Although hydrogen car technologies are not so widespread due to high costs, experts believe that hydrogen has a future, the National Television program "Vides fakti" (Environment Facts) reported on 4th March.
Illustrating how a hydrogen-powered car works, Pēteris Lesničenoks, a researcher at the ISSP UL’s Laboratory of Materials for Energy Harvesting and Storage, pointed out that a hydrogen tank is needed, from which the gas that accumulates in a battery or capacitor comes out. When the gas pedal is pressed, the electric motor spins. The advantages of hydrogen cars are their high power, much smaller battery, fast refueling, ability to cover long distances and no harmful emissions.
Hydrogen-powered cars are on the streets less than we would like because of the hydrogen production process. To avoid explosive hazards, expensive membranes must be used during production, and the gases must be separated from each other by maintaining a specific pressure. Hydrogen production requires a large amount of electricity, which results in costs that are currently very high.
Experts believe, however, that despite all the problems, hydrogen has a future. For example, RTU has developed a new electrolysis method that will allow hydrogen production on an industrial scale much more cheaply, with much less energy consumption, while reducing explosive hazards. "The more hydrogen we produce, the sooner we can use it, whether in drones, cars or planes. Any enthusiast among scientists or any company that wants to move into hydrogen technology should do so. Hydrogen is gaining momentum," says Pēteris Lesničenoks in the program.
