Nano-structured materials to address challenges of the hydrogen initiative

Since the publication of the 2003 report on Basic Energy Needs for the Hydrogen Economy, many important advances in hydrogen research have occurred, a cadre of enthusiastic researchers has entered the field with great interest shown by students, and private industry has made significant commitment to this technology and investment in its development worldwide. Concurrently, other energy technologies have made major strides forward. These technologies must be evaluated for their scalability, usability, cost and life cycle footprint on the environment. This overview discusses these topics and looks toward the role for the hydrogen economy into our energy future.