Fuel Cell Engineers

If we talk about what has occupied the world's attention most over the past few decades, it wouldn't be wars and conflicts, epidemics and diseases, or poverty and famine — those things have existed for thousands of years. Instead, the greatest threat to humanity's survival is what scientists call "climate change." Follow any TV, radio, or print news outlet, and you won't find one without stories about climate change. The climate crisis is directly tied to the planet's steadily rising temperatures, which bring about severe disasters: floods, wildfires, hurricanes, animal die-offs, and ruined crops. If you want to know why the planet's temperature keeps climbing, it's because of the harmful emissions released from burning fossil fuels — oil and natural gas. For decades, scientists and experts have been searching for other energy sources that are less harmful to the environment while also being renewable and sustainable — because, as you know, oil will inevitably run out someday. A group of scientists and engineers found what they were looking for in a specific element abundant in nature: hydrogen. Engineers called "fuel cell engineers" invented advanced technology they named "fuel cells" — devices similar to batteries that can continuously generate electrical power as long as hydrogen, their fuel source, is available. The most important thing about these devices is that the chemical reactions taking place inside them don't produce any emissions harmful to the environment. The electrical power generated by fuel cells can power car and bus engines, and it can supply homes, businesses, hospitals, and various facilities with the energy they need to operate. From this, you can understand the importance of the work fuel cell engineers do — they've created renewable, clean energy sources for us that can serve as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Meet the Writer: Waleed Abo Omiraa