New Way of Splitting Hydrogen from Water Improves Hydrogen’s Potential as Fuel Source

In Texas, researchers are giving hope to hydrogen as a clean-burning fuel source with a new cheaper method for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. Using a new less expensive catalyst that lasts much longer than previous catalysts, scientists are demonstrating a more cost efficient yet improved way of splitting water to produce hydrogen gas. This gives hope for hydrogen gas as a future fuel and energy source as it currently is produced using natural gas reforming which emits greenhouse gas emissions and is more expensive making it neither an environmentally friendly fuel nor cost effective. Some challenges remain for hydrogen as a fuel source as it still lacks infrastructure and could still use more energy to produce than the hydrogen fuel can supply later on.