Hydrogen production is still very costly and energy inefficient. If we had excess renewable energy, this may not be a problem, but today it's an issue, especially if you're producing hydrogen using non-renewable energy sources.
Call me naive but if such a viable hydrogen engine such as the one being described in the article is here, wouldnt it be just as easy (or easier) shift focus to building out more renewable energy infrastructure than to try and mine the earth for the lithium required to power everybody’s car?
If anything, this hydrogen technology should be the excuse we need to immediately focus on renewable power buildout.
Whose gonna pay when all the people living in miami are displaced by it being under water and New York City becomes New Miami?
And whose gonna pay when marine life collapses and shellfish cant make shells because the all of the oceans’ ph is off? Hell there might not even be a need for money because there might not be anyone left!
assuming we can make the cost something more affordable:
Regions of the world DO have excess amounts of renewable energy, they have no way to move that energy to locations that dont have excess renewable energy. thats why turning it into hydrogen might be a part of the solution.
on top of that, there are lots locations around the world that are underdeveloped but do have the potential for turning their renewable resources into an export. That would be an almost silver bullet. to uplift developing nations by selling developed nations green energy.
If we can get the conversion cost effective, and the transport and storage reliable and cost effective then we can change the world for in a bigger way than the internet has.
If HFC vehicles ever become mainstream, hydrogen is going to have to be produced on-site at filling stations. Hydrogen is extremely difficult and dangerous to transport. If you try to use pipes, the hydrogen will be able to leak out of even the smallest of cracks, and can even diffuse through metals. It's extremely difficult to compress and becomes a serious explosion hazard.
I'm somewhat optimistic that HFC will play a role in the future of transportation, but there are still a lot of issues that need to be ironed out.
If anything, this hydrogen technology should be the excuse we need to immediately focus on renewable power buildout.