What is the deal with hydrogen?

There is certainly a lot of activity and excitement about using hydrogen as a near zero carbon emitting fuel. But why now? Here's my analogy:

Imagine we have this nice family - mom, dad, child. We'll say mom and dad represent the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The kid's name is "Energy". Mom and dad are doing their best to raise their kid and make sure they have everything they need to grow big and strong. Now this family has some pets. Dad is a dog guy and has an old bulldog named "Coal". Coal is getting old but he can still play with Energy for a little while. They also have a Golden Retriever named "Nat Gas". Energy likes Nat Gas. He runs over when called and is happy to play.

But mom is a cat lady. She has two cats - "Wind" and "Solar". Energy likes the cats but they are always sleeping when she is home and wants to play. The cats don't want to play with the dogs. Coal isn't bothered by it anymore but Nat Gas has started playing with the neighbors because he still needs to get exercise (LNG Exports).

Now this little family has a rich Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam called and said some of the neighbors are complaining that Nat Gas is messing up their yards. So Uncle Sam is sending them a new puppy to give Nat Gas a playmate so he will stop wandering around. The new puppy's name is "Hydrogen". We don't know much about the puppy, but everybody loves puppies and Energy is excited. Mom and dad now have to figure out how to introduce the puppy to the other pets.

Anyone who has gone through this knows there are three possible outcomes: 1) they will fight, always, until you have to get rid of one 2) they will ignore each other or 3) they will be friends. We all want number 3, but will be OK with number 2.

And that's what we are doing now - figuring out how to introduce the new puppy so we get to keep all the pets. But Uncle Sam forgot to tell us what kind of puppy this is. Is it a little Terrier that will just bark and bark and be annoying to everyone or is it a Great Dane that will take over the house or is it something in between?

Stay tuned for our next episode...