As the nation’s future energy demands grow, the need for a robust, secure and domestic source of energy is critical. Hydrogen has long been used as a fuel and a feedstock in refining and petrochemical processes. Hydrogen production by steam reforming of methane is now utilized as a major production source by industry. For the future, science and technology will drive the hydrogen economics of new cost efficient production, storage, distribution, and energy utilization efficiency pathways.

To address the above challenges, materials science will be a major enabling factor. Emerging hydrogen technologies, which include nuclear co-generation, advanced fuel cells, new storage media, and distribution networks, will be needed. Promising technologies of membranes for hydrogen production/separation, thermochemical and electrochemical water splitting, enhanced leak detection, improving safety surrounding nuclear/hydrogen cogeneration and heat exchanges, and balance of plant systems engineering will help ensure development to deployment success for a hydrogen economy.

A review of the search and discovery emerging on the horizon within the science and technology community will be discussed to address these challenges and opportunities.