in portable devices such as mobile phones and laptops, mobile applications like cars, delivery vehicles, buses and ships, to heat and power generators in stationary applications in the domestic and industrial sector. Fuel cells are customarily classified into the three categories; stationary, portable and mobile or transport. Within these three overall groupings there are sub-categories.

Although there are many positive factors in the concept of a hydrogen economy, there are arguments against it. The potential benefits include high efficiencies, decentralised power generation, security of supply, reduced emissions, reliable and silent operation, energy savings, multiple uses and opportunities for hybrids. On the downside there are huge technological challenges and massive investment is needed to create capacity and infrastructure for the production and delivery of hydrogen. The environmental benefits are only as good as the sources and processes of production, and finally there are competitive technologies.

New technologies include large scale electrification in conjunction with plug-in hybrid vehicles and Li-ion batteries in transport. In the stationary applications market, distributed electricity generation or cogeneration present an alternative to hydrogen. Other significant competitors are a new level of power generation technologies, such as large, increased efficiency coal and gas-fired power plants, possibly using underground coal gasification (UCG) with CO2 capture and storage (CCS), renewable electricity supply technologies which are already widespread in the market (wind and solar PV) or now being commercialised (ocean and tidal energy), and new nuclear power technologies. At the same time, new technologies such as micro-turbines and Stirling engines are being introduced in combined heat and power applications. All of these technologies are in the pipeline and will not simply be overridden by hydrogen.

Virtually all of the OECD countries treat research into hydrogen and fuel cells as an important and in most cases an increasingly important, element of their overall public policy and programme planning activities.

An important feature of hydrogen and fuel cell research and development is the exceptionally strong involvement and commitment of industry as well as governments. The US federal government proposes spending $2.7 billion over the next five years on hydrogen and fuel cell research and development, and advanced automotive technologies. The Japanese government plans to spend over $380 million a year on fuel cell research, development and commercialisation. The FP- Framework Programme - is the EU's main instrument for research funding in Europe and was first adopted in 1984, each lasting for a five year period. FP 7 has a total budget of over €50 billion and some €275 million is earmarked for hydrogen and fuel cells, in addition to national expenditures. It cannot be taken as a forgone conclusion that an exclusive hydrogen economy will emerge.

Hydrogen is coming but it may consist of a hybrid of hydrogen applications side by side with conventional fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable energy. The final evolution is so far in the future and the waters are so uncharted that many variants are possible. Iceland, although small, has a high proportion of renewable energy, mainly geothermal and is interesting because the government has determined that the country should be the first with a hydrogen economy.

About the Author

Euan Blauvelt was trained in market research in London, later moving to Southeast Asia for twelve years where he was responsible for many research studies for a wide range of industries and governments. He was a co-founder of ABS Energy Research seventeen years ago, which specialises in energy and environmental services market research .

Bush Views Fuel Cell Powered Lift Truck At GrafTech by Anthony Fontanelle

2007-12-14T00:20:00.001-08:00

President George W. Bush viewed Wednesday a demonstration of a fuel cell powered lift truck while touring the GrafTech International Ltd. facility in Parma, Ohio.

GrafTech manufactures graphite material for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell power unit created by Cellex Power Products Inc., a subsidiary of Plug Power Inc. The Cellex fuel cell system provides clean, reliable power for electric lift trucks made by Crown Equipment Corporation. Representatives from both companies participated in yesterday's tour and lift truck demonstration.

GrafTech is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of high quality synthetic and natural graphite as well as carbon based products. The company manufactures graphite electrodes; products which are essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel.

GrafTech Chief Executive Officer Craig Shular has this to say: "It is an honor for GrafTech to host President Bush. Our team's collaboration with Cellex and Crown has been crucial in gaining support for the early adaptation of what we believe represents a significant growth opportunity in fuel cell power generation."

Crown, headquartered in New Bremen, Ohio, is a leading manufacturer of electric lift trucks in the United States and the fifth biggest lift truck maker in the world. The company's award- winning line of lift trucks has etched a reputation for outstanding product design, engineering and manufacturing. From the smallest hand pallet truck to the highest lifting turret truck, Crown seeks to provide users with safe, efficient and ergonomic lift trucks that lower total cost of ownership and maximize uptime.

"As a technology leader in the lift truck industry, Crown is actively participating in and supporting the development of alternative fuels that provide power savings for our customers," said Crown President Jim Dicke, III. "Crown has been working closely with Cellex for many years to find the right balance of fuel cells, amount of fuel, weight requirements and other factors to give lift truck customers the performance they expect."

Fuel cells offer an ideal value proposition within the $1.5 billion motive power market to operators of large warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers. With fleets consist of hundreds of lift trucks, these operations can benefit from centralized maintenance and fueling infrastructures.

The Cellex Power system offers value to purchasers via increased productivity and diminished fueling time and cost, as well as the eradication of environmental and safety issues linked to conventional lead acid batteries. Adoption in the lift truck market is expected to pave the way for development of other markets on the path toward a hydrogen economy and increased energy independence.

The fuel cell power system from Cellex Power was used to power a Crown model PE End-Controlled Rider Pallet Truck. The Cellex fuel cell contains a fuel cell stack supplied by Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, which incorporates GrafTech's GRAFCELL(R) material as a primary component.

"President Bush's visit marked an excellent opportunity to showcase how fuel cells can be used as an environmentally friendly alternative to batteries for material handling needs in warehouses and distribution centers," said Chris Reid, Cellex Power's President. "Supply chain partners such as GrafTech and Crown are vital in building a strong foundation for the widespread application of fuel cell systems."

President Bush has graced several demonstrations of environment-friendly vehicles including the Chevrolet Volt and other flex-fuel vehicles. And the industry is absorbed in making it big. In the near future, auto shoppers could expect that Chevrolet Cavalier cargo carrier will cram a flex-fuel vehicle.

Plug Power, a leader in providing clean, reliable on-site energy products, recently purchased Cellex Power and General Hydrogen Corporation as part of its strategic business initiative.

About the Author

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive.buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

Chevy Volt Crosses Border To Canada by Anthony Fontanelle

2007-12-14T00:19:00.000-08:00

Since the unveiling of the concept version of the Chevy Volt at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) earlier this year, it has attracted the attention of the entire auto industry. Recently, the Chevy Volt Concept made its way across the border to be unveiled for the first time in Canadian soil. The debut of the Volt in Canada came at the energy and Environment Conference in Toronto.

The Chevy Volt promises a vehicle that would virtually eliminate the need for a city driver to refill its gas tank. This is because the Volt is a plug-in hybrid vehicle. This means that its battery can be recharged using a common household socket. Its battery pack can power the stylish Volt for long distances before needing another recharge.

"If you are like most Canadians who live and work within a 64 kilometer round trip the Volt is a gas free, emission free car," says David Paterson, the vice president for corporate and environmental affairs for General Motors of Canada. "Drivers will simply unplug and go each morning - much as we do with our cell phones today," he added further.

According to General Motors, the Volt can be recharged using an ordinary 110-volt socket. To fully charge the vehicle's battery, it requires about six hours of uninterrupted charging. This means that a Chevy Volt owner can charge the car before going to bed at night and the Volt will be fully charged by morning.

A fully charged battery pack can provide the Volt with power for it to cover 64 kilometers. The vehicle is tailor made for drivers who does most of their driving within a city. The 64 mile allocation may be enough for Volt owners to eliminate refueling the vehicle with gasoline. It is calculated that power from the grid is less expensive than gasoline thus making the Chevy Volt a practical vehicle.

In case that a driver needs to cover more than 64 miles in a day, an internal combustion engine (ICE), called the range extender by General Motors, will kick in. The ICE will be configured to run on alternative fuel such as ethanol, hydrogen or biodiesel. It can also run on conventional gasoline. The engine will be used to charge the vehicle's battery pack. The combination of the range extender and the electric motor gives the Volt an impressive 1,000 kilometer range.

"At GM we believe that tomorrow's automobile must be flexible to accommodate many different energy sources and choices for consumers, and a key part of that flexibility will be enabled by electrically driven cars," says Paterson. "With battery contracts in place and a dedicated team of engineers, General Motors is moving to bring the Volt closer to reality."

General Motors recently awarded developmental contracts to two companies. The two companies will be working on the development of efficient and advanced lithium-ion battery packs for the Chevy Volt.

Once the Volt goes into production, it will join other environment-friendly vehicles in General Motors' lineup. In Canada, General Motors will be offering hybrid versions of the Saturn Vue and the Aura as well as the Chevy Malibu. A two-mode hybrid version of the Chevrolet Tahoe winch mount¬-equipped Tahoe will be a part of General Motors' offering in the country along with the GMC Yukon come this fall. Two-mode hybrid versions of the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra will be added next year.

About the Author

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.

What's mean is Fuel Cell ? by mary lv

2007-12-14T00:17:00.001-08:00

fuel cell is an electrochemical device which combines hydrogen fuel with

oxygen to produce electric power, heat and water. In many ways, the fuel cell

resembles a battery. Rather than

applying a periodic recharge, a continuous supply of oxygen and hydrogen is

supplied from the outside. Oxygen is drawn from the air and hydrogen is

carried as a fuel in a pressurized container. As alternative fuel, methanol,

propane, butane and natural gas can be used. The fuel cell does not generate

energy through burning; rather, it is based on an electrochemical process.

There are little or no harmful emissions. The only release is clean water. In

fact, the water is so pure that visitors to Vancouver's Ballard Power

Systems, the leader in the development of the proton exchange membrane fuel

cell (PEMFC), drank clear water emitted from the tailpipes of buses powered

by a Ballard fuel cell. The fuel cell is twice as efficient in converting fuel to energy through a

chemical process than combustion. Hydrogen, the simplest element consisting

of one proton and one electron, is plentiful and is exceptionally clean as a

fuel. Hydrogen makes up 90 percent of the composition of the universe and is

the third most abundant element on the earth's surface. Such a wealth of fuel

would provide an almost unlimited pool of energy at relatively low cost. But

there is a price to pay. The fuel cell

core (or 'stack'), which converts oxygen and hydrogen to electricity, is

expensive to build. more info:www.good-battery.com

About the Author

if you have any questions,pls feel free to contact www.good-battery.com

A Closer Look at the GM HydroGen4 by Evander Klum

2007-12-14T00:17:00.000-08:00

General Motors Corporation aims to showcase its fourth generation fuel cell technology in Europe with the launch of the HydroGen4 model, a revised version of Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell that is bound for the European market.

"Fuel cell propulsion with hydrogen as a fuel highlights General Motors' commitment to take the car out of the environmental debate and reduce our dependency on oil. HydroGen4 is powered by GM's most advanced fuel cell system and marks an important milestone on the road toward completely emission-free, competitive fuel cell technology in the automobile. The HydroGen4 features considerable progress in everyday usability, dynamics and system durability compared to its predecessor." says Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM Europe.

Mr. Forster added: "The Fuel Cell Activities (FCA) research division with over 600 employees is currently being integrated into regular series development, giving it key importance within the concern. We are thus preparing for the series production of fuel cell technology."

The GM HydroGen4 is scheduled to be unveiled at the upcoming 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt this September. HydroGen4 is equipped with a fuel cell stack that consists of 440 series-connected cells. Fuel cells convert chemical energy into electrical energy without combustion through the process of electro-chemical reaction, which combines hydrogen and oxygen to form water and produce electricity as well. This power line can produce 93 kW of electrical output, combined with the 73 kW/100 hp coming from an electric motor. This powertrain package allows the GM HydroGen4 to sprint from a stand still up to 62 miles per hour in about 12 seconds with an electronically limited maximum speed of approximately 100 mph.

In addition, the GM HydroGen4 also comes with 700-bar high-pressure tanks made from carbon fiber composite material. These tanks can hold up to 4.2 kg of compressed hydrogen fuel, providing the GM HydroGen4 with 199 miles (320 km) of driving range. GM has been working with two versions of this mode: one powered by liquid hydrogen and the other with compressed hydrogen. But GM is now only focusing on the compressed hydrogen version. Dr. Udo Winter, Director, GME Fuel Cell Activities explains: "The main reason for this is the unavoidable 'boil off' that occurs with liquid hydrogen. Even with optimum insulation, the tank's contents warm up slowly, so that the liquid hydrogen vaporizes and the pressure in the tank increases. After a few days, gaseous hydrogen has to be released from the parked vehicle, leading to a loss in fuel. There are no such vapor losses ("boil off") with compressed gas, however."

Moreover, the new fuel cell propulsion system of the GM HydroGen4 comes with a nickel-metal-hydride buffer battery. This helps the entire powertrain system to gain more power output and enables regenerative braking. This feature allows the battery to be recharged using the energy produced when braking.

Other features of the GM HydroGen4 include driver and passenger frontal air bags, roof rail side-impact air bags, ABS, traction control, StabiliTrak (ESP), just to name the few. GM will reveal other features of this model at the IAA Frankfurt. GM will unveil other production and concept models in Frankfurt like the Saab Turbo X equipped with Saab clutch discs.

About the Author

Evander Klum is a Business Administration graduate who hails from Alabama. He enjoys extreme sports and he is also a car racing fanatic. At present, he works as a marketing manager at an advertising agency in Cleveland.

Impact of High Fuel Prices on RV Travel by Bob Jent

2007-12-14T00:16:00.000-08:00

Fuel cell is a term heard in the media and it seems to have something to do with running our cars and heating our homes. Hope that the fuel cell can be one of the solutions to our energy needs is talked about but it's a bit unclear as to what exactly a fuel cell is, how it works and what exactly it can and will do.

In simple terms a fuel cell can be thought of as a battery. A battery converts chemicals inside it into electricity and eventually goes dead. Batteries have all of their chemicals stored inside. Fuel cells have chemicals constantly flowing into them so they never go dead. The majority of fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.

The fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity with water and heat as the by product. The fuel conversion does not involve combustion; it's an electrochemical process so it is clean, quiet and two to three times more efficient than combustion.

Our high school chemistry classes taught us that hydrogen is the most plentiful gas in the universe. Hydrogen is similar to natural gas in that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. If you are thinking that natural gas does have an odor remember that something is added to the natural gas in processing to produce an odor so that we know when there is a leak. Hydrogen is the lightest chemical element but it has the highest energy content per unit of weight of all the fuels.

Hydrogen is always combined with other elements such as oxygen and carbon, never found alone. Oil and natural gas are a mix of primarily hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. The hydrogen is extracted from the hydrogen compound to be used to run the fuel cells. Oil companies, like Western Pipeline Corporation, extract natural gas which is then used to produce hydrogen through steam reforming.

There is a lot of fear regarding hydrogen as a fuel source because of safety issues. It has high energy content and must be handled properly. Fear is largely based on the fact that hydrogen is an unknown quantity. People remember the Hindenburg blowing up in 1937 and the threat of the hydrogen bomb. Hydrogen has been used in the chemical, food and electronics industries with an excellent safety track record for years.

Fuel cells provide a direct current that can be used to power almost any type of motor, lights and other types of electrical devices. Automakers are working to commercialize a fuel cell car with expectations of commercial availability by 2010. President Bush announced a $1.2 billion Hydrogen Fuel Initiative in 2003 funded to develop the technology needed for commercially viable hydrogen-powered fuel cells to power cars, trucks, homes and businesses. Fuel cells are used today as stationary generators in hospitals, utility power plants and schools. They are also used in telecommunications, wastewater treatment plants and landfills.

Fuel cells offer a very attractive alternative to oil dependency and their use will continue to grow as the cost of production declines.

About the Author

Bob Jent is the CEO of {a href=" http://article.wn.com/view/2007/07/19/Western_Pipeline_Begins_Fort_Worth_Basin_Drilling_Program/"}Western Pipeline Corporation.{a href=" http://article.wn.com/view/2007/07/19/Western_Pipeline_Begins_Fort_Worth_Basin_Drilling_Program/"} Western Pipeline Corp specializes in identifying, acquiring and developing existing, producing reserves on behalf of its individual clients.

Environmental and Health Aspects of Hydrogen Cars by Bob Jent

2007-12-14T00:14:00.001-08:00

Hydrogen is the only fuel that is low to zero emission for vehicles. The only by-product of these cars is water vapor. Natural gas and coal are used to produce hydrogen today but in the future hydrogen will come almost entirely from renewable resources. There is a scarcity of renewable resource generation today and its high cost make natural gas from companies like Western Pipeline Corporation, the solution for hydrogen production in the near future.

Potential renewable energy resources to produce hydrogen are: wind, hydro, solar, geothermal and biomass. Hydrogen is generated by wind and solar generated electricity produced by electrolysis. If hydrogen used in hydrogen cars is created from water the energy produced makes a closed loop because the waste product is also water. Low emission of air pollutants is a key benefit of hydrogen fuel cell usage resulting in improved respiratory health particularly in urban areas that have poor air quality. Seniors and children are especially vulnerable. Air pollution can trigger attacks in people who suffer from asthma. Symptoms can increase for anyone with chronic lung, heart or circulatory conditions.

A detailed study from Stanford University revealed that up to 6,400 lives could be saved each year if all U.S. current vehicles were converted to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. When hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels it also produces greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide. However, gasoline combustion engines also produce carbon monoxide, smog-inducing nitrogen oxides and ozone and create microscopic soot particles. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that fossil-fuel automobiles emit 1 ½ billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year. If we were to move completely to hydrogen based automobiles we would eliminate over 95% of these greenhouse gases.

There would also be reduced crop damage because the use of fuel cells will reduce acid rain and ground-level ozone concentrations. Noise pollution will be reduced because fuel cells run quietly. Groundwater contamination will be reduced because fuel cells do not use motor oil and leaks from gasoline storage tanks may also be reduced.

There is worldwide interest in hydrogen fuel cell technology. Governments in the United States, Europe and Japan are committing over $7 billion in the next few years to fuel cell technology development. Europe and Japan will be earlier adopters of this technology than the United States because they can experience more immediate benefits environmentally and economically. The reduction of greenhouse gases and air pollution by nations around the world through the use of hydrogen cars will contribute to improved health for everyone.

About the Author

Bob Jent is the CEO of Western Pipeline Corporation. Western Pipeline Corp specializes in identifying, acquiring and developing existing, producing reserves on behalf of its individual clients.