Problems With Hydrogen As a Fuel Source
Hydrogen is an alternative energy source that's one of several possible replacements for fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. There are many benefits to hydrogen. It's clean and can be produced in a variety of ways. There are also many problems with using hydrogen as a fuel source. Scientists still need time to figure out how to produce hydrogen cheaply and in large amounts. There are many other concerns that have to be addressed before hydrogen can enter the commercial market.
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Production
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Hydrogen is not an energy source but rather an energy carrier. As with a battery, hydrogen has to be "charged" by some other source. Nuclear power, wind and natural gas are all possible means to produce hydrogen that can deliver energy. As of 2011, none of these methods are cost-effective. Researchers are still working on ways to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of hydrogen production.
Safety
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Hydrogen easily ignites. Hydrogen is flammable, even explosive. A leak could pose a serious danger to anyone nearby. The fuel cell in a hydrogen-powered car, for example, must be securely protected in case of a crash. There are rules to follow when handling hydrogen, but the general public isn't familiar with them yet. Ignorance of safety measures may also lead to an accident. On the other hand, hydrogen is not any more dangerous than gasoline or home heating oil. People have grown accustomed to those fuels, so perhaps hydrogen will one day be no different.
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Cost
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Every facet of the hydrogen energy economy incurs high costs. That's partly because the technology is so new, while people have spent many years perfecting the fossil fuel-based economy. Getting cars on the road that run on hydrogen fuel cells, and replacing gas stations with hydrogen stations, are two of the biggest obstacles. It will take time and money to get a new energy economy off the ground.
Infrastructure
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The modern world requires a lot of energy. The storage and delivery of hydrogen is expensive. The facilities needed to store large volumes of hydrogen don't exist yet, and experts have not figured out how to make the system affordable. It will require much more research and hard work to discover an efficient way of transporting hydrogen around the world. The fossil-fuel economy has had decades to develop, so a transition to something new won't be easy.
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