THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY: A PRELIMINARY TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Hydrogen must be manufactured from basic energy resources since it is not a naturally occurring energy form. This report addresses the question of the feasibility of the use of hydrogen as a fuel. Although it is generally believed that hydrogen might soon become less expensive than petroleum, competition among fuels in the energy marketplace and the need to derive hydrogen from other energy sources will insure that hydrogen does not become less expensive than alternatives for a very long time. Transitions involving change in basic infrastructure technologies, systems, and institutions are difficult to effect because new, embryonic systems must compete with established systems, often at a price disadvantage. This report includes the following: (1) Summary and recommendations; (2) Technology assessment and energy in the future; (3) Hydrogen technologies, present and projected; (4) Competing and complementing technologies, present and projected; (5) Economics of hydrogen; (6) Transition to a hydrogen economy; and (7) Consequences of a hydrogen economy.

• Corporate Authors:

  Stanford Research Institute

  333 Ravenswood Avenue
  Menlo Park, CA  United States  94025

  National Science Foundation

  1800 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20550
• Authors:
  • Dickson, E M
  • RYAN, J W
  • Smulyan, M H
• Publication Date: 1976-2

Media Info

• Pagination: 407 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Assessments; Automobiles; Chemistry; Economics; Energy; Feasibility analysis; Forecasting; Fuels; Handling and storage; Hydrides; Hydrogen; Iron ores; Manufacturing; Metals; Petroleum; Physical distribution; Production; Public utilities; Railroad trains; Ships; Spacecraft; Storage facilities; Technology; Utilization
• Uncontrolled Terms: Sources; Utilities
• Old TRIS Terms: Automotives; Metal hydrides
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Economics; Energy; Finance; Freight Transportation; Geotechnology; Highways; Marine Transportation; Materials; Railroads; Research; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00158731
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NSF/RA-760491 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: NSF-ERP73-02706
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1977 12:00AM