On April 2, 2001, Ballard Power Systems, the world leader in fuel cell production, announced a sale of $16 million of fuel cell modules and support services to the Honda Motor Company. In September and December, 2001, Ballard concluded two agreements with Ford Motor Company to provide $66 million of the same fuel cells and services.
The fuel cell economy is developing much faster than expected, as the competition among companies intensifies. This momentum in developing clean sources of electricity for vehicles, as well as homes and businesses, holds the promise of a cleaner energy future, bringing us one step closer to an eco-economy.
Fuel cells use hydrogen to produce electricity and emit only water and heat. If used to power a vehicle, the fuel cells generate electricity to run the motor. Buildings powered by fuel cells use both the electricity and the heat they generate, increasing the fuel cells' efficiency.
If the hydrogen fuel is derived from the electrolysis of water, using electricity obtained from wind turbines, solar cells, hydropower turbines, or geothermal generators, it is completely emission-free. Some fuel cells rely on hydrogen extracted from natural gas or gasoline; while not emission-free, this is still much cleaner than fossil fuel combustion. Fuel cell vehicles that derive hydrogen from fossil fuels are typically twice as fuel-efficient as vehicles with internal combustion engines.
The fuel cell economy is developing much faster than expected, as the competition among companies intensifies. This momentum in developing clean sources of electricity for vehicles, as well as homes and businesses, holds the promise of a cleaner energy future, bringing us one step closer to an eco-economy.
Fuel cells use hydrogen to produce electricity and emit only water and heat. If used to power a vehicle, the fuel cells generate electricity to run the motor. Buildings powered by fuel cells use both the electricity and the heat they generate, increasing the fuel cells' efficiency.
If the hydrogen fuel is derived from the electrolysis of water, using electricity obtained from wind turbines, solar cells, hydropower turbines, or geothermal generators, it is completely emission-free. Some fuel cells rely on hydrogen extracted from natural gas or gasoline; while not emission-free, this is still much cleaner than fossil fuel combustion. Fuel cell vehicles that derive hydrogen from fossil fuels are typically twice as fuel-efficient as vehicles with internal combustion engines.