Hydrogen Futures Act

Several research organizations are developing low-cost methods of hydrogen production. Much of this work is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy as a result of the Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1990 and the Hydrogen Futures Act of 1996. 

The "Hydrogen Future Act of 1996" focuses Federal hydrogen research on the basic scientific fundamentals needed "to provide the foundation for private sector investment and development of new and better energy sources. ... 

The path set by the current energy policy of the United States and the developing world will dramatically increase greenhouse gas emissions over the next few decades, which will force sharper and more painful reductions in the future when we finally do act. In the United States, the transportation sector alone is projected to generate nearly half of the 40 percent rise in co2 emissions forecast for 2025, which is long before hydrogen-powered cars could have a positive effect on greenhouse gas emissions (see Chapter 8). 

The excellent electron-transfer mediator properties of nanoparticles find special use in the different oxidation [126] and reduction [143,144] reactions catalyzed by noble metal colloids. Recently, Ung et al. [145] showed how Ag particles coated with a thin layer of silica act as redox catalysts, and how the control of the rate of the catalyzed hydrogen evolution reaction was possible by tuning the silica shell thickness. It was concluded that the shell acts as a size-selective membrane, which can be used to alter the chemical yields for competing catalytic reactions. This kind of tailoring of the catalyst properties opens up very interesting prospects in future catalyst planning. 

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is produced by decarbonylation of furfural to furan followed by catalytic hydrogenation. THF is applied as a solvent for resins and plastics, film castings and adhesives. THF also acts as a solvent in different fine organic syntheses on a commercial scale and as a chemical intermediate. Environmental demands increase the THF application cost because THF users must install solvent recovery systems. A high price and environmental considerations will limit the future growth of THF market. 

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