Introduction
Numerous factors have influenced the increase in oil prices through out the world, with current prices being higher than ever before. Military actions in the Middle East along with severe weather have led oil prices to skyrocket over the last ten years. While the cost of oil has increased so has the nation’s consumption. In 2007 the United Sates imported nearly 55% of the oil it consumed. According to the Department of Energy (DOE) this amount is expected to increase to nearly 57% by the year 2025. This has led academic and government leaders to examine alternate sources of energy that are both abundant and environmentally friendly. In 2003 President Bush proposed the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative. The Initiative’s goal is to develop hydrogen production technologies and commercialize a hydrogen fuel infrastructure in order to resolve America’s concern about the nations energy supply. The initiative has also made it financially possible for institutions, such as UTC, to participate in this research through numerous grants and proposals.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and its potential as a fuel has been chronicled for decades. During the combustion process the major waste product is water vapor. However, elemental hydrogen does not exist in nature by itself. Any potential use as a fuel requires energy to break it free from its more readily available compounds. Water is one of the most widely available hydrogen carriers. Hydrocarbons such as coal, methane and biomass are other potential sources of hydrogen.
There are already more than seventy hydrogen fueling stations throughout North America with nearly all of them located in the United States. Most of these stations are operated by private organizations and universities with the goal of obtaining data to justify the conversion to a hydrogen economy. Several automobile manufacturers, such as Ford, GM, and BMW to name a few, have pledged support to the conversion and have begun designing vehicles to make use of this new fuel source.
UTC's Fueling Station
Initially the University's Fueling station will be equiped to generate 2 kilograms of hydrogen a day, while being able to store 10 kilograms. Current project include the conversion of a Saturn Vue and Mocs shutlle to use hydrogen as its primarly fuel source.As UTC continues to further explore the use of hydrogen as an altenative fuel, methods for its production and storage will be necesary. The Hydrogen Fuel Station hopes to meet those needs.
