Green Alternatives - Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with the smallest molecular mass. It is lighter than air and all mixtures of hydrogen and air with volumetric hydrogen content of 4 ^75 % are inflammable. Safety in the storage and handling of hydrogen is therefore of paramount importance.

Cars, trucks and buses can burn pure hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, or use it in a fuel cell to drive an electric motor. The fuel cell is considered preferable because of its higher efficiency.

Theoretically a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle emits only water vapour, though during manufacture of the fuel cells emissions will arise.

Important Note: Pure Hydrogen is not available naturally and considerable energy has to be used to obtain it, currently this energy would have come from fossil fuels in the main. Hydrogen is difficult to store and handle.