Future

Energy Sources

Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, holds promise as a clean and renewable energy source. Hydrogen may be plentiful, but it easily combines with other elements and must be separated to be used as fuel. Hydrogen storage and delivery also need to be addressed.

One of the most promising hydrogen technologies is the fuel cell, which produces electricity electrochemically by combining hydrogen and oxygen without combustion. A fuel cell operates like a battery, but unlike a battery, as long as it is fed hydrogen fuel it won’t run down or require recharging.

Currently fossil fuels are used to separate hydrogen for fuel cells. In the future, renewable energy like solar or wind could be used. HECO has contributed $10,000 to a 12-month study on the feasibility of producing hydrogen from biomass.

HECO hosts the Hawaii Fuel Cell Test Facility, operated by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), at its Ward Avenue complex.

More About Hydrogen

U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program