Focus on Energy

Regular readers of this page know that I believe that energy is the single most important scientific and technological issue facing humanity in the 21st century and that chemistry will play a central role in addressing it. An advanced technological society consumes enormous quantities of energy. Coal fueled the Industrial Revolution; fossil fuels and, to a lesser extent, nuclear energy powered the amazing technological changes that occurred during the 20th century.

Our use of fossil fuels, however, is running up against two insurmountable barriers. The first is that global production of petroleum, the world's principal transportation energy source, is likely to peak in the next decade. The second is that continuing to depend on burning fossil fuels as the world's primary energy source is likely to lead to catastrophic global warming.

This week's issue of C&EN focuses heavily on energy policy and energy R&D. The cover story by Senior Editor Mitch Jacoby is on advanced materials for hydrogen storage (see page 42). Researchers around the world are working to replace fossil fuel sources with hydrogen in a variety of applications including transportation. As Jacoby writes, "Switching from petroleum to hydrogen in a so-called hydrogen economy may offer major benefits in terms of pollution, energy security, and other issues."

One of the many hurdles that will have to be overcome for hydrogen to play a significant role in transportation is development of a safe and economical technology for storing enough hydrogen to power an automobile over reasonable distances. Jacoby describes research on a variety of materials including hydrides, carbon-based materials like carbon nanotubes, hydrogen-containing compounds, and other solids. The goal is a storage system with an energy density--the amount of usable energy that can be derived from the fuel system--of 9 wt % and 81 kg of hydrogen per cubic meter, which is greater than the density of liquid hydrogen.

An important point often overlooked in discussions of the hydrogen economy is that hydrogen is not an energy source in and of itself, but rather an energy carrier that must be produced from a primary energy source such as methane or, alternatively, from water, which requires energy input. The question of whether the U.S. should embark on the major R&D effort that would be required to produce hydrogen on the scale required for a hydrogen economy to become a reality is the subject of the Point-Counterpoint in this week's issue (see page 30). Jacoby shepherded this feature from its conception to publication.

Arguing in favor of hydrogen's role in our energy future is Steven G. Chalk, manager of the Department of Energy's Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program. Chalk is responsible for planning and implementing President George W. Bush's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative. Chalk argues that "fuel substitution must accompany fuel efficiency to achieve long-term energy security," and that, as a substitute for gasoline or diesel, "hydrogen provides a long-term solution because it can be made from diverse domestic resources."

Taking the counterpoint is Joseph J. Romm, who was an acting assistant secretary of energy in the Clinton Administration and is the author of "The Hype about Hydrogen: Fact and Fiction in the Race to Save the Climate." Romm argues that research and investment today should focus on technologies for hybrid automobiles, which are powered by gasoline and batteries, not hydrogen-powered vehicles. I think you will find the exchange between Chalk and Romm highly informative.

Rounding out C&EN's energy-related coverage is the story by Associate Editor Alex Tullo on methane hydrates (see page 16). Huge quantities of methane exist on the ocean floor and in Arctic permafrost as icelike methane hydrate crystals. Tullo describes a number of efforts to develop technologies that will allow methane hydrates to be tapped as an energy source.

Chemistry and the chemical enterprise have central roles to play in addressing the world's pressing energy issues. C&EN will continue to keep its readers abreast of those efforts.

Thanks for reading.