[en] With regard to a future extended application of hydrogen within an integrated energy supply system, the technical, economical and ecological problems are talked about, possible solutions are shown and discussed as well as consequences considered relative to one another from the present state of technology and knowledge. Starting from the present and future methods of manufacturing hydrogen and covering transport, storage and distribution problems as well as to the final consumption and consumer in industry, traffic and private consumption, the outlines of the future application regions for hydrogen are given according to the measure of the state of technology and todays economy. Without sharing the euphoria of some believers in a 'hydrogen economy', the result appears to be that hydrogen is almost an ideal energy carrier for many regions of application if only the problems of large-scale technical manufacturing can be solved with regard to availability of primary energy and minimization of waste heat. The possibilities of other chemical compounds manufactured from non-fossil raw materials as energy carriers are comparatively and competitively investigated relative to hydrogen and are given in surveying chapter. (orig./LH)