surprisingly, fuel cell technology has been around since 1839, more than 150 years. it was originally called the “gas battery.” the invention of the fuel cell vehicle (fcv) didn’t come until 1959 in the form of a tractor.

but despite many years of research, fcvs are rare in the auto industry. the first fcv to become widely available for customer leasing was honda’s fcx clarity which debuted in 2008. although toyota has been invested in the potential of fcvs for years, they have yet to actually sell one. this is likely due to the huge success of the toyota prius.

the problem with hydrogen vehicles is the issue of refilling the tank and the huge amount of energy it takes to produce the hydrogen to fill it. if the hydrogen is produced with fossil fuels and bio-ethanol, there are still emissions even if they aren’t expelled from the operation of the fcv. to solve the problem that indirect emissions pose to the spread of the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the hydrogen would need to be produced using renewable energy only.

right now hybrid and electric cars are rising in popularity because they are convenient for consumers. after all, every home has an electrical outlet and a car can charge in as little as 20 minutes now. there are even special parking spaces with places to plug in.

despite difficulties, it’s certainly possible for fcvs to rise in popularity, especially due to the fact that california law favors the technology. sure enough, toyota will release the toyota mirai, their first official fcv, to consumers as of 2016 — to california only. hopefully, the mirai will match the success of the prius and provide another clean option for the planet.

(image at top: the toyota mirai will be released to consumers in 2016. / mario roberto duran ortiz)

that’s right, every gallon of gasoline emits 20 pounds of co2 into the environment.

a gallon of gasoline only weighs a little over 6 pounds, but co2 is created from combining the carbon with oxygen in the environment which means that the weight of the gasoline in your car more than triples in the amount of emissions released through your exhaust pipe.

what changes can we make?

we all have a number of options to lower the amount of vehicle emissions released each day. below are four simple ways to stop emitting 5 – 9 tons of co2 automobile emissions each year.

1. choose a car that gets better mileage.
   having a car that gets better mpg means you are putting less vehicle emissions into the air. the epa and u.s. department of energy have a great comparison tool to help consumers find the right car for them when considering gas mileage.
2. walk, bike, or take public transportation.
   if you’re close enough to walk or bike to work, or even to the store, you are making nearly a 100% difference in the amount of vehicle emissions you are producing. even if walking or biking to work is not feasible, consider taking public transportation when you can. you will not only be helping the environment, but also your wallet.
3. carpool
   get to work in the fast lane and split save money and reduce pollution doing it. carpooling is a great option if you are looking to save money, the environment, and have a few buddies at the office who live nearby you. many areas have carpool lanes that will let you get to and from work much quicker, and everybody will be splitting the fuel cost.
4. use low-carbon fuels
   using ethanol, cng, or other even cleaner automobile fuels (electric car?) can help reduce co2 pollution when you are driving.

what will fuel your change? 

john perrino is a senior majoring in political communication at the george washington university. julia blakely is a senior majoring in journalism at the george washington university.

our idea seeks to change this by using algae, which grow at a very high rate and can be beneficial removing carbon dioxide from the air and unwanted nutrients from polluted waters, and converting it into butanol. butanol has a higher energy content per gallon than ethanol, and can be used directly in gasoline engines, making it a better choice.

through the process we are designing we hope to create a more sensible path toward green transportation fuels in the future.