Since time immemorial man has worshiped the elements. Somehow it seems that man had always realized the potential in these eternal energy sources. Life on this planet owes its very existence to the elements: sun, water & air. After a couple of millenniums of progress man it seems has gone back to these elements to sustain his existence on the planet. Science has taken us back to our origins & today it is frantically searching for energy sources from these very basic elements. It is this search that has leads us to the field of “Solar Hydrogen Power“.
The quest to find alternate fuel has leaded us to a point where we are trying to harness energy from water & the sun. In this process we utilize the energy of the sun to electrolyze the water sample taken to produce its constituent elements: hydrogen & oxygen. Hydrogen is a fuel which is a very high calorific value compared to any other fossil fuel we use today. This simple means that each gram of Hydrogen produces more heat & subsequently more energy than petrol or diesel. Hence the technology is invaluable for future fuel needs of the world.
Hydrogen thus obtained can be used for multiple tasks. It can be used as fuel in boats which does not spill on the deck or onto the ocean surface. The best is that ships need not ever run out of fuel as water most definitely surrounds them. This is when you would be happy to say “water, water everywhere”. It can be used in Barbecue grills with no necessity to refill any cylinders each time. Obviously, its greatest use would be found in vehicular transport which needs the technology most. Vehicles can get their tanks filled at the nearest “hydrogen station” when they run out of it. Probably a car with solar panels & inbuilt hydrogen generating unit is the way for the future!!
The possibilities are endless. The technology is refreshingly simple in theory (although it might be not that simple in practice). It offers a great avenue both for investors & offers a great solution to the world fuel crisis. But it still leaves me with two questions. Hydrogen is highly combustible & if not handled with utmost care can prove to be deadly. Secondly, the greediness of man allows you to suspect if he will suck dry the oceans of the world to satisfy his energy needs, if this technology is realized. But for now the best way is to stay positive & move forward. Hey, the best part of this technology which most people are missing on: its by-product is OXYGEN!! Now if that is not a perfect then I don’t know what is.
