Hydrogen Potential from Renewable Energy Resources (2007)

This study was conducted in 2007 to estimate the potential for producing hydrogen from key renewable resources (onshore wind, solar photovoltaic, and biomass) by county in the United States and to create maps that allow the reader to easily visualize the results. To accomplish this objective, the authors analyzed renewable resource data both statistically and graphically utilizing a state-of-the-art Geographic Information System (GIS), a computer-based information system used to create and visualize geographic information. Land-use and environmental exclusions were applied to represent the most viable resources across the country. While wind, solar, and biomass are considered major renewable resources, other renewable energy resources could also be used for hydrogen production, thus contributing to hydrogen development locally and regionally. These additional resources include offshore wind, concentrating solar power, geothermal, hydropower, photoelectrochemical, and photobiological resources. This study found that approximately 1 billion metric tons of hydrogen could be produced annually from wind, solar, and biomass resources in the United States. The greatest potential for producing hydrogen from these key renewable resources is in the Great Plains region. In addition, this research suggests that renewable hydrogen has the potential to displace gasoline consumption in most states if and when a number of technical and scientific barriers can be overcome.

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