Hydrogen in Business
Hydrogen business opportunities in the future will be many.
From product to production to service to transportation and distribution,
many business opportunities will exist in the H2 field. Right
now, manufacturers and researchers in the automotive industry
have taken the lead.
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Hydrogen generator
located in Las Vegas, Nevada is the world's first hydrogen
and electricity co-production facility. |
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But, this will not stay the course. Hydrogen fuel cell makers
are creating products for both the automotive and traditional
business sectors. Fuel cell manufacturers are already marketing
their wares as electricity generators to power office buildings
and backup generators. Other manufacturers are miniaturizing the
fuel cell process for batteries for laptops, PDA's and other small
hand appliances.
Hydrogen production will be a big industry of the future. How
will we produce hydrogen cost effectively and in quantity? There
are many current methods for producing hydrogen but none so far
on a grand scale. Electrolysis, steam reforming, Photoelectrochemical,
photobiological, biomass via via pyrolysis or gasification and
solar thermal water splitting are a few of the current methods
used to produce H2.
Another method that will become very popular one day is using
wind power and electrolysis to generate hydrogen gas for the masses.
Large 'wind farms' in areas like Scotland and Iceland are already
being planned to take advantage of their natural climates in order
to produce H2 for exportation. Areas of the U. S. that could also
benefit from wind farms are the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast regions.
Companies will need to be started or expanded to fulfilled the
increased demand for hydrogen.
Hydrogen storage will also be a marketplace for many companies.
Some companies will develop to do the actual storage of compressed
H2 gas or liquid hydrogen before distribution. Other company will
do research and development on materials and containers for storing
hydrogen. Transportation and distribution of hydrogen may just
be a modification of current systems already in place but other
companies will spring up just for this specific purpose.
Fuel stations, businesses, households all will need a way to
store and receive hydrogen from distributors and this presents
new business opportunities in the future. Conferences, exposition,
and exhibitions have already come on board to discuss best practices
for the future of hydrogen in the marketplace and many more of
these gatherings will form in the years to come.
Hydrogen workshops, education, training, policy-making, law making
and other less direct industries will also be involved in the
making of the new hydrogen economy. Aircraft, watercraft and spacecraft
will all be on the 'hydrogen grid' as well along with businesses
to create supporting products and services.
The hydrogen revolution is coming upon us quickly. The only thing
we know for sure now is that there will be many business opportunities
within the H2 economy. Those who get there first will stand to
profit the most.
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