The energy sources that have been used by mankind since the dawn of history have involved the release of carbon atoms. In the Stone Age, man used wood fires as his energy source to cook his food and warm himself. Wood contains a ten to one ratio of carbon to hydrogen.

   With the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, man made the switch to coal as the energy source. Coal was plentiful and more easily transported. It was also more energy dense, containing only two molecules of carbon for every molecule of hydrogen.

   The automotive revolution brought another new fuel, petroleum. Oil had an even higher energy density. It had only one molecule of carbon for every two of hydrogen. Oil was also more easily transported and produced less soot. By 1960, oil had surpassed coal as the world's principal fuel source.

   At the beginning of the 21st century, yet another fuel has begun to rival oil as an energy source, natural gas. It is the cleanest of the fossil fuels with only one unit of carbon for every four units of hydrogen. 

   Throughout history, mankind has been steadily decarbonizing his energy sources to capitalize on the hydrogen and keep the energy value, while lessening the carbon emissions.

   For nearly all of human history the emphasis has been on producing the energy without regard to the effect that the release of the carbon was having on the global ecosystem. However, the past century's discovery of carbon's role in changing Earth's climate and the possible risks this represents, has changed the way we have come to view how we consume energy.

   Since 1751, more than 271 billion tons of carbon have been added to the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. The clear consequence of this addition is a rise in carbon dioxide, the principal "greenhouse gas" that is linked to the entire concept of global warming.

   The obvious question that can be reasonably asked is why not eliminate carbon from the fuel equation entirely and go directly to pure hydrogen as the fuel? In some ways this transformation is already underway. Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is commonly used to fuel the space shuttle. It can be transported by pipeline and stored in either liquid or gaseous forms. Even though it currently costs more to produce hydrogen than petroleum, the idea of hydrogen becoming the major carrier of energy is being given a great boost by the development of the fuel cell.

   The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory released a report last year that concluded, "there are no technical showstoppers to implementing a near-term hydrogen fuel infrastructure for direct hydrogen fuel cell vehicles." 

   With the ratification by California of a requirement that 2% of new cars sold in the state be zero-emission by 2002, fuel cells for automotive use are nearing the market. Daimler-Chrysler has committed $1.5 billion to fuel cell production over the next several years and will sell 20-30 of its fuel cell buses in Europe by 2002. It plans to mass-produce 100,000 fuel cell, hydrogen powered cars by 2004. Toyota and Honda will begin marketing fuel cell cars in 2003.

   In their 1999 book The Long Boom, former Shell executive Peter Schwartz and his colleagues assert that fuel cells will replace the internal combustion engine within two decades, and "by 2050 the world is running on hydrogen, or close enough to call it the Hydrogen Age."

   The technology currently exists to refit today's internal combustion engine from gasoline to hydrogen directly. Unfortunately, the infrastructure to deliver supplies of hydrogen to the corner gas station is still not ready for implementation. It is feasible, however. Marc Jenson and Marc Ross of the University of Michigan estimate that building 10,000 such stations, covering 10-15% of U.S. filling stations, would be sufficient incentive to motivate auto-makers to begin mass production of direct hydrogen vehicles. An investment of $3 to 15 billion dollars would be needed in order to achieve this goal.

   After initially supplementing the petroleum economy, a hydrogen economy is inevitable. Environmental considerations are demanding it, and practical applications are putting it within the reach of the consumer. More information to the public is needed to help bring understanding and a greater will for early adoption of the process.

   For information on how you can learn more, get involved and take part, contact Hydrogen Now!, the international non-profit organization dedicated to public information on the Hydrogen Economy. www.hydrogennow.org, or call 866-GO-H2-NOW.