celebrity writers

The Coming Hydrogen Economy

Water as Fuel -- the Key to Energy Independence?

Oct 18, 2007

It's clean, renewable and, combined with solar power, it may turn out to be one of the more affordable energy alternatives.

With most of the world's fossil fuels to be depleted within the next few decades, many believe hydrogen -- extracted from water -- may be the answer to our planetary woes and energy independence.

Already key decision-makers -- from the major automakers to the White House and California -- are preparing for the eventual widespread adoption of hydrogen power as an inexpensive, clean-burning and renewable energy source.

Just consider:

President Bush's $1.2 billion Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, announced on January 28, 2003, envisions the transformation of the nation's transportation fleet from near total reliance on petroleum to steadily increasing use of clean-burning hydrogen.
Many states and countries have a hydrogen development plan, which details the transition to a complete Hydrogen Economy.
Almost every major automotive manufacturer has a hydrogen vehicle in development. General Motors even went so far as to announce hydrogen cell-powered vehicles would hit showrooms as early as 2011 and they expected the technology to revitalize the company, according to a Associated Press report, September 15, 2006.

Hydrogen Refueling Stations

In California, the plan is to build a full-scale “hydrogen highway” by 2010. Yet there has been no clear solution on how to inexpensively produce vast quantities of hydrogen – until now.

The answer may lie in solar hydrogen technology. A scalable and closed system, no outside power source is required. Existing gas stations can be easily retrofitted with our hydrogen generators and solar technology, producing unlimited supplies of hydrogen fuel from water for storage.

Hydrogen is clean, renewable, non-polluting -- although many challenges exist to widespread adoption. Still, if every fuel station in America, and beyond our borders, were capable of producing, storing and distributing hydrogen fuel at a fraction of the cost of gas, energy independence could become a reality.

Why Hydrogen?

California and other states are investing greatly in hydrogen technology for many compelling reasons, according the California Hydrogen Highway Network, July 26, 2007:

Fuel cell vehicles are zero emission
Hydrogen can be made from clean renewable sources
Hydrogen fuel can be produced domestically and within the state
It can create jobs
Auto manufacturers are producing and planning to market hydrogen cars
Hydrogen technology can apply across product lines, from sub-compacts to large trucks and SUVs
Hydrogen vehicles can reach consumer marketability in high numbers

Model for Future

With the Hydrogen Economy already evolving around the country, and auto manufacturers investing billions in hydrogen technology, many expect California's vision for a network of hydrogen fueling stations -- combined with cheap solar energy -- may in time become the solar hydrogen energy model for the rest of the country.

The copyright of the article The Coming Hydrogen Economy in Investment is owned by Steve Vogel. Permission to republish The Coming Hydrogen Economy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.