Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
During the 2008 Hydrogen Road Tour, hydrogen-powered cars traveled the roads of
18 states.
to produce it. For example, coal (the primary energy source) is
burned in
power plants
to make electricity that is then carried
over power lines to homes and businesses, where it is used.
Using Hydrogen Today
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
currently uses most of the hydrogen fuel produced in the United
States. NASA has used liquid hydrogen fuel since the 1970s
to power the space shuttle rockets. Liquid hydrogen fuel is an
energy-dense fuel. This means that if you compare gasoline and
liquid hydrogen of equal
mass
, the liquid hydrogen will have
three times the amount of energy as the gasoline. This surely
helps when engineers are trying to push tons of steel off a
rocket launch pad!
Car manufacturers have designed several types of hydrogen-
powered vehicles. For the most part, these vehicles are not
yet ready for the public, but they are getting close. Honda,
