[Brendan]

I have been hearing a little bit here and there about hydrogen as one of the next major energy sources. Is this true? Can someone please give me some information on the topic?

Thanks,
Brendan

[Redofthelost]

They are considering it. There are several different studies including hydrogen fuel cells. But the main problem with hydrogen as a fuel is that its highly explosive. And not like oil explosive where it blows up the car, its explosive as in it blows up the entire block. Terrorists will definitely take advantage of that in america... =/

[Craig]

Hydrogen is definitely being looked at and seriously developed. I think the issue of hydrogen being so explosive is somewhat blown out of proportion - think of natural gas and propane vehicles, they weren't exactly exploding into pieces in the streets. Here is some more info to dispel the hydrogen "myth" - e-sources (by E4Tech.com)

I think the biggest hold up preventing full scale development of hydrogen fuel cells is the lack of infrastructure. If your car took hydrogen as a fuel, where would you go to fill it up? Also the fact that they can't just hold a big vacuum hose in the air and collect hyrdrogen....it cost money (and energy) to produce it.

[Brendan]

Its funny because here in British Columbia our government and the government of California have announced a big joint project called "The Hydrogen Highway." They must have some progress if they are doing this?

[Timetrvlr]

Hydrogen isn't really a new energy source, it's simply a means of storing energy. Think of it like a battery, it stores energy until you are ready to use it. We have to separate hydrogen from something else before we can use it. that process requires energy.

The common thing to do is to use electricity to separate the hydrogen atoms from the oxygen atoms in water. This requires a lot of electricity to do and it usually comes from coal-fired power plants. We don't want to do it that way!

A better solution is to use renewable energy to produce the electricity to separate hydrogen. This is a very good fit for wind power because sometimes the wind is strong and produces a lot more electricity when it's not needed, then it should be used to produce hydrogen.

[Timetrvlr]

Honda announces first fuel-cell production car
Thu 15 Nov, 2007, 17:05

Honda is to manufacture a fuel-cell car for public sale, making a world first. A production version of the FCX concept saloon will go on sale in the United States and Japan in the summer of next year, selected owners having the opportunity to lease the car for three years at a price of $600 (under £300) including maintenance. The FCX is electrically propelled, electricity generated by its fuel cell, seats four and comes with luxury equipment that includes an infotainment system, air-conditioned seats and a premium hi-fi. It is a little bigger than a Honda Accord, and looks largely similar to the concept version previously seen. In contrast to that car its body is made from steel, and it now has a conventional radiator grille, but otherwise looks much as for the original concept.

The car will be leased only in very localised areas because of the very limited availability of the hydrogen fuel it runs on - in the Los Angeles area of California there are currently three refuelling stations, only one of them 24/7, limiting its use to people who live within 100 miles or so of a station. The FCX has a range of 270 miles. But new hydrogen fuel stations are scheduled to open - there will be 11 by the end of 2008, and 19 in the area by 2012, with many more coming after that as part of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to build a 'hydrogen highway.'

Honda believes that zero emission hydrogen fuel cell cars are the ultimate solution to the car pollution problem, and has invested vast - though undisclosed - sums in the project. It will be making a substantial loss on the FCXs that it leases - though to be around a hundred vehicles, possibly more - but the data it gathers from real-world customers will enable it to come a stage closer to its goal of selling fuel cell cars in quantity. Reuters-UK

Are there any other manufacturers with hydrogen cars in production?