Hydrogen Blast: The fuel of the future… and it always will be

Even as the Obama Administration pulls the plug on funding research for hydrogen-powered cars of the (sadly distant) future in favor of pushing the plug-in hybrid electric cars of today, it seems California remains wedded to its quixotic — and  very expensive — commitment to build a “hydrogen highway.”

In Washington, Energy Secretary Steven Chu broke the news a few days ago: a $100 million research subsidy for hydrogen fuel cell cars is being cut from next year’s budget, although support will continue for heavier stationary fuel cells that, once perfected, could store solar and other renewable power for use at night.

The reason for killing this Bush Administration program championed by the oil and car industry, which appears to have stymied rather than advanced the cause of clean cars for the masses, was the simple realization that a wry aphorism in electric car circles is true: Hydrogen is the fuel of the future, and it always will be. In another words, hydrogen sounds great as a gasoline replacement — clean burning, plentiful, emitting only water vapor when burned — but in practice, it’s expensive, dangerous, dirty and nowhere near ready for prime time.

Said Chu: “We asked ourselves, ‘Is it likely in the next 10 or 15, 20 years that we will convert to a hydrogen car economy?’ The answer, we felt, was ‘no.’”

The Obama Administration has decided to invest in research into battery technology for electric cars, to the tune of $2.4 billion.

California, however, is clinging to its hydrogen highway dream, having just approved plans to spend at least $47 million on hydrogen car research and infrastructure at a time when the state can’t even pay its teachers. Read more

Explore posts in the same categories: Alternative Transportation, Energy, Global Warming

Tags: electric cars, Global Warming, green cars, green stimulus, hydrogen fuel cell, Steven Chu

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