Written in 2004, “The Hype About Hydrogen”, comes as a stark wake-up call to those who previously had pinned their hopes for a clean energy revolution on the “Hydrogen Economy”.

Jeremy Rifkin’s 2002 book on that subject was positively glowing about the potential of fuel cells to transform our energy equations. But the first decade of the 21st century has been full of disappointments. For example, in 2007 fuel-cell pioneer Ballard Power sold its automotive fuel cell division, a move analysts saw as a recognition that the industry was going nowhere. More recently, President Obama’s administration cut funding to fuel cell research, in favour of strategies that would produce more substantial emissions reductions in a shorter time period.

“The Hype About Hydrogen” provides an exhaustive exploration of hydrogen technologies and their challenges. The author makes it clear that he is as concerned about climate change as everyone else, but is not interested in pinning the future health of the planet on technology that just isn’t there, and won’t be for decades to come.

After making a convincing case against hydrogen as a solution in the near-term, he makes several broad suggestions:

1. Take a long-term, conservative perspective on hydrogen.
2. Sharply increase R&D into clean energy technologies.
3. Start reducing CO₂ emissions immediately using low-cost strategies.
4. Begin a major national effort to encourage combined heat and power.
5. Launch a major effort to use electricity and natural gas more efficiently.
6. Phase in CO₂-related standards for cars and light trucks.
7. Prepare the public for tough choices ahead.

Now, with the benefit of 7 years hindsight, we can see many of these suggestions slowly being implemented, which underscores the fact that our problems are more about political will and less about technological capacity.