Hydrogen Fuel Cells are Making a Comeback!

In ancient times alchemists attempted to turn base metals into gold and silver. Their dream of effortless and limitless riches proved futile, however. Today there is a new dream of the same kind, but it’s not alchemists working on it, and it’s not the production of precious metals out of things like lead and stone. Today’s golden quest consists of scientists who are working overtime to unlock the mystery of how to split water, basic H2O, back into hydrogen and oxygen. This process, often called cold fusion, would deliver a fuel for heating, generating electricity, and for powering motor vehicles, that would never run out and would not generate anything extra outside of streams of pure water.

Doctor Hen Dotan, Professor Gideon Grader, and Professor Avner Rothchild, working at the Technion-Israeli Institute, have recently announced a giant step in this longed-for process, which they have named E-Tac. 

Their process shows great promise in filling hydrogen fuel cells, used in a variety of emission-free vehicles across the globe, for an incredibly low cost — making it nearly competitive with current gasoline prices.

Electric cars have shown that the world can travel responsibly without creating massive amounts of greenhouse gas. Soon, perhaps, cars fueled by hydrogen cells will also begin to dominate a cleaner, more environmentally stable and sustainable, world.