Hydrogen: A Very Promising Energy Carrier for the Future

As we enter the new century, new fuels may be required for both stationary power and transportation to ameliorate the triple threats of local air pollution, global climate change and dependence on unstable nations for imported oil. Shifting away from fossil fuels may be essential within decades if citizens in the developing world achieve even a significant fraction of the per capita energy consumption enjoyed by the industrial nations. Business-as-usual or evolutionary shifts in energy consumption patterns may not be adequate. New paradigms and new energy initiatives may be required to protect the environment while providing the energy services we have come to expect. Hydrogen could play a significant role as a clean energy carrier in the future for both stationary and transportation markets. Produced from renewable energy or nuclear power, hydrogen could become the backbone of a truly sustainable energy future – an energy system that consumes no non-renewable resources and creates no pollution or greenhouse gases of any type during operation. However, to achieve this potential, hydrogen must overcome serious economic, technological and safety perception barriers before it can displace fossil fuels as the primary energy carrier throughout the world. In this paper we explore the current status of hydrogen and fuel cell systems compared to other fuel options for reducing pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and suggest the introduction of hydrogen into the energy economy.