PNNL focuses on the hydrogen economy

It appears the hydrogen economy is coming, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will be helping to fuel it.

Earlier this year, President Bush called on America's scientists and engineers to overcome the obstacles in producing hydrogen-powered vehicles "so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen." He also announced plans for more than $1 billion in research funding to help get the job done.

But moving toward hydrogen-powered cars and a broader "hydrogen economy" is easier said than done, as there are many challenging issues to resolve, including hydrogen production, safety and storage.

"Our research capabilities at PNNL have positioned us to become a key provider of science and technology to help address these issues and others," said Moe Khaleel, a Laboratory Fellow in PNNL's Energy Science and Technology Directorate.

"One area we will be exploring," he continued, "is hydrogen production from renewable resources, including biomass gasification and high temperature steam electrolysis. We also will be looking at ways to apply fuel cells to the more efficient operation of large trucks."

In the hydrogen safety arena, the U.S. Department of Energy already has tapped PNNL to lead national safety efforts through the Hydrogen Codes, Standards, Safety and Utilization Program. PNNL has been involved in codes and standards development for years, but this new role will have a broader emphasis.

"The need for safety permeates every element of the hydrogen economy," said PNNL Program Manager Bruce Kinzey. "Our efforts will be focused on wide-ranging safety issues, including education and training for the public, examination of the risks and failures associated with hydrogen systems and, to a lesser degree, we will still contribute to codes and standards.

"Hydrogen has been used for years, but it has been carefully controlled and the people who use it have been very well trained," Kinzey added. "The hydrogen economy is essentially a new application and safety will be important in gaining consumer acceptance."

The Laboratory also is pursuing solutions for hydrogen storage. Researchers at PNNL have, for many years, studied hydrogen in structural materials and, more recently, have been pondering advanced storage concepts. According to Russell Jones, a Laboratory Fellow, PNNL will respond to DOE's call for hydrogen storage proposals with as many as five projects focused on new materials. PNNL also proposes to partner with Los Alamos National Laboratory and other organizations to create a center for hydrogen storage research, where the focus would be on chemical hydrides as a storage medium.

In addition to supporting the national hydrogen economy effort, PNNL is shedding more light on the subject in the Pacific Northwest region. In June, PNNL and the Northwest Energy Technology Collaborative sponsored the Hydrogen Production and Northwest Transportation Conference in Seattle, Wash. The event brought together 150 industry, government and business leaders to discuss ways the region's technological capabilities, entrepreneurial spirit and energy resources can advance the hydrogen economy concept.