Samantha Skinner

Miss Van Straten

Physit 2/3
15 April 15

Skinner 1

Sugar Converted to Hydrogen

Imagine one day, all of the power in the world shuts off. Every light, computer, any
energy there is. There is no electricity throughout the nation. One day, there will need to be a
backup energy plan. There are many different forms of sustainable energy. Sugar
is one of them. Simple plant sugars such as Xylose can be converted into
hydrogen at extremely high temperatures. Hydrogen is also an alternative
sustainable energy source.
Our idea is that simple; we call the project Sweet Hydrogen (Zhang). Hydrogen is a
highly efficient and clean fuel. NASA has used hydrogen as a fuel for the space shuttles.
Scientists are struggling to keep the hydrogen levels up. Large amounts of tree and plant sugars
are a renewable resource that is currently used as biofuels. Using biomass to produce sugar into
hydrogen can lead to a global change in energy.
The US alone consumed 134 billion gallons of gasoline in 2011. With biomass, 700
metric tons can take the whole year worth of gasoline production. "We can now produce
hydrogen from every kind of agricultural waste, from cornstalk to wood chips. These residues
have no use in the industry and cannot be recycled" (Zhang).
Xylose is a simple plant sugar that can easily be converted into hydrogen at an extremely
high temperature. In 2014, it was said that at the temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit, Xylose
can be converted into hydrogen. Hydrogen is a good and reliable backup energy plan due to the
fact that there are many different ways to create hydrogen. Sugar is one alternative to make
hydrogen. One of the easiest ways to obtain hydrogen is from water (Helmenstine).

Samantha Skinner
Miss Van Straten
Physit 2/3
15 April 15

Skinner 2

It is harder to produce larger quantities of hydrogen. Scientists are currently trying to

figure out a way to produce large amounts of hydrogen at a lower cost. The cheapest way to
produce hydrogen currently is through extracting it from fossil fuels, therefore causing carbon
emissions. There are currently more than 130 million gasoline powered cars, so if there is ever a
time for fuel cell cars; it is unlikely that they will make a large impact on the environment.
Hydrogen, unlike gasoline, is a renewable resource. Hydrogen can be renewed by water
and we have an infinite amount. Gasoline is non-renewable and is produced with crude oil.
Hydrogen does not leave a carbon foot print, while gasoline does. Hydrogen is also a cheaper
alternative to gasoline. The price of gasoline now is about $2.32 a gallon, while a gallon of
hydrogen would cost around $1.50 a gallon (American Water).
Hydrogen has many environmental benefits that include; getting rid of most pollution, no
greenhouse gases, and infrastructure is less expensive, etc. Hydrogen is a good alternative for
businesses, cars, and anything else that includes energy. It may not be a main source, but it
substitutes as an alternative. It does not pollute the air and can be made infinitely without
harming anyone or anything around it.
Hydrogen can also be installed into housed, basically going off of the grid. Houses can
be powered by hydrogen with a system that can be built in the garage, or outside. The system can
turn sunlight into energy and extracting water into hydrogen. The system needed would cost
around $500,000. Although it is very expensive, in the long run it would help the environment
and help the economy with money.

Samantha Skinner
Miss Van Straten
Physit 2/3
15 April 15

Skinner 3

Overall, hydrogen is a clean and healthier alternative compared to the energy that
is being used now. It is not a pollutant would help the economy greatly. Businesses, vehicles, and
homes could have this as a backup or alternative energy plan if anything were to happen with the
current energy source.
The cons of having a hydrogen system are the expenses. Hydrogen isn't always clean to
produce. It's expensive to pull hydrogen from water (Watson). During the process of making the
hydrogen, there is carbon dioxide being put out and polluting, which takes over helping the
environment. Hydrogen that is released during the process of making it could essentially harm
the ozone layer, therefore furthering global warming (PBS). Hydrogen is also highly flammable,
but has no fumes, unlike gasoline.
There are many different forms of sustainable energy, sugar is one of them. Xylose, a
simple plant sugar, can be converted into hydrogen at high temperatures. Hydrogen is a reliable
alternative for energy and is not harmful to the environment. Hydrogen is a cheap alternative to
depending on what is needed.

Samantha Skinner
Miss Van Straten
Physit 2/3
15 April 15

Skinner 4

Works Cited
http://chemistry.about.com/od/makechemicalsyourself/a/How-To-MakeHydrogen-Gas.htm
http://heshydrogen.com/hydrogen-fuel-cost-vs-gasoline/
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef900227u?journalCode=enfuem
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11923077
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/04/01/1417719112.full.pdf
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hydrogen-house/
http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2013/04/040413-cals-hydrogen.html