Twenty Hydrogen Myths

The document argues that the technical and economic barriers to a hydrogen economy have been largely resolved. It proposes a decentralized transition strategy starting with fuel cells in buildings and efficient vehicles, utilizing existing natural gas infrastructure as a near-term bridge to renewable sources. The author contends that hydrogen fuel cells are significantly more efficient than internal combustion engines, making hydrogen cost-competitive per mile driven despite higher energy costs per unit. The paper dismisses safety concerns, infrastructure costs, and environmental risks as myths, asserting that a well-designed transition would reduce oil dependence and carbon emissions without requiring a massive federal 'crash program'.

• Hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a source, and can be produced from hydrocarbons via reforming, water via electrolysis, or experimental processes using sunlight or microorganisms.
• Hydrogen fuel cells are 2–3 times more efficient than internal combustion engines in vehicles, meaning hydrogen can be cost-competitive per mile even if it costs more per unit of energy than gasoline.
• The existing global hydrogen industry is already substantial, producing approximately 50 million metric tons annually, with about 48% derived from natural gas, 30% from oil, and 18% from coal.
• RMI proposes a decentralized transition strategy that begins with fuel cells in buildings to provide high-quality power and heat, then expands to fleet vehicles and general-market cars using onsite reformers to avoid costly new distribution infrastructure.
• Safety concerns regarding hydrogen's volatility are overstated; it is highly buoyant and diffusive, making it less likely to explode in open air compared to gasoline or natural gas.
• Onboard hydrogen storage is feasible using filament-wound carbon-fiber tanks, which are safer and more rugged than steel tanks; the bulkiness of these tanks can be mitigated by designing ultralight, low-drag vehicles.
• A transition to hydrogen could be self-financing and potentially cheaper than maintaining current gasoline infrastructure, with some estimates suggesting a saving of $1 trillion worldwide over 40 years.
• While natural gas is the logical near-term feedstock, the transition can move toward zero-carbon production via renewables or carbon sequestration without requiring new nuclear power plants, which the author deems uneconomic.
• Concerns that hydrogen leakage would harm the ozone layer or climate are based on unrealistic leakage rates (10–20%); actual industrial leakage is significantly lower, often around 0.1% to 1%.

APA

Lovins, A. B. (2005). Twenty Hydrogen Myths. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E03-05_20HydrogenMyths.pdf

Chicago

Lovins, Amory B. Twenty Hydrogen Myths. RMI, 2005. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E03-05_20HydrogenMyths.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lovins |first1=Amory B. |title=Twenty Hydrogen Myths |publisher=RMI |date=17 February 2005 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E03-05_20HydrogenMyths.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lovins2005twenty, author = {Lovins, Amory B.}, title = {{Twenty Hydrogen Myths}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2005}, month = feb, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E03-05_20HydrogenMyths.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }