What is Hydrogen?
The simplest and lightest fuel is hydrogen gas (H2). Hydrogen is in a gaseous state at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperatures. Hydrogen may contain low levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, depending on the source.
How is Hydrogen Made?
Hydrogen can be produced using diverse, domestic resources including fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal (with carbon sequestration); nuclear; and biomass and other renewable energy technologies, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro-electric power. Researchers are working to develop a wide range of technologies to produce hydrogen economically and in environmentally friendly ways.
Benefits
Widespread use of hydrogen as an energy source in this country could help address concerns about energy security, global climate change, and air quality. Fuel cells are an important enabling technology for the hydrogen future and have the potential to revolutionize the way we power our nation, offering cleaner, more efficient alternatives to the combustion of gasoline and other fossil fuels. Hydrogen's main benefits are:
- Stronger national energy security
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Improved air quality
- Increased energy efficiency.
Hydrogen (H2) will play an important role in developing sustainable transportation in the United States, because in the future it may be produced in virtually unlimited quantities using renewable resources. Hydrogen has been used effectively in a number of internal combustion engine vehicles as pure hydrogen mixed with natural gas.
