Question

6. what is a fuel cell and what are its main advantages? What are potential applications of fuel cell?

Answer 1

Hydrogen is an energy storage medium. Energy, stored as hydrogen in the form of a gas or a liquid, will never dissipate until it is used, making it a good application for emergency generators and other mission critical energy applications. Compare that to other energy storage types like batteries and capacitors which lose the energy stored in them over time and need to be periodically recharged even without use. Currently most internal combustion engines operate with an efficiency around 25% and power plants achieving about a 35% efficiency; however, a stationary fuel cell, when used in a combined heat and power system, can have an efficiency level of greater than 80%.