This is a guest post submitted by Amanda Kidd.

We know that urea is good for crops and also for producing biogas through methane production, but ithas never crossed our minds that urine could replace fuel in cars as well and become a potential ‘green’and inexpensive fuel of the future. This is exactly what Gerardine Botte of Ohio University has discovered – an efficient method of extracting hydrogen from urine to fuel cars as hydrogen-based cars are eventually the future of the automotive industry. As fuel prices continue to soar and our needs seem to outstrip the reserves of oil that are left in the world it becomes necessary for us to searchfor alternative and greener fuel options. Urine powering our cars most certainly falls into the ‘green’category and it does seem likely when human waste will power our automobiles one day.
This cheap raw material, which is also renewable, is an easier and more efficient way of producing hydrogen through electrolysis rather than performing the same procedure on water. Botte has researched and found that since the primary component of urine is urea which comprises of fourhydrogen atoms that are loosely bonded when compared to that in water. When a current of 0.37V is passed through a nickel-based electrode (which is the process of electrolysis) it efficiently and easily breaks the molecules to separate hydrogen.
Initially, the tests were performed on synthetic urine produced in the lab, and then with real human urine and both the experiments showed positive results. Botte also believes that this procedure wouldalso be beneficial in cleaning up sewage plants while producing hydrogen fuel from the same. The only loophole in this procedure is the fact that the urea present in urine quickly converts into ammonia bythe bacteria that are present. This could pose to be a problem while carrying out the procedure.
However, a section of other people seems to have a different take on urine being used to power vehicles. Urine contains a lot of phosphorus and since our phosphorus reserves are also dwindling so they argue that urine should be used to extract phosphorus which is globally needed for fertilizer.
Gerardine Botte has made a small prototype of a machine (3 in x 3 in) that converts urine into hydrogen, producing approximately 500mW of power. Botte estimates state that a fuel-cell car powered by urine could roughly last 90 miles per gallon which is a pretty good average.
During the beginning of this year a company called E3 Clean Technologies was started in order to make ‘pee power’ more popular and Botte is their chief technology officer. A ‘Greenbox’ prototype of converting urine into hydrogen gas for commercial purposes is expected to be rolled out by the company by the end of 2012.
It is not that far when we will see futuristic cars being powered with urine-derived hydrogen gas – a futuristic but very probable prospect.
About the author: Amanda Kidd is a writer who is an ardent follower of environment friendly existence. Being and eco enthusiast, she prefers to own only eco friendly assets. Her entire house is quite eco friendly right from the exteriors to interiors and she plans to own an eco friendly car soon.