The dream of a global hydrogen economy has tantalized policy makers ever since the 1970s, when researchers began to discuss how the ubiquitous, clean-burning fuel could replace coal, oil and natural gas. Skeptics have had 50 years to scoff at the notion, but it looks like hydrogen fans are getting the last laugh, and that could open up new pathways for scaling up green hydrogen and in the bigger picture, decarbonization across multiple commercial sectors.
The renewable energy difference
Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, but it does not exist independently. It must be extracted from something. The primary source of hydrogen today is natural gas, along with coal to a lesser extent.
Hydrogen is also abundant in renewable resources, including water as well as biogas and biomass. The problem is how to extract hydrogen from renewable hosts without adding excessive…