The hydrogen economy may be on its way, but where are we going to get the hydrogen from? Since hydrogen gas is not found in great quantities on Earth, it must be separated from other substances such as water or fossil fuels. To do this requires energy from some source. So, in effect, hydrogen serves as a storehouse or carrier of energy.
Environmentalists are big fans of hydrogen, since the only byproduct created by burning it is water. Ideally, greens would favor producing the hydrogen via solar power, which is clear, renewable and does not produce carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, solar is an immature technology. Nuclear energy—a technology already in use, of course—doesn't produce CO2 either, but it does produce radioactive waste. Thus, most environmentalists in America are down on nuclear. But more and more, it looks like nuclear may play a big role in the hydrogen economy. Indeed, researchers at the Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory recently showed that it's possible to more efficiently separate hydrogen from water using an advanced nuclear reactor system. As this press release states:
"Such a high-temperature system has the potential to achieve overall conversion efficiencies in the 45 percent to 50 percent range, compared to approximately 30 percent for conventional electrolysis. Added benefits include the avoidance of both greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption."
This research seems to make the nuclear option more compelling—as well as creating a more vexing choice for antinuclear environmentalists concerned about climate change.
