In the aftermath of the 2009 Copenhagen climate change conference, there is ever more interest in low- or zero-carbon technologies, and policies to support their development. In recent decades, hydrogen energy has been increasingly seen as a radical ‘green’ solution to many of the problems associated with fossil fuels. Ostensibly it offers the potential to reduce GHG emissions, avoid air pollution and increase security of energy supply. However, there are major economic, technical and regulatory barriers to the widespread adoption of hydrogen energy systems. This book provides a useful compendium of information about the numerous complex elements in the production, storage, distribution and end-uses of hydrogen, and also reviews the major constraints on the necessary transitions required in the evolution of a hydrogen economy.

This edited collection brings together chapters by scholars from Germany, Austria and the USA, who have collaborated in various European (and other) research and development programmes assessing strategies and ‘roadmaps’ for the introduction of hydrogen, mainly in the transport sector. Early chapters cover the future of non-renewable energy sources; potentials for renewable energy sources; carbon capture and storage (CCS); analysis of hydrogen energy-chains; the properties of hydrogen, its production, storage and distribution; and the role of fuel cells. Later sections of the book examine the problems of developing a hydrogen infrastructure in Europe and the USA; its relationship with the electricity sector; macro-economic impacts; hydrogen's position in sustainable transport systems; the imperative of securing increased energy efficiency generally; and a concluding chapter on the future(s) of hydrogen.

The book itself is wide-ranging, and examines in great technical detail the multifarious components of hydrogen as an energy carrier, and the probable difficulties faced in competition with incumbent technologies. Each chapter contains systematic literature reviews, supported by figures, graphs, tables and other illustrations, and there is a glossary of technical terms and extensive references. Most of the examples referred to are from Europe, particularly Germany, but there are two chapters about the USA. The contributors come from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, working in technology assessment and economic appraisal. It is difficult to specify exactly the intended readership, although the editors indicate that researchers and policy-makers concerned with energy systems are the primary audience. It may also be relevant to scholars, advanced undergraduates and postgraduates in the fields of environmental sciences, energy economics and science and technology policy.

Throughout the book, many interesting and challenging observations are made. Most importantly, the authors show that until major technological breakthroughs are achieved (for example in fuel cells and storage materials) and until the overall economic position of competing energy sources alters, hydrogen infrastructures are unlikely to obtain sufficient investment. Major questions are also posed about the source of hydrogen itself, as currently most is produced from fossil fuels, and there are uncertainties both about the capacity of renewable sources and the feasibility of large-scale CCS. Existing energy technologies (for example in electric and hybrid vehicles) are continuously seeking improvements in efficiency, and there are other synthetic and bio-fuels, so hydrogen faces tough competition to establish itself. Hydrogen offers an ‘intermediate’ storage capacity for intermittent electricity from renewables, but there are questions about leakage from pipelines and safety issues about hydrogen in gas and liquid form. The principal conclusion is that hydrogen is not a comprehensive or single solution to the world's energy problems, but it offers an important element in the transition to more sustainable energy systems.

Overall, this is an interesting and useful collection on a topic which has become increasingly debated. While several contributors very briefly acknowledge the significant problems of obtaining public acceptance of hydrogen energy, dealing with the associated questions about regulation of safety and addressing the need for training of technicians and consumers in its use, these are dealt with very cursorily. There is also some degree of repetition in the chapters, and the style of writing seems more akin to technical reports, making it quite demanding and difficult for a non-expert reader. Compared with the almost-evangelical optimism of Rifkin (Reference Rifkin2002), this volume is a sober and realistic assessment of the prospects for hydrogen energy.