Will Hydrogen Be Able to Become the Fuel of the Future?
The results of exploring the prospects of hydrogen economy are presented. The complete production chains are investigated considering various technologies of production, storage, and subsequent utilization of hydrogen in transportation and electric power generation. Comparative analysis of the economic competitiveness of these chains with each other and with solutions based on the use of alternative fuels has been performed. Potential segments for the commercial application of the technologies and the conditions required have been evaluated. The analysis has established the most promising directions in the development of hydrogen economy. They primarily include the use of hydrogen in the defense industry and power supply of critical facilities, where the energy generation costs are not a determining factor. To be competitive in the civil consumption sectors, such as transportation and the power industry, hydrogen technologies have to become significantly less expensive or to receive the corresponding regulatory support. In many countries, the environmental sustainability of hydrogen production will have great significance. The authors conclude that hydrogen can become one of the fuels of the future; to effect this, however, we will have to tread a difficult path of technological progress under stiff competition with continuously developing alternative power-generation methods.