TWI Industrial Member Report Summary 881/2007
By R I Hammond
Background
The three main drivers to move away from carbon-based fuels are the environment, security of energy supply and cost. Only when the cost of an alternative energy source is comparable with current fuels, will a global switch be possible. There are a number of alternative environmentally-friendly energy sources such as solar, wind, wave and tidal. Hydrogen could be used as the primary energy carrier, or 'energy vector' in all of these cases. This work considers the general and materials and joining specific technology gaps that must be addressed before a hydrogen economy becomes viable.
Objectives
- Give an introduction to the hydrogen economy and its generic technical requirements.
- Highlight specific gaps in the materials and joining technologies that require further research and development to enable a viable hydrogen economy.