Hydrogen power is made more feasible through a new, more efficient hydrogen production process

• So far they've done the recipe only on a small scale in an Idaho laboratory.
• The ingredients are water, electricity and extreme heat.
• When hot steam is zapped by electricity, it separates H2O into hydrogen and oxygen.
• The Ceramtec Company in Salt Lake provides a crucial part of the technology, a paper-thin ceramic membrane.
• Joseph Hartvigsen, Ceramatec, Inc.: "And the oxygen moves through the membrane and it is discharged on the other side of the membrane."
• At a news conference, private and government scientists said the new method shows promise of providing hydrogen efficiently to help wean us from foreign oil.
• Dept. of Energy said, "It proves the function and effectiveness of the technology at the smaller scale.
• Abundant affordable energy is the key to economic prosperity."
• In order to demonstrate it on a big scale, they want to build the first nuclear power plant in a generation.
• Dr. Steve Herring, Idaho National Engineering Lab said, "It addresses our need to cut down on the emissions of greenhouse gases.
• Since the primary source, since the only source of energy is a nuclear reactor, which does not emit any greenhouse gases."
• The public-private partnership hopes to build the reactor in Idaho, an entirely new kind, capable of reaching extreme temperatures.
• The scientists say public skepticism over safety and waste issues can be overcome with research and education.
• "As energy costs climb, people's sentiment will change to educate themselves on what other options there are."
• The target date for the nuclear plant is the year 2017.
• The scientists see some early uses for hydrogen, but they admit it would be decades before hydrogen becomes a primary ingredient in our energy mix.