Application of Hydrogen Energy to Railways

초록

The use of energy for transportation has reflected the needs people felt about in the times. Coal energy opened the age for mass transportation and oil energy for fast transportation. Electric powered system changed the quality of rail service in speed as well as comfortableness to a higher level. But, structures for the power cable and the energy source for power generation are still against a desirable environment. In addition, high cost of crude oil imposes a heavy burden financially on passengers as well as drivers. Thus, much effort is given to the development of alternative energies to be free from the pressure of oil. Among them, fuel cell is emerged as the most promising one for transportation. There is the least harmful emission with hydrogen energy compared to the current railway power sources in the view of from well to wheels, and its sources are abundant on the earth. The energy sufficiency of fuel cell system is higher than 40%. Transportation by rail is still recognized to be environmentally superior to the road traffic system. But, such a situation can be reversed in the near future as long as hydrogen energy is not tajen into account for railway system.