The Hydrogen: Economy and its Alternatives

Transportatlon is responsible for one-fourth of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes 75 percent of world oil production. The U.S. transportation sector alone accounts for almost 10 percent of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Insofar as it is a carrier and a storage medium for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environment : science and policy for sustainable development 2007-10, Vol.49 (8), p.10-27
Main Authors: Heiman, M K, Solomon, B D
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Transportatlon is responsible for one-fourth of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes 75 percent of world oil production. The U.S. transportation sector alone accounts for almost 10 percent of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Insofar as it is a carrier and a storage medium for energy (unlike electricity, the other main energy carrier), hydrogen has been promoted as ideal for future transportation, and interest in it has been increasing in the last decade. Before a costly and potentially irreversible commitment to a hydrogen energy system is made, it will be critical to first consider criteria for a sustainable transport sector and then determine how hydrogen might measure up and over what time frame. Society's limited time and resources may make it unfeasible to fully pursue all available options for addressing the problems of climate change and oil dependence, such as energy conservation; diesel, hybrid, and electric vehicles; and biomass fuels. Therefore, a careful comparison of options may be necessary.
ISSN:0013-9157