In 1874, science fiction writer Jules Verne predicted a world where water replaces coal as the fuel of the future. He’d be happy to know the era of hydrocarbons may be declining. We are approaching the hydrogen age.

We face an urgency that the human race has never seen before. The demand for gasoline and coal will continue to grow in global economies. Greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise, caused by man’s burning of carbon-based fuels. Indeed, a US climate action report tells us that carbon dioxide emissions, which accelerate climate change through the greenhouse effect, grew by 20% from 1990 to 2004.

I’m afraid I have to blame the heavy use of hydrocarbons, which we’ve been releasing. We are pumping carbon into the atmosphere, contrary to nature, and leading to an imbalance of CO2. I believe man is responsible for up to one-half of the world’s climate changes. I see evidence of that with our melting ice caps in Iceland. We must find ways to mitigate these changes.

As I mentioned in a recent talk, humanity stands at a crucial crossroads regarding future energy policy. The only way to lift the world from the detrimental environmental impact of fossil fuels is to develop sustainable, alternative energy sources.

Here in Iceland, 72% of our domestic heating and energy requirements are already met by geothermal energy from our geysers and volcanoes, as well as hydroelectric energy, where hot water percolates from the heat of the earth’s movements.

Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe. A global solution, in my opinion, is for nations to link their geothermal resources to hydrogen generation, to power transportation and energy needs — to transition to fully hydrogen-based energy economies, based on domestic, renewable energy sources. A hydrogen economy is pollution-free and provides clean energy.

The only byproduct is water vapor.

A full 28% of our energy requirements in Iceland still remain based on import of fossil fuel, and for too many purposes. It takes a lot of petrol and energy to run our fishing trawlers. And so we have a national goal, by 2050, to fully eliminate oil dependency. I believe we’ll reach that goal. We’re a small nation, but we are dedicated to showing the world what we can do.
In the United States, less than half of 1% of US energy supply comes from geothermal power. There’s tremendous potential there for change. At Penn State University, researchers are studying ways to produce hydrogen from biodegradable organic materials. General Motors plans to manufacture one million HydroGEN3 fuel cell vehicles a year by 2012 — a pioneering move from one of the largest car producers in the world.

University of California researchers are engineering a strain of pond scum that might one day produce hydrogen through photosynthesis. If it works, it would mean a major breakthrough in using algae — not only for hydrogen, but for a wide range of products. Columbia University is developing ways to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and neutralize it by mixing it with basaltic ingredients in our lava.

Here in Iceland, we’re tapping our natural power — hydroelectric power and geothermal springs — and finding feasible ways to convert the remains of geothermal energy into fuel. Hydrogen fuel burns more efficiently in a fuel cell than gasoline. It’s capable of powering transportation and is critical to transporting our fishing fleets in Iceland. In our capital city of Reykjavik, we unveiled the world’s first commercial hydrogen fueling station, which will be used to power up to 35 new hydrogen cars.
Hertz now offers customers one of three rental Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles, converted by Quantum Technologies Inc. in California. The Hertz cars refuel at the Reykjavik fueling station.

Fuel cell cars are expected to go on sale to the public in 2010. Our government is prepared to offer citizens tax breaks accordingly. Once our vehicles are converted over to hydrogen, our fishing fleets will follow.

I led the creation of Icelandic New Energy Ltd., a spin-off from the academic knowledge at our university, to identify international business opportunities in the hydrogen field. The University of Iceland is also working to show how cheaper hydrogen can be produced using high-temperature electrolysis. To do this, we’re involving, among others, France’s atomic energy agency, CEA (Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique), and the University of Grenoble, France.

But we face ongoing challenges and much work ahead. We must continue on the path of clean fuel research, and we must continually refine the technology. We need to improve the resistance of fuel cells to cold weather and salinity in the air, to better withstand temperatures of -5ºF (-20ºC).

Also, the issue of hydrogen storage is a tough challenge, and an expensive one. We’ll need advanced hydrogen-storage materials.

When it comes to the point of supplying our fishing fleet with hydrogen, gaseous storage won’t be an option.

Iceland provides a test-bed for emerging hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Soon, it will be the world’s first hydrogen economy. We look forward to teaching the world about the possibilities as our country writes a new chapter in energy history.

Dr. Thorsteinn I. Sigfusson is professor of physics at the University of Iceland and co-chair of the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy. In 2007 Iceland’s government asked Sigfusson to lead the Innovation Center of Iceland, a new institution joining research and development in the area of materials science, building research and support to entrepreneurs. He received knighthood from the president of Iceland in 2004, and in 2007 he received the Global International Energy Prize from Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.