Hydrogen from biomass - Present scenario and future prospects

Hydrogen is considered in many countries to be an important alternative energy vector and a bridge to a sustainable energy future. Hydrogen is not an energy source. It is not primary energy existing freely in nature. Hydrogen is a secondary form of energy that has to be manufactured like electricity. It is an energy carrier. Hydrogen can be produced from a wide variety of primary energy sources and different production technologies. About half of all the hydrogen as currently produced is obtained from thermo catalytic and gasification processes using natural gas as a starting material, heavy oils and naphtha make up the next largest source, followed by coal. Currently, much research has been focused on sustainable and environmental friendly energy from biomass to replace conventional fossil fuels. Biomass can be considered as the best option and has the largest potential, which meets energy requirements and could insure fuel supply in the future. Biomass and biomass-derived fuels can be used to produce hydrogen sustainably. Biomass gasification offers the earliest and most economical route for the production of renewable hydrogen. (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.