I don't think I've ever written a post on hydrogen tech. It seems like a technology that's never quite going to get here, especially when alternatives like electric cars seem so much simpler. But my interest was piqued when I read a press release promising $2.47/gallon hydrogen.

Global Hydrogen, Inc., says it has created a process for producing hydrogen from water that uses much less electricity than other systems. The company says that the most efficient setups take around 53 kWh to make 1 kilogram of hydrogen, while theirs does the same with 41 kWh at 90%+ efficiency.

The key to this feat is using an ultra-low voltage technique that employs a special electrolyte. For the wonky details, you can watch a handheld video narration by Dr. Linnard Griffin, the inventor.

As for the $2.47/gallon claim, Global Hydrogen says that 1 kilogram of hydrogen is equivalent to 1 gallon of gasoline. Honestly, I'm not sure if they're talking about the energy contained or using some other measure. Still, they note that other processes produce hydrogen at $3.20/gallon.

If these guys really can produce hydrogen at much lower cost, I might have to start taking fuel cell news a little more seriously. I might even set up a Google Alert.