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Originally Posted by CountryME
Did you even read the article? Hydrogen is not the answer, especially here in the US where we do not have the geothermal energy to convert like they do in Iceland. Trying to convert to hydrogen is like trying to invent a perpetual motion machine, it's just not possible by the laws physics. You get way less out of it than what you have to put in to make it. We need to be looking at BioDiesel and Ethanol as home grown alternatives to gasoline rather than the magical pie in the sky use of hydrogen. Don't get me wrong, as an engineer I can appreciate fuel cells and what a marvel they are. I even used to work at one of Ballard's competetors, Granted it was a few years ago now. But you have to look at the energy source not just the end use. Believing that hydrogen and fuel cells will solve our energy problem is like believing that a Toyota will run on hugs and only emit bunnies as exhaust.
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I think, unless the world reverts to Tarzans and bonfires, electrically-based power is the future. May not be generated with geothermal or coal, but one way or another, we'll need a means to get electrical power to mobile devices. Fuel cells are probably better than batteries in this regard.
If, and it's a big IF, fusion holds the key to the future, then we need fuel cell development in parallel with fusion development (which is ongoing in a huge project housed in France).