| The history of the fuel cell can be
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| | manufactured anywhere there is water and
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| traced back to the 19th century. Since
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| | electricity, production of potential fuel
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| then the development and usage of fuel
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| | can be allocated in various areas* Fuel
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| cells in a variety of applications have
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| | cells operate at a higher efficiency than
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| come a long way. Fuel cells hold great
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| | diesel or gas engines which makes them an
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| promise for fueling alternative fuel
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| | ideal source of efficient power for
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| vehicles. Here is some of the history of
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| | alternative fuel vehicles* Most fuel
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| the development of fuel cells:* William
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| | cells operate silently, while internal
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| Grove invented the fuel cell in 1839.*
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| | combustion engines do not* Fuel cells can
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| General Electric invented proton exchange
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| | operate for longer times than batteries,
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| membrane fuel cells in the 1950s* Francis
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| | therefore to double the operating time,
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| Bacon demonstrated a 5kW alkaline fuel
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| | only the fuel needs to be doubled and not
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| cell in 1959.* NASA's use of fuel cells
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| | the capacity of the unit itself* The
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| during the Apollo space missions in the
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| | maintenance of fuel cells is relatively
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| 1960s was the first commercial use of
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| | straightforward since there are few
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| fuel cells.* Alkaline fuel cells have
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| | moving parts in the systemDisadvantages*
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| flown over 100 missions and operated for
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| | Energizing fuel cells continues to be a
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| more than 80,000 hours in spacecrafts
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| | major problem while production,
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| operated by NASA.* The US Navy has been
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| | transportation, distribution and storage
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| using fuel cells in submarines since the
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| | of hydrogen remains difficult* Reforming
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| 1980s* Fuel cell buses are running in
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| | hydrocarbons via a reformer to produce
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| several cities around the world, the
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| | hydrogen is technically challenging and
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| largest being the European Union backed
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| | not actually environmentally friendly*
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| CUTE project (Clean Urban Transport for
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| | The refuelling and the starting time of
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| Europe).* All major automakers have
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| | fuel cell vehicles are longer, while the
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| prototypes of alternative fuel vehicles
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| | driving range is shorter than in a
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| using fuel cells on the road-some have
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| | conventional vehicle* Fuel cells are
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| already been leased to customers.*
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| | normally somewhat larger than comparable
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| Iceland has plans to convert its fishing
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| | batteries or engines, however, the size
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| fleet from diesel engines to hydrogen
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| | of the units continues to decrease with
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| fuel cells as part of a national project
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| | research and testing* Fuel cells are
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| to create a fossil fuel free economy*
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| | currently expensive to produce, since
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| Several car manufacturers are hoping to
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| | most units are hand-made and some use
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| produce their first semi-commercial
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| | expensive materials* The technology is
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| models of fuel cell cars by 2005, yet
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| | not yet fully developed, therefore few
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| they will most probably not be mass
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| | products are readily availableAlthough
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| produced until 2010.* Numerous fuel cell
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| | hydrogen fuel cells appear to be the most
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| products will be coming to
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| | promising source of alternative fuel,
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| market-portable direct methanol fuel
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| | other sources are being researched and
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| cells will power mobile phones, laptops
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| | tested. Alternative transportation fuels
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| and cameras in the near future* A fuel
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| | provide economic advantages while also
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| cell is around 60% efficient at
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| | offering significant environmental
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| converting fuel to power, double the
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| | benefits. They offer air quality
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| efficiency of an internal combustion gas
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| | advantages through reduced emissions and
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| engine-which makes it perfect for
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| | some fuels produce less greenhouse gas
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| alternative fuel vehicles.Fuel cells have
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| | emissions than gasoline. There's
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| several advantages over conventional
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| | significant research being conducted
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| power sources like internal combustion
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| | worldwide. Canada, for example, is
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| gas engines or batteries. Additionally,
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| | recognized as a world leader in the
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| there are disadvantages facing
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| | development and use of alternative
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| manufacturers hoping to commercialize
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| | transportation fuels with more than
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| fuel cells. See how they stack up as the
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| | 170,000 alternative fuel vehicles in use
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| next best fuel for alternative fuel
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| | across Canada. Some of the most promising
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| vehicles.Advantages* Fuel cells reduce
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| | alternative fuel sources being suggested
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| pollution that is caused by the burning
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| | for future use in motor vehicles are:*
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| of fossil fuels-their only by-product is
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| | Ethanol
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| water* If the hydrogen used in the fuel
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| | * Propane
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| cell comes from the electrolysis of
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| | * Natural gas
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| water, then using fuel cells will
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| | * Biodiesel
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| eliminate greenhouse gases* Because fuel
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| | * Electricity
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| cells don't need conventional fuels like
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| | * HydrogenAt this point, it's anyone's
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| oil or gas, they eliminate economic
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| | guess what the future holds for
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| dependence on politically unstable
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| | alternative fuel vehicles.
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| countries* Since hydrogen can be
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