Questions and Answers about Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Recent articles have identified the challenges the nation faces in pursuing a hydrogen economy. These articles and comments generally support hydrogen as a long-term energy option, but suggest it will be many decades before a transition to hydrogen is possible. A complete transition to a hydrogen economy will take time, money and the nation’s best ideas. But the concerns expressed recently are overstated and unnecessarily pessimistic. Here are answers to the top questions expressed about hydrogen and fuel cells.

Compiled by Robert Rose
Breakthrough Technologies Institute
Available for downloading at www.fuelcells.org

Why do we need a hydrogen economy?

The United States – indeed, the world – has a fundamental strategic interest in pursuing the hydrogen economy

• Commercial fuel cells and hydrogen would yield benefits to society unmatched by alternatives.
• Our nation’s reliance on fossil fuels presents fundamental challenges to our economic security, environmental security and homeland security. We must pursue every promising pathway to a more secure energy future.
• Hydrogen can be produced renewably and from local conventional energy sources; the result is fuel flexibility and energy security. Hydrogen is well matched with renewable energy technologies like solar and wind power.
• Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity with no conventional pollutants.
• Fuel cells produce less carbon dioxide per unit of work, usually much less, than conventional alternatives
• Transitional strategies like hybrid vehicles will help, but because of growth in vehicle use, even if every single vehicle in the U.S. was a hybrid by 2025, we would still need to import as much oil as we import today. We need a permanent solution.

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