Are Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Finally Ready for Prime Time?

I’ve subscribed to the theory that “hydrogen is the fuel of the future (and always will be)” for most of my 30 years on this beat, but a confluence of recent developments suggests maybe we’re nearing a tipping point for the universe’s smallest known molecule.Accelerated development of fuel cells for use in heavy-duty trucking promises to boost infrastructure and bring the economies of scale needed to hasten light-duty fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) adoption. Proliferation of renewable energy is increasing demand for ways to store surplus grid power, which can be done using hydrogen, and a novel means of inexpensively producing green hydrogen is emerging.National Renewable Energy Laboratory senior research fellow and fuel cell group manager Bryan Pivovar tipped me off to this tipping point during a recent panel discussion on Autoline Detroit. His lab has teamed with five other…

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