TOPIC INFORMATION PACK: SCHOOLS DEBATES ENTRY 2015

Transcription

1 TOPIC INFORMATION PACK: SCHOOLS DEBATES ENTRY 2015 South Africa, like the rest of the world, faces an energy challenge. It has been scientifically confirmed that there is a link between human activities, increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. Since then, there have been increased efforts to find more environmentally friendly sources of energy. The need for alternative energy sources is made more urgent by the fact that fossil fuels are being used up. Hydrogen fuel is an energy carrier that can be used as fuel in multiple applications. However production and storage of Hydrogen is still a challenge, making it currently not competitive with other fuels. New materials with improved performance in storage and extraction of hydrogen are required in order for hydrogen to be widely adopted as a fuel. Do you think hydrogen fuel can be a competitive alternative to other traditional fuels? With the imminent exhaustion of fossil fuel resources and the increasing energy needs of our current and future civilization, the establishment of a sustainable energy source is necessary to ensure continued development. Sustainable development, where the resources are used sparingly and efficiently with environmental responsibility, is vital to the long term economic success of any country. The evolution of modern civilization, points towards a hydrogen based energy system. Early energy systems relied on wood, progressing to coal, oil and natural gas. The next stage in the impending energy revolution is coming in what is known as the hydrogen economy. Many countries now consider hydrogen as a viable solution to address long- term energy security, environmental and economic concerns, and there is a growing interest in a global mind shift from the current energy system to a hydrogen economy. How safe is hydrogen as a fuel source? While hydrogen might provide the solutions we re looking for, there are various debates within the scientific community about the safety of hydrogen as an energy source. A particular area of focus is how hydrogen should be most effectively stored safely, while still maintaining maximum combustibility and effectiveness. Hydrogen is the lightest element on the periodic table and exists mostly in molecular form, as part of water molecules (H 2 O). As a gas (diatomic H 2 ), it is highly flammable. Hydrogen gas was first synthesised in experiments in the early 16 th century through the combination of various metals and

2 chemicals. It is highly volatile and easily ignitable. It is lighter than air, and so if it isn t contained properly, it poses a risk of leakage. The historic and iconic incident of the Hindenburg airship exploding in 1937 has previously been blamed on a hydrogen leak that was ignited by a spark created by the friction on the canvas of the blimp ( More recently, the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan caused the leakage and ignition of four large hydrogen storage tanks ( meltdowns- hydrogen- explosions- at- fukushima- nuclear- power- plant/). While these and other hydrogen related explosions have created risks around the use of hydrogen as a fuel source, modern technological developments and research have shown that hydrogen can be used and stored safely and is as safe to use in vehicles as conventional fossil fuels like petroleum, if not safer ( Advancement of science: This perspective addresses ways in which science is advancing and developing methods to offer solutions through the development of renewable energy sources and to problems relating to safety in the use of hydrogen. There are currently great strides being made in storing hydrogen more effectively using different techniques. The central focus in the storage of hydrogen currently revolves around the state in which the hydrogen is stored, and how the hydrogen phase affects the consistency and efficiency with which it will burn when combusted in an engine compared to regular fossil fuels. Traditionally we think of hydrogen in gas form, but recent developments have seen hydrogen converted and adapted into other phases like liquid, crystal, solid and even as a slush that better aids its safe storage ( presspac- may /a- new- solution- for- storing- hydrogen- fuel- for- alternative- energy.html). Current developments internationally are already testing the viability of the hydrogen economy. When it comes down to implementing and capitalising on the promises hydrogen offers, it comes as no surprise that first world nations like Germany and America are leading the race to clean, renewable hydrogen energy.

3 The EON company in Falkenhagen, Germany, has successfully launched one of the first fully renewable energy systems in a feasibility project that has thus far successfully used electricity, generated by wind turbines, to convert water into hydrogen, and is aimed at relieving local energy demands gradually ( releases/2013/8/28/eon- inaugurates- power- to- gas- unit- in- falkenhagen- in- eastern- germany.html). In America and the Far East, strides have been made in developing hydrogen powered vehicles with commercial market roll- out as soon as Japanese car manufacturer, Toyota seems to be leading the race with its fuel cell hybrid car ( global.com/innovation/environmental_technology/fuelcell_vehicle/). In air travel, companies like Lockheed Stratoliner have been hard at work developing planes with military and commercial applications that would be able to employ hydrogen energy to counter the demands and costs of traditional fossil fuels ( /Lockheed- Stratoliner- concept- hydrogen- powered- jet- fly- Earth- stopping.html). Utilitarian: A cleaner, affordable and potentially renewable fuel, such as hydrogen potentially offers, would have far reaching impacts to the greater advantage of society. You would be hard pressed to imagine the disadvantages of a world in which modes of long distance transport might eventually not need expensive fossil fuels. While cheaper transport and renewable energy are to the greater good of man, there may be further advantages of employing hydrogen as a fuel to benefit of the environment as well. Fossil fuelled vehicles release large amounts of greenhouse gasses and emissions into the atmosphere, negatively affecting the environment. This may be reduced in a hydrogen energy economy, if hydrogen fuel can be produced from clean, renewable energy sources, depending on how the hydrogen is produced. ( energy- future.com/advantages_disadvantages_hydrogenenergy.php) Socio- cultural: Hydrogen has huge implications for societies all over the world as an alternative fuel. While the issues around safety are continually debated, history has shown that hydrogen s influences on society have been more than their use as a potential alternative fuel. During World War II the Allied

4 Forces developed a mechanism in which to deliver the process of hydrogen fission as a weapon of mass destruction ( bomb.htm). The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by American bombers with H- bombs claimed the lives of over people ( These events in history showed the world the potential power of hydrogen employed scientifically. While these are negative incidents related to hydrogen s effect on society, the scientific progress and investment in the science of hydrogen fuel could potentially turn the tide on our reliance on polluting energy sources like fossil fuels. It may not just offer developing countries a cheaper form of fuel, but also have positive impacts on the environment and global climate, which research has linked to pollution created by dirty energy. A fuel source with less than half the emissions of crude oil- based fuels like petroleum could turn around the demise of the planet, as predicted by scientists, at the hands of modern industry, and reduce the effects pollution has on the health of people living in densely populated areas ( energy- future.com/advantages_disadvantages_hydrogenenergy.php) Economic: When considering the need for renewable energy, one needs to consider all the applications a particular technological innovation will have. All of these have implications on the economic viability of many countries, not just those that have a shortage of potable water. The economic implications of developing hydrogen fuel are huge. Hydrogen power for example is three to six times more expensive than the extraction of natural gas ( Various related manufacture elements needed to support hydrogen energy also make the conversion costly, for example, the difficulty of storing it in a vehicle and the added weight of the fuel cell in the vehicle would require all new technology cater for the gas. These costs would have potentially huge delays in trickling down to developing nations which still heavily rely on traditional fossil fuels and would not have high- tech hydrogen based energy solutions as national budget priorities while basic needs like potable water and education remain paramount.

5 Democratisation of science: As with any scientific innovation or discovery, there will always be debates surrounding the control of the intellectual property and therefore the potential access various stakeholders might have to the technology. The high demand for renewable, clean fuel technology is no exception and will be highly sought after when it comes to market as soon as 2015 in the form of cheaper commercial vehicles, like Toyota s new fuel cell automobile, and electricity grid power production like the conversion plants in Eastern Germany. The access of poorer demographics and nations to the benefits of hydrogen technology may be greatly delayed and potentially begs the question of how technological innovations (like hydrogen economy) would be controlled by developed nations that can afford to invest research resources into making hydrogen safe and accessible to all.