Hydrogen for transportation: available Canadian technology

To cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions deeply while allowing sustainable development, only nuclear power offers an emissions-free way to provide electricity for traditional applications and to provide energy for the transportation sector (using nuclear-produced hydrogen). Applying hydrogen generated from nuclear energy (supplemented where appropriate by other near-zero GHG-emitting energy sources) to transportation doubles or triples nuclear's leverage in reducing GHG emissions. Hydrogen (H2) produced by the steam reforming of natural gas offers little advantage in total cycle GHG emissions over hybrid ICE technology. The technology for replacing hydrocarbons with non-GHG-emitting H2 is available in electrolysis and fuel cells, using existing electric grids to provide distribution. No technical obstacles are evident and the world should be moving urgently towards total emissions-free transportation. (author)