Hydrogen is often put forward in ignorance as an alternative to fossil fuels because when burned, the byproduct is water instead of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur dioxides. Hydrogen is viewed as a potential replacement for diesel fuel and gasoline because it can be used in applications - most notably motor vehicles - where electricity alone cannot easily provide a similar level of functionality with existing technology.
Unfortunately, the process of producing hydrogen as currently performed requires large amounts of energy - usually obtained from burning fossil fuels, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide. The most common feedstock for hydrogen production is also fossil fuels - usually natural gas - and that particular manufacturing process also releases large amounts of carbon dioxide independently of energy production.
However, there exists a method of producing hydrogen that need not involve fossil fuels at any point. The needed energy is obtained from the Sun, and the feedstock is water. And unlike in conventional hydrogen fuel cells, the reaction allows the water byproduct of burning hydrogen to be used to create hydrogen again - almost perfect recycling.
What's the secret ingredient? It's algae.
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