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INTRODUCTION
A new day is dawning for a revolutionary way to generate electric power from renewable energy sources. Visualize a future where the electrical power needed to run your computer, television, VCR and DVD is generated from a small appliance (about the size of a dishwasher) located in your home. Imagine that you will probably never experience a power outage. Envision generating electricity without combustion, and producing heat and pure drinking water as by-products. Picture a world powered almost entirely by an infinitely abundant and totally clean fuel. Hydrogen, the most common element in the universe, is that fuel. It can be produced from tap water and used to generate power for homes, industry and cars. Imagine a world energy economy based on hydrogen, and a society transformed by the hydrogen revolution. Imagine being able to drive your car more than 5,000 miles between fill-ups. In the new Hydrogen Economy, your car could become a “power station on wheels” producing about 20 to 40 kilowatts of electricity. Imagine that, while you are at work and your car is in the parking lot, it could be making money for you by supplying energy to the power grid during peak hours when demand for electricity is greatest. While in your garage the same fuel cells in the car could supply power for your home. This affords an ideal opportunity for car owners to become their own energy suppliers, and sell the excess power generated by the car’s fuel cells while it is parked. Automobile, oil, utility, and other major companies are spending billions to make this dream come true. The Hydrogen Economy is the term used to mark the shift from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas to hydrogen. It represents a vision of an unlimited source of fuel that would be used to generate energy without releasing carbon and other pollutants. This pollution-free Hydrogen Economy is just over the horizon. In the new age of hydrogen, each individual could become the producer as well as the consumer of energy. Hydrogen has the potential to do for the energy revolution what the computer, telecommunications and the Internet have done for the information revolution. As fossil fuels are depleted and become more expensive to extract and burn, new technological breakthroughs will bring down the cost of using hydrogen in fuel cells. We are moving closer to a day when the Hydrogen Economy will become a reality. Looking into the future, a full-fledged Hydrogen Economy will power everything from laptop computers to cars. Ultimately, fuel cells supplying homes, businesses, hospitals, airports, industrial facilities, and government installations could be linked to a national power grid allowing surplus power at one location to be transferred to areas experiencing power shortages. In a Hydrogen Economy utility companies could become obsolete. WHERE DOES HYDROGEN COME FROM?
Hydrogen (H2) can be produced through a thermal, electrolytic, or photolytic process from fossil fuels, renewable biomass, or water. Renewable and nuclear systems can produce hydrogen from water using a thermal or electrolytic process. The most common method today is the thermal process in which steam is used to produce hydrogen from natural gas or other hydrocarbons. Hydrogen can be stored as a liquid, gas, or as a chemical compound, and later converted into energy. Hydrogen is “a renewable, versatile, simple, sustainable domestic energy” and the most abundant element on earth. It has the highest energy content per unit of weight (52,000 BTU per pound) than any known fuel, making it an extremely efficient source of energy. Unlike oil or coal however, hydrogen does not exist in a readily consumable form. It is combined with water (H2O), methane (CH4), natural gas, coal, biomass, biogas, or other petroleum products; and must be separated from these other elements. Today, most of the hydrogen produced commercially is extracted from natural gas and methane. In the future renewable energy resources – wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and biogas will be used to produce hydrogen and generate electricity. Some of the generated electric power could be diverted to electrolyze water, producing more hydrogen to power fuel cells, which in turn, could generate more electricity in a virtually endless process. Hydrogen is now being pursued as a safe, clean, energy-efficient, reliable, and “forever fuel of the future.” WHAT IS A HYDROGEN ECONOMY?
The Hydrogen Economy is an innovative new technology and a vision that offers great promise. It is an economy in which fuel for transportation, home heating, cooking, electricity, and production of goods and services comes directly from the sun, the wind, biomass and biogas. It consists of an economic system in which energy is supplied by renewable resources, and in which hydrogen is the medium used to produce, store, and deliver energy economically and efficiently. The Hydrogen Economy is increasingly becoming reality. You are experiencing it everyday. For example, nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries are used in billions of consumer products such as laptops, cell phones, and other portable electronic devices. The hydride in these batteries stores hydrogen. They are maintenance free, disposable, and can be recycled. The Hydrogen Economy has already started, and the applications of hydrogen as a major energy source are about to expand exponentially. Hydrogen has the potential to solve the world’s energy problems. Most scientists agree that hydrogen could play an increasingly important role in the world’s future. The complete evolution to a Hydrogen Economy could take several decades. The U.S. Department of Energy has initiated a “National Vision of America’s Transition to a Hydrogen Economy.” ¹⁶ HOW DOES THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY WORK?
Today, we have a “hydrocarbon economy” but the transition toward a “Hydrogen Economy” has already begun. For a complete transition to an all “Hydrogen Economy” additional technology must be developed to produce hydrogen from water, and deliver it to consumers in a safe, cost-effective and convenient manner. In the near future we will have weaned ourselves from carbon and live in a “Hydrogen Economy” powered by hydrogen energy from renewable resources. In fact, consumers will have access to hydrogen energy as readily as they now access petroleum, natural gas, and electric power. All fuel cells use some form of hydrogen to generate power that is clean, quiet, and efficient. A fuel cell is like an electrochemical engine (but with no moving parts) that harnesses the energy released when hydrogen and oxygen combine. A fuel cell operates very much like a rechargeable battery. An electrochemical reaction converts chemical energy into electricity and thermal energy, and continue to do so as long as fuel is provided. The chemical energy normally comes from hydrogen contained in various types of fuel. A fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. As hydrogen circulates in the anode (positive electrode) of the cell, oxygen or air is passed into the cathode (negative electrode). A catalyst causes the hydrogen to split into protons and electrons. The flow of electrons creates a current, which is the source of electricity generated by the cell. At the cathode, the electrons, protons, and oxygen recombine producing water and heat. Some cities, such as Chicago and Vancouver, already have buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Ford, GM, Honda, BMW and Daimler-Chrysler have prototype cars powered by hydrogen. Toyota sells a fuel cell car in Japan. Ford chairman William Clay Ford Jr. has declared that fuel cells will “finally end the 100-year reign of the internal-combustion engine.” ¹⁷ The first mass-produced fuel cell powered vehicles are expected to be on the road in just a few years. These and similar efforts are leading the world toward the “Hydrogen Economy.” Over the next several decades we will begin to see an amazing shift away from the fossil fuel economy toward a much cleaner Hydrogen Economy. ADVANTAGES OF THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY
The present fossil fuel economy has created significant environmental problems worldwide. The Hydrogen Economy promises to eliminate these problems. Advantages of the Hydrogen Economy include greater fuel efficiency, elimination of pollution caused by fossil fuels, elimination of greenhouse gases, and elimination of dependence on Middle East oil reserves. Hydrogen has all the potential of being the perfect fuel that will have very positive impacts on the world’s economy and infrastructure. Specifically, the Hydrogen Economy may be even more beneficial to developing countries because it will generate economic opportunities, reduce poverty and offer a dramatically cleaner renewable resource to bypass at least part of the expense of building a fossil fuel infrastructure. Fuel cells are considered the “microchip of the hydrogen age,” the key to abundant energy from secure, renewable resources. Fuel cell emits neither noise nor pollution, so they can be placed close to consumers without violating local noise and pollution ordinances. In addition, there is no danger of running out of hydrogen because it is the most abundant element in the universe. The Hydrogen Economy could dramatically cut down on carbon dioxide emissions and thus global warming. The Hydrogen Economy could produce total decentralization of the global energy market controlled by giant oil companies and utilities, and result in vast redistribution of wealth and power. In the new age of hydrogen, every human being could become the producer as well as the consumer of energy. For example, millions of fuel cell units in homes and cars could be connected to a national power grid (as long as the grid exists), just like the Internet, sharing their excess energy with others. The next decade will present tremendous opportunities for “Distributed Generation” to become a major alternative source of supply for the electric power grid. CHALLENGES FACING THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY
The Hydrogen Economic revolution must overcome major challenges in regard to the safe production, storage and transportation of hydrogen. New sensor technology must also be developed. The greatest challenge is to bring the cost down enough to compete with the energy presently supplied from the power grid. Safe production of hydrogen is the first step toward a future "shift to a pure Hydrogen Economy." To achieve significant progress toward the Hydrogen Economy, and to achieve national energy security and independence, Federal and State governments must develop and implement favorable policies to make hydrogen energy a top priority. To be successful, the Hydrogen Economy vision will require strong government-private partnerships on hydrogen energy development. For example, Federal and State governments could become the first customers of the Hydrogen Economy. Government subsidies and tax incentives could be used to encourage mass production and expedite marketing of fuel cells, thus putting the Hydrogen Economy on a fast track. A “World Hydrogen Energy Roadmap” ¹⁶ has been developed to address hydrogen production, delivery and transportation, storage, conversion, public-private partnerships, research, codes and standards, testing, public education, and end use products. The U.S government has been a major force in the progress of fuel cell development and major shift toward the Hydrogen Economy. Today, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Departments of Defense, Transportation, Commerce and Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency are all aggressively supporting the development of fuel cells. The promise of fuel cells becoming the automotive and "distributed generation" method of choice will not take off until hydrogen production is put on the forefront. However, to get the Hydrogen Economy on a fast track would require a concerted effort (similar to a “Manhattan Project”) by industry, government, and local communities. THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY FUTURE
Hydrogen has the potential to do for the energy revolution what the computer, telecommunications and the Internet have done for the information revolution. "The information revolution and the coming energy revolution are similar in that we are using human ingenuity to replace energy and raw materials," according to Joseph J. Romm, Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the US Department of Energy. Romm says, “We can use information technology to avoid travel and transportation, and we can use energy technology to reduce energy consumption, pollution, and our use of natural resources. Both revolutions represent a fundamental transition to a world in which we are not resource constrained, yet we have a higher standard of living." ¹⁸ Fuel cells are a “critical technology” that will bring a total revolution in the energy sector and change the course of history. President Bush has referred to fuel cells as the “wave of the future” and called for a “focused effort to bring fuel cells to market.” The immediate result will be the emergence of quiet, decentralized electric plants sized according to need, and small enough to power your car or house. Eventually, hydrogen can overtake fossil fuels for most end-use energy market applications. Economical and environmental friendly methods must be developed for extracting hydrogen from fossil fuels, biomass, and water. The ultimate goal is to use the renewable energy of the sun to split water into its basic components of oxygen and hydrogen. Once separated, hydrogen becomes a storable fuel for operating fuel cells that provide electricity and power vehicles. The future looks bright for the Hydrogen Economy. To move forward a national strategy must be developed. The next big challenge is to develop business models that enable distributed generators to deliver real value to end-users. This provides a unique opportunity for utilities not only to contribute their expertise but also benefit from the venture. Global reliance on Middle East oil will come to an end and international trade balances will be realigned. The disappearance of the electric grid is a possibility; a makeover of the electric-utility industry is nearly certain. CONCLUSION
The Hydrogen Economy is a bright vision for the future of energy that will revolutionize the world by reducing our reliance for oil from foreign countries. In addition, the Hydrogen Economy would open the doors for fundamental changes in our economic, political, and social institutions, similar to the impact of steam power at the beginning of the “Industrial Age.” The Hydrogen Economy appears inevitable because it is an achievable vision. The only issue is whether we can bring it quickly or whether this technology will be stalled by vested interests. It consists of an economic system in which energy is supplied by renewable resources. In this new economy, hydrogen is the medium of energy storage and transport. There is a general consensus that hydrogen could play an increasingly important role in transforming the future. Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can provide an energy solution for the world. The complete transition to a Hydrogen Economy could take several decades. The U.S. Department of Energy has set a “National Vision of America’s Transition to a Hydrogen Economy." ¹⁶ For example, the Icelanders are taking the first steps in their project to create the world's first hydrogen society. Iceland's energy revolution will be based on utilizing its abundant geothermal energy to power its transportation system, thereby slashing emissions and ending its dependence on fossil fuels completely. Iceland has already gone farther than any other country in exploiting its abundant sources of renewable energy. Virtually all of its electricity and heating comes from hydroelectric power and the geothermal water reserves tapped from the hot rock layers lying just beneath the surface of this extraordinary island. ¹⁴ The giant oil companies are investing heavily in a hydrogen future to control the design, production, and sales of the devices that produce and consume hydrogen. Fuel companies like Shell, BP, and Texaco are forming hydrogen and fuel cell technology divisions. Electric power companies like ABB and PG&E are investing in and forming numerous partnerships with fuel cell manufacturers. Automotive firms like Daimler Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, and Toyota are racing to put the first fuel cell vehicles on the market by 2004. Many scientists see the evolution of the fuel cell industry as the first step in the transformation to a global Hydrogen Economy. It is also conceivable that successful development of fuel cells for application in the automotive industry could some day allow General Motors, Ford and Daimler-Benz to compete with electric utilities as power producers. For example, General Motors' has announced its vision for Hydrogen Economy Program to put the Fuel Cells car in the market by 2005 and fuel-cells-powered grid-ready cars by 2010. General Motors is devoting 600 full time staffers and hundreds of millions of dollars to make this vision come true. Mr. Larry Burns, the GM’s vice president for research, development and planning thinks that this could be a much bigger idea than inventing the automobile. Mr. Burns says it not only reinvents the automobile but our industry. ¹⁹ The National Energy Policy supports efforts to develop fuel cells and a Hydrogen Economy. But for these markets to reach their full potentials, industry participants may need to take matters into their own hands. The Department of Energy has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of nearly pollution free power plants by 2015 with the addition of seven new projects to its Vision 21 program¹⁶. Aggressive energy and environmental policies, such as those in Iceland and California, are also necessary for moving forward toward a renewable hydrogen-based economy achieved through R&D, subsidies, tax incentives, and public/private partnerships. The goal of the program should be to develop technologies to safely produce, store and transport hydrogen from water, nature’s abundant and virtually free source of hydrogen. I envision hydrogen as the power generation fuel of the future that will wean the world away from oil, slow global warming, and lift billions out of poverty. Ways to capture hydrogen for use as a fuel source are now within our reach. If significant progress is desired, government and private partnerships must be established to concentrate development efforts. A “Manhattan Hydrogen Project” is needed to ensure the Hydrogen Economy vision becomes a reality soon. We must direct our wisdom and resources to develop Hydrogen Economy for a more positive effect on the living world. "The views and opinions expressed herein are those solely of the writer and are not intended to represent those of the United States Department of Agriculture." To probe further
The following web sites can provide more information about fuel cell developments, vendor sites, demonstration projects, article and papers. Many sites are run by organizations such as the U.S. Department of Energy, Defense and Technology. Web Sites:

1. Fuel Cells 2000 (www.fuelcells.org).
2. Department of Energy (www.doe.gov).
3. Department of Defense (www.dodfuelcell.com).
4. National Fuel Cell Research Center (www.nfcrc.uci.edu).
5. Hydrogen Now (www.hydrogennow.org).
6. Hydrogen Information Network (www.eren.doe.gov/hydrogen)
7. National Hydrogen Association (www.ttcorp.com/nha)
8. World Congress for a Hydrogen Economy (www.hydrogennow.org) Periodicals, Journals, and Articles:
   
9. “Fuel Cells to Revolutionize Electric Power Generation,” by Darshan Goswami, International
   Conference on “Electric Power Generation and Environmental Protection” in New Delhi, India, February 4-7, 2000.
10. “Dramatic Changes Coming In The Future Of Energy,” by Darshan Goswami, March 1999, The Pittsburgh Patrika Magazine.
11. “A Hydrogen Economy -The Power to Change the World, “ by Jeremy Rifkin.
12. “Building the Solar/Hydrogen Economy,” In May of 2001, the Bush White House project released a 20-year plan.
13. “Roadmap to the Hydrogen Economy,” by Marc Wiseman Ricardo.
14. “Iceland....First Hydrogen Economy,” (www.h2eco.org)
15. "Fuel Cells: Could Fuel Cells be the Ideal Energy Source of Tomorrow?" R. Hubscher.
16. “National Hydrogen Vision Meeting,” Washington, D.C., November 15 and 16, 2001 www.eren.doe.gov
17. “The Coming Hydrogen Economy” Fortune Magazine, November 12, 2001.
18. “Dawn of the Hydrogen Age” by Jacques Leslie.
19. “Electricity-Producing Vehicles” MIT magazine, Technology Review, January 2003.