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Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy

Fuel Cell Basics

Hydrogen Energy

Applications

“The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industries in Ohio are on the verge of considerable success. One piece of the puzzle that will help push us over the top is a united voice for the fuel cell and hydrogen industries. The FCHEA provides Ohio, the rest of the country—and the Industry-- with that voice through advocacy, support and a united front.”

Patrick Valente,
Executive Director,
Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition
“Now, more than ever, the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industries need to speak in one powerful voice. FCHEA's efforts have been exceptional in creating a compelling platform to advance industry initiatives on Capitol Hill and within the States”

Shannon Baxter-Clemmons
PhD, Executive Director,
South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance
“By providing clean, efficient and continuous base-load energy for buildings and enabling zero-emission transportation, fuel cells have become a proven and crucial component of the clean energy network. We are extremely grateful for the important work FCHEA is doing to raise the profile of these game-changing energy technologies for the marketplace, policy makers, key decision-makers and the general public.”

Mike Brown
Vice President,Government Affairs, and General Counsel,
UTC Power
"FCHEA's efforts are providing great help in moving Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles to a new level of market acceptance in a way one individual automaker could not."

Stephen Ellis,
American Honda
"FCHEA brings a strong, united voice about fuel cells and hydrogen to a national audience. We look forward to working closely with FCHEA staff and members to advance the commercialization of fuel cells in the United States."

Catherine Dunwoody,
Executive Director,
California Fuel Cell Partnership
"FCHEA is an important conduit for informing and educating government leaders and the public about the impact hydrogen is making today as well as significant technology advances, and hydrogen’s role in solving the clean energy issue for all future generations."

Ed Kiczek
Global Business Director,
Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products
“Plug Power greatly appreciates the importance of FCHEA in advancing hydrogen fuel cell solutions in commercial applications. It is the visionary collaboration of the partnership that provides a strong foundation for today’s advanced technology to prove out value, viability and reliability in key markets. Industry pioneers, like FCHEA, will ensure a path to a future that includes hydrogen and fuel cells as core to the clean energy network”

Andy Marsh
CEO
Plug Power
"Solar and wind are good technologies, but they do not address the total customer need for continuous power as fuel cells and hydrogen energy do . Many customers require a more dependable base-load, energy efficient solution that works around the clock, and in a smaller footprint. ClearEdge Power fuel cells provide exactly that solution, and the FCHEA helps us to inform and educate customers and policymakers about the many benefits of fuel cells and hydrogen energy."

Russel Ford
President & CEO
ClearEdge Power

How is hydrogen produced?

How is hydrogen produced? Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. However it is always bonded with something else like oxygen (to make water) or carbon (to make all plants). Hydrogen is all around us, but to use it, we must first separate the hydrogen from the other things bonded to it. One of hydrogen's advantages is that it can be made from a variety of local resources like water, plants, coal, natural gas and even algae. Although having so many choices sounds complicated, it's a great advantage because no one region or country has to be dependent on one resource to produce hydrogen. Whichever resources make the most sense environmentally and economically can be used.

A variety of technologies can be used to produce the power needed to release hydrogen from these resources, including fossil fuel combustion, nuclear power and renewable technologies such as solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy and geothermal. Since hydrogen can be produced from so many different resources and with a variety of technologies, many regions of the country and the world will have increased capability for local production of fuel. For example: in some areas, local solar, wind or nuclear power could be used for electrolysis of local water resources; in other areas, locally-produced biomass products, like ethanol, could be the resource from which hydrogen is made.

Today, in the U.S., over 95% of the hydrogen is made in very large quantities from natural gas, mostly to make fertilizer and to help make gasoline cleaner by removing impurities like sulphur. As hydrogen moves from these large industrial uses to something that you and I commonly use to fuel our businesses, homes, electronics and vehicles, we expect other resources besides natural gas to be used and that it will be made in a variety of amounts depending on how much is needed.

Having this variety of choices when you make hydrogen is part of what makes hydrogen a universal fuel.

For more information see our Hydrogen Production Fact Sheets Below:

Hydrogen Production

-Hydrogen Production from Coal

-Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Energy

-Hydrogen Production from Renewables