New System of Producing Hydrogen does not Use Fossil Fuels

Pennsylvania (TGW) – Bacteria that feeds on vinegar and waste water that is electrocuted could produce clean hydrogen fuel for cars, according to a report published by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.

"This process produces 288 percent more energy in hydrogen than the electrical energy that is added to the process," said Bruce E. Logan, the Kappe professor of environmental engineering.

Currently, hydrogen for transportation comes from fossil fuels. Even though the car emits no greenhouse gases, the manufacturing of hydrogen does.

"This is a method of using renewable organic matter, using anything that's biodegradable and being able to generate hydrogen from that material," Logan said.

Though the cells are too large to be put in cars, they can still be made at a factory.

"You could put one of these reactors at a food processing plant and take the waste water and make hydrogen out of it," Logan said. "Or you could go to a farm, where there's lot of cellulose or ... agricultural cellosic residues, take that and make hydrogen there."

"The first step is just to start using locations where we have waste waters that were spending money on treating, and turning those water treatment plants into hydrogen production plants," Logan said.

The researchers have filed a patent for their work.

Via :: Reuters :: Science Daily