Much of the talk around renewable energy seems to be focused on wind and solar. But there are other renewable sources that may be worth paying attention to. In this episode, we discuss the potential for hydrogen to be another tool in transitioning away from fossil fuels. Hydrogen has been around for awhile, but as an energy source, could it be experiencing a revival? The Biden administration seems to think it could be promising; it announced in October 2023 that it will award up to $7 billion to fund 7 regional “hydrogen hubs” across the U.S. to spur the production of hydrogen as a clean energy source.

In this episode, Paulina first chats with Yeshvi Tomar, a student and fuel cell researcher at USC, who explains the basics of hydrogen as an energy source and its benefits and limitations. Justine and Jim then speak with Dr. Christine Economides, a professor at the University of Houston, who dives deeper into the difference between gray, blue, and green hydrogen, the applications of hydrogen, and the potential to scale up the role of hydrogen as an energy source.

02:23 Interview with Yeshvi Tomar

22:34 Interview with Dr. Economides

55:51 Concluding Remarks

Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast so you can automatically get access to our new episodes – you can find us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we would appreciate it so much if you could leave a rating and review. Special thanks to our guests for today and Abhi, our technical guru, for their important contributions to today’s episode. This podcast is sponsored by the USC Ershaghi Center for Energy Transition.

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Energy Transition Talk series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the Ershaghi Center for Energy Transition (E-CET) or the producers of this podcast.

Referenced in this episode and additional resources:

• University of Houston Webinar: Fueling Houston with Hydrogen - The Switch Is On, September 29, 2023: As combustion of gasoline and diesel in the transportation energy sector account for 27% of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, there is an urgency to find clean and affordable fuel alternatives on the road to a more sustainable future. Research has identified hydrogen as a viable fuel source that could emerge as a premier energy source of the future. This discussion centers on how the cost of providing hydrogen refueling in the Houston area would compare with current fuel prices.

• EIA, Hydrogen Explained: Use of Hydrogen

• FuelCellsWorks, History of Fuel Cells

• U.S. National Archives, Beyond the Hindenburg: Airships Throughout History

• NY Times, The hope and hype of hydrogen, Oct. 17, 2023

• CNBC, These seven U.S. regions will receive $7 billion in federal funding to produce hydrogen, Oct. 13, 2023

  USGS, The Potential for Geologic Hydrogen for Next-Generation Energy, Apr. 13, 2023