[Korea.net News, Science / Tech, February 2 2008] Is hydrogen for airheads?

As Korea pushes into the so-called hydrogen economy, the nation as a whole could be likened to children in the back seat of the family car, asking their parents over and over as each landmark is passed "are we there yet." The answer is not yet -- not even close, though milestones are flying by at a faster clip.

From the year 2000, when Hyundai introduced a fuel-cell powered Santa Fe SUV, to the opening of the nation’s first hydrogen fuel "gas station" last September, hydrogen has been praised as a potential savior in a world endangered by energy shortages, climate change and oil politics. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and it is clean burning. But hydrogen, particularly in fuel cells, still poses daunting hurdles.