Matthew Ferruzza
THE ETHICS OF MASS PRODUCING HYDROGEN FUEL
Matthew Ferruzza ()
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Matthew Ferruzza
THE DILEMMA
I am an engineer at Nuvera Fuel Cells, a corporation focused on developing clean energy technology solutions. Nuvera invents new ways to provide renewable energy generation for the entire country [1]. It is a company has begun to struggle as of recently due to the general population’s inability to adopt their technology. The leaders within Nuvera have started to get desperate because of the amount of money the company is losing. I concentrate on creating alternative methods to mass produce hydrogen fuel. I have just improved upon a previous electrolysis design that would allow it to become the primary hydrogen producing process. Electrolysis involves passing an electrical current through water in order to separate the hydrogen and oxygen ions [2]. This new process uses solar energy as the source of the electricity, making the power supply renewable and cheap. The solar energy is absorbed by silicon wafers, a semiconductor, which transform the energy into an electrical current. The energy is converted due to the cobalt placed on the underside of the silicon [3]. The cobalt is placed through electrodeposition, a technique that changes the properties of the metal that is coated [4]. In this case, it is the silicon’s properties that are affected when the cobalt is placed in small concentrations on the underside of the wafers. Previous methods have required expensive noble metals, such as platinum, for their water-splitting devices.This new semiconductor, however, uses relatively inexpensive metals, silicon and cobalt, to produce the electrical current [3]. Cobalt, for example, is more than one thousand times cheaper than platinum [5]. This is a major hurdle to a hydrogen economy that has now been cleared. The process is low-cost and efficient, allowing it to be used in a large-scale production of hydrogen for the country [3]. This is the type of technology that could stimulate Nuvera’s finances and save the company.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
The problem with using this technology on such a mass scale is that in a few months this process will be discontinued, and most of the materials will be discarded when a new and improved method surfaces. Once the cobalt is electrodeposited onto the silicon, the two metals will be stuck like that forever and impossible to separate. This revolutionary method will create a countrywide change in the way we produce hydrogen, and the inevitable discontinuation of my technology will lead to the widespread disposal of silicon-cobalt wafers. If that is true, that is a huge amount of the cobalt-silicon wafers being scrapped afterwards.This is the main problem I see in using this technology to mass produce hydrogen. Cobalt is slightly radioactive and very active chemically. While it is beneficial to be exposed to it in small amounts due to it being part of vitamin B12, high concentrations of cobalt can damage human health. Unless the wafers are evenly spread throughout scrapyards all over the country, which would cost a great deal of money to do, the cobalt would most likely accumulate in large concentrations.This would be due to production facilities dropping off wafers at the nearest scrapyards to save money. High concentrations of cobalt can cause very dangerous health effects. Just breathing in the cobalt can cause lung issues such as asthma or pneumonia. If radioactivity from the cobalt in the scrapyard spreads to nearby plants, the consequences can be steep. Absorbing cobalt can result in vomiting, nausea, and heart, thyroid, and vision problems. These are the repercussions that affect humans but there are also many environmental ramifications that should be considered. If it rains, the runoff could take some of the cobalt with it, either very small particles or some of its radioactivity, and carry it to surface water. “Cobalt cannot be destroyed once it has entered the environment” [6].There is no way to get rid of it when it spreads, as the damage is permanent. If the cobalt spreads to nearby plants, it could harm animals and humans that consume the plants. Cobalt found in the soil naturally accumulates in plants, especially in the parts of the plants we eat, like seeds and fruit. It is essential that once my method becomes obsolete, these cobalt-silicon wafers are properly disposed of since the inability to do so will cause terrible consequences towards humans and the environment [6].
HOW THIS AFFECTS ME
If I go through with this and submit my research findings to Nuvera, my position within the company will become more powerful and secure. I am almost guaranteed to earn a promotion and a large pay raise. The company I work at will become stable and I will not have to worry about finding a new job. Nuvera would become a powerful figure in the fuel industry through the help of one of my discoveries, and that will surely lead to my advancement within the company. I was already making a substantial amount of money, but this would justify a sizeable increase upon that. This raise would allow me to live comfortably the rest of my life and retire a few years early. My children would live an enjoyable childhood and I would be able to put them through college without the need for student loans. Overall, my life would become much easier and pleasant. The only downside is living with the knowledge that my invention could negatively affect the health of others and the environment. The metals used are not the safest, and the thought of them bringing harm is something I would have to live with for the rest of my life. If news stories materialize of people suffering impairments as a result of the metals, they would have come as a direct result of something I created and it would always be in the back of my mind.
SOCIETAL SIGNIFICANCE
This innovation completely legitimizes the use of hydrogen fuel as a fuel source. Previous hurdles that needed to be leaped before we got to this point includecreating a method that is efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. There is finally a way to produce hydrogen that covers all three of those requirements [3]. The legitimization of a renewable and environmentally friendly fuel source opens the door for alternative fuel vehicles. So far, the alternative fuel market has been a disappointment, mostly because no one is interested in purchasing one. People see the negatives associated with the current options and they are enough to justify using fossil fuel based cars. Electric cars have failed so far because their batteries are not efficient and the supply of electricity they use is not environmentally friendly [7]. Most of the electricity created in the United States come from fossil fuels, so while the car itself is green, it is indirectly harming the environment [8]. Another very popular form of alternative fuel is biofuel. Ethanol, the most popular form of biofuel, is made by using a mixture of a biomass, such as corn, and gasoline. The negatives to this is that it still uses gasoline, so it is not the optimal fuel for the environment, and it could affect food prices and availability [9]. All of the alternative fuels have negatives that prevent them from overcoming fossil fuels, but now hydrogen based fuel might be able to do it. It is cheaper than gasoline, it is perfectly healthy for the environment, and hydrogen fuel cells are have a higher efficiency than internal combustion engines [10]. The validity of hydrogen fuel opens the door for companies such as Tesla who specialize in alternative fuel vehicles. This impacts the jobs of those who design cars for a living. Suddenly, their jobs become much more important and their products in demand. Mechanical and electrical engineers would see their job market and the demand for them increase. Hydrogen fuel based vehicles would surge in popularity due to the benefits of fuel prices and environment effects. My innovation could lead to a transformation of the entire country’s primary mode of transport. Everything from cars, buses, trucks, to even subways would need to be remodeled to accommodate the hydrogen power. Many more jobs would be created, partially solving the United States’ unemployment problem.Lessening our dependence on gasoline is also a good thing. Eventually, the amount of crude oil being produced will decline. Even as it is declining, demand will continue to rise as the worldwide use of vehicles increase. Our heightened reliance on oil, even when the future of gas is not promising, gives room for worry. That is the reason why a large-scale transition to a renewable fuel source is a necessity. The crude oil supply will eventually run dry, so we need to start looking now for fuel to convert to rather than wait until it is all gone. A full transformation to a renewable energy source would take some time. We, as a country, need to seize the opportunity before it is too late.
Another benefit to reducing our oil reliance is the prevention of future wars. Too many lives have been lost in the fight over crude oil. Our society has gone to war in areas that produce oil just to ensure stability [11]. As the supply of oil gets smaller and smaller, countries will become more desperate for it, including ours. This could lead to some very violent conflicts. This is a national security issue and something that should be addressed before we get to that point. In addition, our country’s dependency on oil adds to the national debt. Our trade with oil-producing countries further increases our already colossal debt. It contributes to a trade deficit, which means we are importing more goods than we are exporting. The national debt steadily rises and we have done nothing to prevent it from doing so [12]. Transitioning to hydrogen fuel could reduce our imports, such as oil and foreign combustion fueled vehicles, and increase our exports of hydrogen fueled vehicles made within the United States. That could help solve the imbalance in our trade and interrupt the ongoing ascent of our debt.
WEIGHING THE OPTIONS
When making a decision that can have such large implications on the entire country, it is important to consider all of the different impacts it could have. One of those aspects is how my decision will affect the environment. The main purpose of my innovation is that it is supposed to be a great benefit to the environment. It provides an alternative and superior source of energy in comparison to fossil fuels [10]. That is supposed to be its main selling point, but its biggest detractor also has to do with its environmental impact. The cobalt contained in the semiconductor has the potential to have some very destructive effects on certain areas. If cobalt concentrations in an area become too high, the community surrounding it would suffer permanent health problems [6]. According to the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Code of Ethics, chemical engineers must “Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and protect the environment in performance of their professional duties” [13]. It states that I should put the public’s health and safety above all else, so I should not submit my findings since the effects from the cobalt would put citizens in danger. However, if our country does not make the leap to renewable energy soon, our entire country could be put in danger. As the amount of crude oil left in the world becomes more limited, our country may be forced to go to war with other nations in order to claim it for ourselves. The United States is currently so dependent on fossil fuels that if they run out, everything would break into chaos. There would be almost no means of transportation available and huge power outages everywhere. The U.S. would be desperate enough to send our troops to war in order to prevent that from happening, so if I do not submit my findings, I could jeopardize our national security. My technology could also protect the public’s health and safety in the long run. The ozone layer continues to suffer permanent damage everyday due to burning of fossil fuels. Global warming is a real thing and it threatens the environment and our very existence. It may not seem as such an urgent issue compared to others since the effects are not very visible from a day-to-day basis, but over time, the impacts are clear and frightening [14]. The consequences of global warming endanger the entire world, so even though the potential results from high concentrations of cobalt are problematic, the ramifications of global warming are much more dangerous. This really becomes a question of whether sacrificing a few for the good of the many is a logical point of view. Researching this stance led me to find that it has roots in collectivism [15]. Collectivism is the principle of prioritizing the group over the individual. It views the group as the main component and the individual as just a member of the group. After exploring arguments of collectivism against individualism, I have found that there are several problems ethically with collectivism. One of the reasons is that “because the collective is seen as having an importance higher than the individuals that make it up, those same individuals are asked to sacrifice for it” [16]. The cases against collectivism makes me question whether endangering the health of a few people is really worth saving everyone in the long run. Those people have done nothing wrong and are completely innocent, so they have done nothing wrong to deserve this [15].I know that if I do submit my research to Nuvera, they will begin producing my technology without hesitation as it has the potential to significantly benefit their financial status. Harming a few people does not matter to them as they are the ones on top. I would have to be the one who lives with it and its results. One of the fundamental canons in the National Society of Professional Engineers Code of Ethics, however, is that engineers shall “act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees”. The right thing to do as an employee of Nuvera is to not hide the product that they are paying me to create. Another fundamental canon is that engineers shall “avoid deceptive acts” [17]. Continuing to work under Nuverawhile hiding such a huge discovery from them certainly qualifies as deceptive. I owe it to my employer to submit the innovation that they provided the resources to create it with. A point in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Code of Ethics is that members should “formally advise their employers or clients (and consider further disclosure, if warranted) if they perceive that a consequence of their duties will adversely affect the present or future health or safety of their colleagues or the public” [13]. When I turn in my technology, I must also inform Nuvera of the possible negative consequences of mass producing it.
MY ADVICE
If other engineers should find themselves in a similar predicament, I would recommend they read the code of ethics for engineers. It lays out what is expected of them and what they are not to do as professional engineers. My previous course of action was, as I believed it to be, the right-minded one. However, after reviewing the code of ethics, I found that to be false. It was a dishonest and underhanded strategy. I am confident that I have made the right decision and I hope that any other engineers feel the same way about their choice due to my advice.
REFERENCES
[1] “Vision and Mission” Nuvera. (Website).
[2]“Hydrogen Production: Electrolysis.” U.S. Department of Energy. (Website).
[3] J. C. Hill, A.T. Landers, J. A. Switzer. (2015). “An Electrodeposited Inhomogeneous Metal–Insulator–Semiconductor Junction for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.” Nature. (Online Report).
[4] “Electroplating and Electrodeposition Metal Finishings.” Precision Plating Company. (Website).
[5] “Platinum Spot Price and Charts.” JM Bullion. (Website).
[6] “Cobalt (Co).” Lenntech: Water Treatment and Purification. (Website).
[7] B. Berman. (2014). “Electric Cars Pros and Cons.” Plug-in Cars. (Online Article).
[8] “What is U.S. Electricity Generation by Energy Source?” (2015). U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Website).
[9] J. B. Meigs. (2009). “The Ethanol Fallacy: Op-Ed.” Popular Mechanics. (Online Article).
[10] “Harnessing Hydrogen: The Key to Sustainable Transportation.” (2012). Inform Inc. (Online Article).
[11]M. T. Klare. (2012). “6 Global Conflicts That Have Flared Up Over Oil and Gas.” Alternet. (Online Article).
[12] “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services.” (2015). Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Online Report).
[13] “Code of Ethics.” American Institute of Chemical Engineers. (Website).
[14] “The Current and Future Consequences of Global Change.” National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Website).
[15]L. Hunter. “The Modern ‘Greater Good’ Is a Sacrifice Of the Innocents.” Forbes. (Online Article).
[16] J. Rowlands. “Individualism Vs. Collectivism.” Objectivism 101. (Website).
[17] “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National Society of Professional Engineers. (Website).
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
“Cases and Scenarios.”Online Ethics Center. (Online Database).
D. Susca. (2006). “Making Ethical Business Decisions.” The Journal of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. (Online Article).
“Ethics.” The British Broadcasting Corporation. (Website).
“Ethics Cases.”Texas Tech University. (Online Database).
“Ethics Case Studies.”The Web Guide to Research for Undergraduates. (Online Database).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my parents, Jeff and Toni Ferruzza, for the support and motivation. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Aubrey Graham for giving me the inspiration to complete this assignment.
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