Cars and motorcycles have the long-term effect of destroying the environment by depleting fossil fuel. On top of that, the emissions released from the combustion system of an automobile can also cause the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are two greenhouse gases that damage our Earth’s atmosphere. They could cause certain vegetation to die off, the snow caps to melt and increases in the Earth’s atmospheric temperature.
Reducing the amount of these greenhouse gases will greatly help reduce these effects.That’s why we need an alternative for petroleum.
Researchers are currently working on an environmentally friendly and inexhaustible energy resource: water.
They have created a water-hybrid combustion system that converts the vehicle to use water as a source of primary fuel. The engine derives fuel from hydrogen and oxygen, generated by the electrolysis of water. The only byproduct resulting from the hydrogen and oxygen components of combustion within the engine is water vapor. Therefore, emissions are cleaner, with fewer polluting particles.
The technology existed back in 1805 when a Swiss inventor named Isaac de Rivaz made the first car powered by water. There has been significant development of the technology since then, but recently researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working toward on the use of hydrogen from water as an alternative fuel to drive cars.
This water hybrid system combines all of the advantages of an electric engine with those of a gasoline motor. This technology has several advantages, including improving the fuel efficiency. This technology is an advantage to us as well as to the environment.
But this technology is not perfect, because some fossil fuels are still needed. Still, they are a far better choice than traditional vehicles that guzzle gasoline or diesel fuel and then fill the air with pollution and carbon. This technology has many benefits, and can save money over the long term that more than equals the small additional initial costs.
Water hybrid technology is one step forward to an end to fossil fuel use, even if they are not the final answer.
Jinali Parekh
Grade 10
Gandhi Memorial International School, Jakarta
