Hydrogen Fuel – UPSC Prelims

Hydrogen gas is a viable choice as a renewable substitute for fossil fuels, and can help mitigate emissions to reduce pollution.
Advantages of Hydrogen as Fuel:
  • Environment Friendly:
    • The advantage of using hydrogen as an energy carrier is that when it combines with oxygen the only by products are water and heat.
    • No greenhouse gasses or other particulates are produced by the use of hydrogen fuel cells.
  • Non Toxic:
    • Hydrogen is a non-toxic substance that is rare for a fuel source. It is environmentally friendly and does not cause any harm or destruction to human health.
  • Highly Efficient:
    • Hydrogen is an efficient energy type since it has the ability to convey a lot of energy for every pound of fuel compared to diesel or gas.
  • Ideal Spaceship Fuel:
    • Hydrogen energy’s efficiency and power make it an ideal fuel source for spaceships. Its power is so high that it’s able to quickly rocket spaceships to exploration missions.
Disadvantages of Hydrogen as fuel
  • Compared to gas, hydrogen lacks smell, which makes any leak detection almost impossible.
  • Hydrogen is a highly flammable and volatile substance, its potential dangers make its transportation and storage very challenging.
Note:
  • Sulphur-Iodine Cycle : The sulphur–iodine cycle (SI cycle) is a three-step thermochemical cycle used to produce hydrogen. In this cycle, all the chemicals are recycled. The SI process requires an efficient source of heat.
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