CREATING ENERGY IN THE MODERN WORLD
Editors Note: This article by Cecilia M. (’16) is an exploration of energy in the modern world. This includes the different tools that we use to get energy, how those tools work, and how we can implement them into our modern society with the different practical limitations that there are.
In Jack Hitt’s article The Artificial Leaf is Here. Again., he discusses the Harvard professor Daniel Nocera’s new method to generate energy. Professor Daniel Nocera’s method imitates a plant’s process of photosynthesis. His artificial leaf takes in sunlight and turns this into energy, specifically usable hydrogen and oxygen. His goal is to make everyone’s home their “own power station” (Hitt, 2014). Professor Nocera is determined to spread the use of his invention because often, beneficial inventions never end up being used. Why? One of the biggest factors, which will affect the artificial leaf’s sales, according to Jack Hitt, is “getting consumers accustomed to what’s needed for it to work, such as fuel cells- which convert hydrogen into usable electricity” (Hitt). Convincing the public is extremely important for the sales of this invention. A big question, which would impact the artificial leaf’s acceptance as a new energy system, is what is a fuel cell? How does a fuel cell convert hydrogen into usable electricity?
There are many types of fuel cells, but they all function similarly (“Fuel Cell Basics”, 2008). A fuel cell generates electricity from a chemical reaction, like a battery, by converting an external supply of potential energy, hydrogen and oxygen, into electrical energy (“Fuel Cell Technologies”, 2014). The chemical reactions that produce energy in a fuel cell happen at the electrodes. Every fuel cell has two electrodes, a positive anode and a negative cathode. Electrically charged particles, or energy, travel from one electrode to the other by an electrolyte. The “fuel” for a fuel cell is primarily hydrogen, but oxygen is often needed to produce the electricity (“Fuel Cell Basics”). A great benefit is that unlike a battery, a fuel cell can run forever, as long as it has a supply of hydrogen and oxygen to turn into electricity (“Fuel Cell Technologies”).
But again, how do the fuel cells convert the hydrogen into electricity that we can use? Generally, hydrogen atoms will enter the fuel cell through the anode and a chemical reaction takes place. This chemical reaction separates the electron from the hydrogen atom, leaving the hydrogen with a positive electrical charge (“Fuel Cell Basics”). The separated electrons travel through the electrical current to produce electricity, for electricity is produced when electrons are moving in a current. A fuel cell has a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) which only allows positively charged ions to pass through to the cathode. This is why the electrons travel on an external circuit, making electricity (“How Fuel Cells Work”). Oxygen atoms enter through the cathode and often bond together with the positive hydrogen ions and electrons in the end, after going through the circuit, to form water that flows out of the cell (“Fuel Cell Basics”).
So what is the problem? Why doesn’t everyone just go out and buy a fuel cell? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Every fuel cell has advantages and drawbacks, but the biggest issue is that they are all expensive. So far, there has not been a fuel cell that has been cheap and efficient enough to convince everyone to get them. Therefore, we have not been able to replace all of the ways we are generally generating power such as hydroelectric, coal-fired, and nuclear power plants (“Fuel Cell Basics”). This is the problem that Professor Daniel Nocera is facing. He has an incredible invention that would allow us produce energy in an environmentally safe way, but convincing the public is hard, for the artificial leaf needs a fuel cell.
There are many types of fuel cells, but they all function similarly (“Fuel Cell Basics”, 2008). A fuel cell generates electricity from a chemical reaction, like a battery, by converting an external supply of potential energy, hydrogen and oxygen, into electrical energy (“Fuel Cell Technologies”, 2014). The chemical reactions that produce energy in a fuel cell happen at the electrodes. Every fuel cell has two electrodes, a positive anode and a negative cathode. Electrically charged particles, or energy, travel from one electrode to the other by an electrolyte. The “fuel” for a fuel cell is primarily hydrogen, but oxygen is often needed to produce the electricity (“Fuel Cell Basics”). A great benefit is that unlike a battery, a fuel cell can run forever, as long as it has a supply of hydrogen and oxygen to turn into electricity (“Fuel Cell Technologies”).
But again, how do the fuel cells convert the hydrogen into electricity that we can use? Generally, hydrogen atoms will enter the fuel cell through the anode and a chemical reaction takes place. This chemical reaction separates the electron from the hydrogen atom, leaving the hydrogen with a positive electrical charge (“Fuel Cell Basics”). The separated electrons travel through the electrical current to produce electricity, for electricity is produced when electrons are moving in a current. A fuel cell has a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) which only allows positively charged ions to pass through to the cathode. This is why the electrons travel on an external circuit, making electricity (“How Fuel Cells Work”). Oxygen atoms enter through the cathode and often bond together with the positive hydrogen ions and electrons in the end, after going through the circuit, to form water that flows out of the cell (“Fuel Cell Basics”).
So what is the problem? Why doesn’t everyone just go out and buy a fuel cell? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Every fuel cell has advantages and drawbacks, but the biggest issue is that they are all expensive. So far, there has not been a fuel cell that has been cheap and efficient enough to convince everyone to get them. Therefore, we have not been able to replace all of the ways we are generally generating power such as hydroelectric, coal-fired, and nuclear power plants (“Fuel Cell Basics”). This is the problem that Professor Daniel Nocera is facing. He has an incredible invention that would allow us produce energy in an environmentally safe way, but convincing the public is hard, for the artificial leaf needs a fuel cell.
Hitt, J. (2014, March 29). The artificial Leaf is here. again. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/technology/the-artificial-leaf-is-here-again.html?ref=science &_r=0 .
How Fuel Cells work. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2014, from https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fcv_PEM.shtml.
Smithsonian Institution. (2008). Fuel Cell basics. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm.
Fuel Cell Today. (2014). Fuel Cell Technologies. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/technologies.
How Fuel Cells work. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2014, from https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fcv_PEM.shtml.
Smithsonian Institution. (2008). Fuel Cell basics. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm.
Fuel Cell Today. (2014). Fuel Cell Technologies. Retrieved April 6, 2014, from http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/technologies.
