The U. S. Department of Energy has awarded hydrogen manufacturer, Air Products, Inc. the prestigious Hydrogen Program Award. Research scientists Alan Cooper and Guido Pez received the award for their work on the development of innovative storage of hydrogen, namely a liquid-phase hydrogen carrier.
According to Chief Scientist Pez, “It is nice for our research team, including several additional Air Products employees, to be recognized by the DOE for this work. This storage technology allows hydrogen, normally a gas, to be stored and transported at normal temperatures in a liquid form like conventional fuels.”
One of the largest problems with rolling out a hydrogen infrastructure to the masses has been the assumption that gaseous compressed hydrogen would have to be transported via pipelines and trucks over long distances. In this scenario, the volumes of hydrogen capable of being hauled and leakage are two of the main issues. If, however, hydrogen were to be liquefied and transported just as gasoline is right now, this would solve many of the transportation issues surrounding hydrogen.