Reply #16: Hell No, it is *the* answer: [View All]

Using hydrogen and fuel cells are only half the equation, the other half is renewable power sources.

I'll use solar power as an example, but you can replace solar power with wind power, tidal power, biomass power, etc.

Solar power has a serious problem when compared to other fuels: the sun has to shine. We have to store energy during the day, for use at night. Batteries are rather limited, hydrogen offers a great promise. We can use hydro-eloctrosys during the day to create hydrogen gas from water. The hydrogen can be stored, or even transported (think gigantic solar factories in the desert). When using the hydrogen to generate electricity (either burn it, or use it in fuel cells), no waste is generated, the end product is water.

It's a circle:

Water - add energy -> Hydrogen - extract energy -> Water

As long as we use renewable sources to create hydrogen, we've got a clean solution.

There are lot's and lot's of troubles along the way: solar panel efficiency, hydro-electrisys efficiency, larger fuel cells etc. But people saying that transport and storage is a problem should look to our current fossil fuel infrastructure. All problems you can foresee for hydrogen, we've allready solved for oil, kerosine and gas.

Hydrogen holds a promise of a clean fuel which can give rise to a decentralized electricity grid with power for all.