Hydrogen is a gas that could be found in the universe and it is the simplest one. Our sun and other stars are made of hydrogen. Inside the sun, hydrogen atoms change to helium atoms.

 This process gives us plenty of energy, which is called fusion. It gives us heat and makes the wind blow and rain fall. It makes plants grow.

There is no pure hydrogen on earth. It is always mixed with other elements.

 If it is combined with carbon, it would make coal or methane (CH4). With oxygen it makes water. It is the lightest element and has the highest energy content of any fuel by weight.

HYDROGEN CAN STORE ENERGY

People like to use renewable energy because it is clean and friendly with environment. Renewable energy like wind and sunlight are always available when we need them.

Hydrogen is a good source of energy, which can be stored until it is needed.

HYDROGEN AN ENERGY CARRIER

We use more and more energy every day. Most of the energy we use is electricity. This is called secondary source of energy, which sometimes is called energy – carriers.

We usually use coal to generate steam power in order to produce electricity.Electricity made our life easier.

 It gives us heat, light, cold water, computers and so on. If we had to burn coal to generate energy, the life would have been very difficult.

 Hydrogen is an energy carrier (or storable) that can be used in those places where it’s hard to use electricity. Sending hydrogen from one point to another by pipes is lot cheaper than transmitting electricity.

HOW IS HYDROGEN MADE?

Hydrogen does not exist on earth as a gas; therefore we separate it either from water or natural gas. Making hydrogen is very expensive, so, new technology should be developed to bring the prices down.

USES OF HYDROGEN

To day more than 9 millin tons of hydrogen are produced in the U.S.A. This much hydrogen is enough to warm 5-8 million homes or run 20-30 million cars. Industries also use hydrogen to make different products. NASA has used this gas in its space program for many years.

Hydrogen is used in space shuttles, to place it in the orbit. The only thing remains from burning the hydrogen is pure water. Hydrogen is also used to make electricity. But generating electricity from hydrogenisveryexpensive.

HYDROGEN AS A FUEL

Building a hydrogen-powered plant is not possible now, because manufacturing costs are very high. But in near future hydrogen will be added to gasoline to increase its performance and reduce nitrogen oxides, which increases ground – level ozone pollution.

It would take 10-20 years to make commercial hydrogen fueled car.

THE FUTURE OF HYDROGEN

Hydrogen will become our future fuel but before that, new systems of storage and transportation should be built. The technology of making the gas must be improved. Also people should be educated to use it. The U.S.A. government’s goal for hydrogen is to produce at least 10 percent of the total energy by 2030, using hydrogen as an energy source.