Environment GD Topic | Hydrogen Vehicles - Pros & Cons

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Group discussions are events where a group of candidates is brought together to share their views on a certain GD topic. They are a part of the selection process for jobs in many industries including government jobs, as well as the admission process for most institutions. And the best way to make the most of a GD and get a high score is to be prepared for them in advance. In this article, we will help you prepare for a popular environment GD topic by presenting arguments from the for as well as against points of view.

Also Read: Chakra Vyuh Bhedna, The Only Answer To How To Crack Group Discussions!

What Are Hydrogen Vehicles?

Hydrogen vehicles/ hydrogen fuel cell vehicles refer to those vehicles which use hydrogen to fuel the motors. The process behind this is that the chemical energy from hydrogen is converted to mechanical energy to power electric motors. There are two ways to convert hydrogen into electricity. One is by having hydrogen react with oxygen in a fuel cell and use that energy; these are hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. And the other is by burning hydrogen in an internal combustion engine. However, the former is the more commonly used of the two processes.

There has been a rise in trends favoring the use of hydrogen vehicles/ fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) due to the suspected shortage of other fossil fuels facing the global economy. Many car manufacturers have started working on car models that optimize the use of this technology. But have you ever wondered about the pros and cons of these hydrogen vehicles? Listed below are a few points (case for and against) on the discussion surrounding this matter.

Pros and Cons of Hydrogen Vehicles: Overview

Hydrogen vehicles have several pros and cons. While they emit zero greenhouse gases and have a longer driving range compared to electric vehicles, the high cost of hydrogen fuel and limited refueling infrastructure are some major bottlenecks. Take a quick look at the positives and negatives of Hydrogen vehicles. 

Case For Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (Pros)

• One of the problems facing the global economy is limited petroleum resources. In contrast, hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in the atmosphere which is also renewable. It hence makes sense to use hydrogen as a source of energy, despite the extraction challenges.
• Another issue that global citizens are facing and fighting against is rising pollution levels. Hydrogen cells solve this issue as well since they are a clean source of energy with no detrimental impact on the environment. Unlike other sources of fuel/ energy, heat and water are the only byproducts of hydrogen. In addition, hydrogen production does not take up a lot of land area. It is apparent that hydrogen is a superior source of energy in comparison to coal, natural gas, petroleum, etc.
• Hydrogen is a high-density source of energy, that is, it has the highest energy content amongst other common fuels by weight. This means that we get more energy per pound of hydrogen, in comparison to other fuels. Hydrogen is thus a more powerful and efficient source of energy in comparison to other fossil fuels.
• Another advantage to using hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles is that they do not lead to almost GHG emissions, unlike other fossil fuels. There is no carbon footprint left behind by hydrogen vehicles thus making them a better choice from an environmental standpoint.
• Also, the time it takes to charge hydrogen fuel cells is much more rapid than when recharging conventional internal combustion engine vehicles or battery-powered EVs. While it takes about 30 minutes to several hours to charge EVs, one can charge a hydrogen fuel cell in under five minutes! This combined with the fact that these cells already have an above-average run-time, makes hydrogen vehicles the choice for the future.

Case Against Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (Cons)

• Hydrogen is an abundant resource, but it is in no way inexpensive. Firstly, hydrogen does not exist on its own, it needs to be extracted either by separating it from water through electrolysis; or by separating it from carbon fossils. A significant amount of energy goes into these extraction processes. Thus, the process of extracting hydrogen and storing it adds to the cost of operating hydrogen vehicles.
• Not just this, but the space-age technology that goes into developing hydrogen cells and making them safe is expensive. In addition, there is still a long way to go in terms of technological development needed to make hydrogen vehicles viable. It is still in the baby years, and authorities and entities the world over need to invest time and resources into developing it.
• As per some estimations, hydrogen fuel generation is more expensive than solar energy.
• Did you know that hydrogen is a highly flammable fuel? We need to be sure that the hydrogen fuel cells are completely safe before we push the idea of using these vehicles. The hydrogen gas can easily burn in the air at 4%-75% concentration, making the safety concerns attached to the use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles of paramount importance.
• Theoretically, it is correct that hydrogen extraction does not cause GHG emissions, but at present, we use non-renewable natural gas to produce hydrogen fuel. And this process results in the creation of enormous amounts of C2O.
• Also despite all the other theoretical advantages of hydrogen fuel, we should not forget that it is extremely expensive to store and transport hydrogen fuel safely. The acceptable range needed for hydrogen fuel is at high-pressure levels. We are nowhere even close to the kind of infrastructure that is needed for hydrogen vehicles to be used regularly. For example, there are close to no hydrogen refueling places set up. 

Hydrogen vehicles as we’ve said are gaining popularity with many environmentalists promoting them. But no one can negate the shortcomings of pushing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at this point in time. What are your views on this? Think about it, and know how you would like to present your side of the argument for this GD topic. Remember that the observer for the GD is experienced enough to know when you don’t have your facts right. 

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