Fuel Cells: Status and Technical/Economic Needs

Conference · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:266923

Rambach, G

The need for fuel cell and alternative fuels has become increasingly important in that the U.S. spends 1 billion dollars per week to import oil, and is expected to import 80-100 billion per year in oil by the year 2010. These imports account for half of our oil supply. If 20% of the U.S. vehicle fleet were powered by fuel cells there would be: an offset 1.1 million barrels of oil per day; and a reduction of 2 million tons per year of regulated air pollutants. Fueling fuel cells with hydrogen from reformed natural gas results in more than 90% reduction in regulated emissions, and a 70% reduction in CO2, a greenhouse gas. And fueling fuel cells with hydrogen from renewables (wind, solar geothermal, hydro) results in total elimination of all emissions. When fuel cells become commercialized: they will improve America`s economic competitiveness; and the regions where they are produced will benefit economically.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA (United States). Langley Research Center
• OSTI ID: 266923
• Report Number(s): N--96-24561; NASA-CP--10184-PT-2; NAS--1.55:10184-PT-2; NIPS--96-39493; CONF-9509379--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
CARBON DIOXIDE
FUEL CELLS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HYDROGEN
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
VEHICLES