A Cleaner Path to Hydrogen Fuel

Companies trying to develop a viable, inexpensive system to create hydrogen fuel have found it an elusive goal. Most hydrogen is now made from natural gas, a process that releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide. However, a new process that uses solar energy and a nanostructured catalyst to create hydrogen from water looks to be a promising development.

Massachusetts-based Nanoptek claims its new process is cheap enough to compete with current hydrogen systems, and it has the further advantage of releasing no carbon dioxide. The system uses titania, a cheap and abundant material, to capture energy from sunlight -- absorbed energy releases electrons, which split water to make hydrogen. Nanoptek recently completed its first venture-capital round, raising $4.7 million that it will use to install its first pilot plant.

Because it is light, and burning it only produces water, hydrogen has the potential to make an excellent energy source for fuel cell vehicles. The Nanoptek technology could also be used in solar electricity plants to store energy as hydrogen, which could be used during periods that solar cells are not producing energy.  Another significant challenge for hydrogen developers is establishing fueling stations, where vehicles can juice up. California has started the process, however, and already has 24 stations up and running.