Hydrogen energy seems to have only recently appeared in the public eye, but in fact, the development history of hydrogen energy is very long, and it has even been used in transportation for some time.
Hydrogen energy is known as a sustainable energy source, also referred to as the ultimate environmentally friendly energy source. Hydrogen reserves are abundant, accounting for 90% of all molecules in the universe. Hydrogen gas was discovered in the 16th century. Hydrogen has infinite possibilities, not only with its abundant reserves and low density, but also in its potential to be used in transportation.
In the 18th century, French scientists used the principle of hydrogen's low density to create hydrogen balloons. Since then, various transportation methods and vehicles using hydrogen energy have been developed, such as the first hydrogen airship that could ascend to high altitudes, its use in deep sea diving, and even in helping humans land on the moon.
The use of hydrogen in automobiles also has a long history. In 1839, the world's first safe and environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel cell was developed. A hundred years later, scientists installed the fuel cell on a car and successfully test drove it. In 1950, the world's first hydrogen-powered vehicle was developed. In the most recent development in 2022, the first hydrogen-powered train was created. Now, hydrogen is being used in a variety of transportation vehicles, including cars, trucks, and buses. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are rapidly developing and expanding worldwide, not only in scale but also in technical performance, becoming more mature and with lower production costs.
APAS is also one of the earliest institutions in Hong Kong to initiate research and application of hydrogen energy technology. We have developed hydrogen fuel cell forklifts and hydrogen fuel cell electric off-grid chargers. The project started as early as 2019 and was completed in 2022, undergoing trials and demonstrations.
In the next post, I will uncover the biggest question about new energy: Is it really hydrogen energy completely environmentally friendly? If you want to learn more about the details of hydrogen energy, be sure to stay tuned with us.