The substance is difficult to source and contain,
making its journey towards being a ubiquitous fuel bumpy at
best.
Hydrogen power has attracted hype and disillusion before. But
with increased realism, policy support and the pressing need for
carbon-free energy, will it be third time lucky?
There is no easy answer. Despite being the universe's most
abundant element, pure hydrogen is difficult to source and contain,
making its journey towards being the ubiquitous fuel bumpy at best.
False dawns — the 1970s' oil crisis and the 1990s, when
climate change initially shot up political agendas — have
left some jaded.
The sheer difficulty and cost of producing, transporting and
containing hydrogen has caused others to put it in the "too
difficult" basket. However, complex geopolitics affecting
energy security and the growing intent about carbon emissions have
transformed the debate, causing many observers to believe that
"this time it's different".
