Although a young technology, fuel cells offer one of the most exciting opportunities to achieve clean sources of energy, and chemical companies see promise in this emerging market Fuel cells have widespread applications, and therefore they offer market potential. Uses include stationary applications, such as a power source in hospitals, nursing homes, office buildings, and schools. They can be used in residential applications, where a given residence is connected to the grid to provide supplementary power, or installed as a grid-independent generator for on-site service. Other uses are in transportation and portable power (Challenger, 3). .
The use of fuel cells for energy is being recognized by many to be the chief source of energy in the future, and when one such person is the president of the United States we all must take notice.
President Bush's in his State of the Union address on Tuesday 28th January 2003 outlined his energy plan and environmental initiatives, including cutting pollution from power plants, saying his goal is " to promote energy interdependence for our country, while dramatically improving the environment- .Stating that environmental progress will come not through lawsuits or regulations but through technology and innovation, the president showcased a $1.2 billion research program for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. He said a commitment to the program would ensure that " the first vehicle driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution free" (Dinesh, 20).
The environmental benefits of fuel cells are some of the main motivating forces in their development. These benefits include the zero- or near-zero-emission of criteria pollutants (NOx, SOx, CO, and hydrocarbons) and very low noise emissions. Environmentally friendly fuel cell properties could eliminate consumer contempt for power generation close to their houses and businesses. While most consumers probably would prefer to have conventional electricity generated at a location far from their homes due to the noise and pollution, the benign nature of fuel cells makes them non-offensive even if placed in residential communities (NFCRC).
