The Hydrogen Economy
Hydrogen is expected to come into great demand as a transport fuel which does not contribute to global warming. It may be used in fuel cells to produce electricity or directly in internal combustion motors. Fuel cells are at an early stage of technological development and still require substantial, research and development input, although they will be an important technology in the future.
Hydrogen may be provided by steam reforming of natural gas (in which case CO 2 has to be taken into account), by thermonuclear processes, or by electrolysis of water.
Some new types of nuclear reactor such as high-temperature gas cooled reactors, operating at around 950-1000°C have the potential for producing hydrogen from water by thermochemical means, without using natural gas.
Large-scale use of electrolysis would mean a considerable increase in electricity demand. (However, this need not be continuous base-load supply, as hydrogen can be accumulated and stored, and solar or wind generation may well serve the purpose.)
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