I will then discuss how a combination of the activities of PNGV and those of the national hydrogen program provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate hydrogen as a future transportation fuel. Chronic dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue, and the continued combustion of hydrocarbon fuels degrades the environment. The development of a hydrogen energy infrastructure, with the long-term goal of using renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen domestically, addresses these issues. A long-term, stable solution to our energy and environmental problem requires development of a global energy infrastructure based on environmentally benign renewable energy sources. Energy storage and distribution are key infrastructural requirements to implementing this solu- tion.
Renewable energy requires a means for both energy storage and transportation.
Hydrogen, generated from renewable sources, provides an ideal medium for energy storage and transportation. When combined with oxygen, it forms water and releases energy. Hydrogen is a gas at normal temperatures and pressures and can be transported in much the same way as natural gas. Converting the energy of stored hydrogen into useful work can be accomplished by many technologies. The most attractive long-term technology for this purpose is the fuel cell.