Exploring the Evolution of Green Hydrogen from its 1766 Origin to its Use in the Gremlin in 1972
A Brief History of Green Hydrogen: From Cavendish to the Hydrogen-Powered Gremlin
The journey of green hydrogen begins with the discovery of hydrogen itself by Henry Cavendish in 1766, who identified it as a unique, highly flammable gas he called “inflammable air.”[1][2][4][5] Antoine Lavoisier later coined the term "hydrogen" from the Greek for "water-former," deriving the word because burning hydrogen produces water.[1][2]
In 1839, Sir William Grove made significant strides by developing the first working fuel cell, called Grove’s “Gas” Battery, which combined hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity with water as the only byproduct.[1] This was foundational for hydrogen as a power source.
The concept of green hydrogen grew with advances in clean energy technologies in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy, thus avoiding carbon emissions.
The hydrogen-powered Gremlin is a modern application of hydrogen energy, symbolising the practical realization of hydrogen as a clean power source. In 1972, a hydrogen-powered AMC Gremlin was retrofitted at the University of California, Los Angeles, with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation.[6]
The hydrogen Gremlin was a prototype of aspiration, not technology. Despite its short range, cumbersome refueling, and bulky storage tanks, it marked a significant milestone in the history of hydrogen energy in automotive transportation.[7]
The postwar period, especially during the oil crises of the 1970s, witnessed growing interest in a "hydrogen economy," where renewable electricity would be used to produce hydrogen for energy storage and use in transportation and power generation.[8]
The hydrogen-powered Gremlin revealed the promise and precarity of hydrogen energy. While it highlighted its unviable economics, it also showcased its technologically feasible and conceptually elegant nature.[9]
The history of green hydrogen is a history of recurrence, returning with every crisis, every oil shock, every moment when fossil certainty falters. Despite these limitations, the hydrogen-powered Gremlin functioned, demonstrating the potential of hydrogen as a clean, renewable energy source for the future.[10]
The hydrogen Gremlin was a prototype for zero-emission vehicles using domestically produced hydrogen. Its failure was not a technological collapse but a sociopolitical retreat, a testament to the challenges of implementing green technologies in the face of entrenched fossil fuel industries and cultural norms.[11]
References: 1. https://www.britannica.com/science/hydrogen 2. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1911/cavendish/biographical/ 3. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antoine-Laurent-de-Lavoisier 4. https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-collection/cavendish-s-hydrogen-gas-storage-and-weight-experiment 5. https://www.britannica.com/topic/electrolysis 6. https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/ucla-hydrogen-gremlin-1972 7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128506001653 8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148106001363 9. https://www.nature.com/articles/433034a 10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128506001653 11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128506001363
- The advancement in environmental science and technology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries led to the development of green hydrogen, a form of hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy in the industry.
- Green hydrogen, being a clean and renewable energy source, has gained significant attention from financial and energy sectors, with the potential to contribute to mitigating climate-change effects.
- The continuous pursuit for sustainable solutions has brought forth innovations like the hydrogen-powered Gremlin, demonstrating that hydrogen technology can play a crucial role in the transition towards a low-carbon and environmentally friendly future.
