We HAVE hydrogen-powered vehicles, trains, aircraft, and power-generation stations for electricity generation and thermal use, and have had since we begin burning grasses or wood, even before coal and oil.
"The problem is..." that the cheapest, most effective way to produce, store, distribute, and put all that Hydrogen to practical USE?
.. has, ever since one-celled algae were invented, been to mate it to CARBON atoms.
So:
"Our mission, if we choose to accept it..."
.. is to keep-right on using that cheap and convenient means of transport and storage of Hydrogen.... but figure out a way to recapture and recycle the damned CARBON "container" - itself useful, too - in better ways than we have so far managed to do.
It is even starting to to "happen". Carbon need not be a curse. Put to work wisely, it can become a valuable asset.
It just is not (yet) happening often enough, fast enough, widely enough. Nor is it yet being improved and spread 'til it reaches a "critical mass" or break-even point - as solar has finally done.
WHEN, not IF, that point is reached Carbon becomes..
ta da.. a self-sustaining and highly PROFITABLE renewable ASSET instead of a vexing problem.
We can do this. We might make more "stuff" out of Hydrocarbons - even foodstuffs - eat it, sit on it, shelter under it, fly in it, watch videos on it, make body armour or ethical pharma out of ... hydrocarbons ... but FULLY recycle rather than wastefully BURN so damned much of it as we ramp-up wind, solar, better batteries and - someday, maybe, even cleaner and safer nuclear.
Regardless of the "how", one way or many ways, all that Hydrogen-carrying Carbon tech advancement is already happening. It will continue to happen. It will accelerate. It will coin "new" fortunes as well.
Nano-tech is showing the way to cheap artificial photosynthesis.
Nano tech is showing the way to cheap catalytic cracking of H2O to Oxygen and Hydrogen.
Herds of cattle fart too much? Beans are the "musical fruit"? Guess what? We now know WHY, which microbes are the cause, and that if kerbed, more energy goes into the animal and less waste gas goes into the atmosphere.
Next challenge is to apply that to the US House of Reprehensibles, UK Parliament of Whores, EU's mob of idiots, etc, etc, round the globe, and - just maybe - even save the whole damned world from viral stupidity, grossly overpaid!
We can manage this. We MUST DO.
Well. Maybe not Politicians and their Screws Media just yet? Have to start with the
Earth first if only because THAT part is actually
do-able!
Ex:
Aluminium soda cans, plastic water bottles, or steel automobiles get recycled far more effectively than plastic bags if only because there is enough MONEY involved to make it worthwhile.
Supportive rules, regulations or NONE AT ALL - "the
money is THERE".
Great fortunes will be made off "the problem". Write that on the wall.
And go Hell for leather after earning YOUR FAIR SHARE.
Did I fail to mention "nano-tech"? Or REAL recycling - at a
profit, even?
There are no "problems". Only opportunities.