Why the Hydrogen Dream Remains Unfulfilled

In his 2003 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush offered a bold vision of a cleaner energy future. Standing before Congress and the nation, he announced a $1.2 billion initiative to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles, proclaiming that “the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen and pollution-free.”  The appeal was clear: a shift away from imported oil and a meaningful reduction in vehicle emissions. After all, the combustion product of hydrogen is just water.  That child would be…