What are some advantages of fuel cells?
Fuel cells are quiet and modular, which means they can be used as distributed generation resources. The emissions or other environmental impact of the fuel cell itself are 100% clean, however, the life cycle of the hydrogen fuel cell must consider the source of the hydrogen. Theoretically fuel cells are also highly durable when using pure hydrogen gas. The only byproducts of the generating process are heat (which cogeneration systems utilize for water and space heating) and water. Fuel cells have been used by NASA on space shuttles for several decades to provide power and drinking water on board. In addition, a fuel cell operates at an efficiency of 40-50%, significantly higher than conventional power generators. A steam power plant is typically 35% efficient, while the efficiency of an internal combustion engine in most vehicles is only about 15%.
