Hydrogen from Offshore Wind | Green Energy News

January 12, 2003 – Vol.7 No.42

HYDROGEN FROM OFFSHORE WIND.

At least two of the major automobile manufacturers have publicly said if hydrogen is to be the greenhouse-gas-free, pollution-free, fuel of the future for vehicles it must be obtained by utilizing renewable energy. That notion is a baby-step closer.

According to Kyodo News service, the Japanese Environment Ministry has included in its fiscal 2003 budget 100 million yen ($850,000) for research into a large floating offshore facility that would use wind power to extract hydrogen from seawater.

Given the relatively small amount of money allotted for this ambitious project, the money would likely be used to analyze problems such as the transport of hydrogen to shore efficiently and the use of wind turbines on floating structures, along with general design considerations.