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It's also prone to explode, and is a potent (indirect) greenhouse gas if it leaks into the atmosphere. Agreed that it will have some niche applications though.

It's also prone to explode, and is a potent (indirect) greenhouse gas if it leaks into the atmosphere. Agreed that it will have some niche applications though. As well as the byproduct situation, there are likely situations where batteries wouldn't be feasible due to insufficient capacity or too great of weight. Aerospace maybe?

tgflynn 6y ago
How is hydrogen a greenhouse gas (and what do you mean by "indirect") ?
- ben509 6y ago
  I think it'd be an "indirect" GG because it's electricity intensive to obtain it, and that likely comes from a carbon emitting source. The same argument is often made about electric vehicles.
  - IanCal 6y ago
    In this case it's about how it interacts with OH radicals in the atmosphere, meaning other GHG stay in the atmosphere longer. So it's not a greenhouse gas, but it makes others hang around longer. > The reaction of hydrogen with OH radicals has a further side-effect of reducing the availability of OH radicals with potential impacts on the build-up of greenhouse gases. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/760538/Hydrogen_atmospheric_impact_report.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...
  - godelski 6y ago
    Well you don't typically get hydrogen from H2O, you get it from CH4. So your byproduct isn't oxygen, it is carbon. Unlike electric vehicles, it doesn't get greener as the grid changes to wind/solar/nuclear/hydro. There's just more hydrogens per hydrocarbon than water. Not to mention dealing with oxidation.
CyberDildonics 6y ago
Hydrogen (and helium) are too light to stay in the atmosphere and are lost once released.