The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers, and R&D Needs (2004)
With President Bush’s announcement of a hydrogen fuel initiative during his 2003 State of the Union speech, interest in hydrogen as a key element in the nation’s long-term energy future increased substantially. A year earlier, DOE had begun to lay the groundwork for this possibility by asking the NRC to examine technical issues related to hydrogen fuel, including assessment of the current state of technology; future cost estimates; CO2 emissions; distribution, storage, and end use considerations; and the DOE Research, Development and Dissemination (RD&D) program. The report provides an assessment of hydrogen as a fuel in the nation’s future energy economy and describes a number of important challenges that must be overcome if it is to make a major energy contribution. Topics covered include cost effectiveness and efficiency of current fuel cell vehicle technology, hydrogen production technologies, the need for an infrastructure for delivery of hydrogen fuel, end-use technologies, and transition issues related to building a hydrogen economy. These findings provide a framework for RD&D directions, priorities, and strategies.
Related Reports
- Alternatives and Strategies for Future Hydrogen Production and Use: Letter Report
- Assessment of Technologies for Improving Light Duty Vehicle Fuel Economy: Letter Report
- Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership: First Report
- Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership: Second Report
- Transitions to Alternative Transportation Technologies—A Focus on Hydrogen
