Hydrogen is set to play a big role in the future of the world’s energy usage. Estimates say that nearly a quarter of the world’s energy could be supplied by hydrogen by 2050. Using hydrogen in hydrogen fuel cells can provide backup power for a home when the electric grid foes down or serve as a replacement for it during peak hours. The electrical grid connection can also be replaced by a hydrogen fuel cell entirely. One company, Alkaline Fuel Cell Power, is designing hydrogen fuel cells using mostly common and accessible materials like plastic, nickel, and graphite to drive the end-cost down and make them affordable for residential uses.
Currently Alkaline Fuel Cell Power is in the process of developing and prototyping their 4kW system set to be ready for sale in 2024. Alkaline fuel cell technology used by Alkaline Fuel Cell Power uses a chemical process rather than burning fuel. This results in virtually zero pollution in comparison to its counterparts using combustion. The low production price of these fuel cells also means that a high volume of production is possible.
Alkaline Fuel Cell Power’s fuel cells are designed to be used primarily in residential and small to medium commercial applications where the prices for electricity are projected to rise by 16% in the next decade. It is also predicted that the price of green hydrogen will fall by half in the US and Europe by 2050 making fuel cells, like those made by Alkaline Fuel Cell Power, all the more attractive for consumers.
Government legislatures and capital providers, especially in Europe, are becoming more demanding for clean energy to be more widespread, as it has become a growing concern for the region. The current demand for zero-emission technology is not being met due to the lack of adequate technology currently available to fulfil it, but governments are heavily investing in it, with the cumulative investments in renewable hydrogen in Europe estimated to be up to €180-470 billion by 2050, and in the range of €3-18 billion for low-carbon fossil-based hydrogen.
