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Clear Thinking on Nuclear: Hydrogen fuel. Demand for hydrogen is large and rapidly increasing Cost effective with no gas emissions that pollute the air Enhances energy independence and sustainable supply. Demand for hydrogen fuel is large and rapidly increasing.
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Clear Thinking on Nuclear:Hydrogen fuel Demand for hydrogen is large and rapidly increasing Cost effective with no gas emissions that pollute the air Enhances energy independence and sustainable supply
Demand for hydrogen fuel is large and rapidly increasing • 50 million tons of H2 are produced for global consumption per year with a 4 to 10 % growth per year. • Applications include fertilizer, chemical industry, liquid fuels, transportation and oil refining. • Utilization of new technologies (e.g. fuel cells and enriching low-quality fuels) can significantly increase the growth rate of hydrogen demand.
Cost effective with no air polluting emissions • Only nuclear energy can produce hydrogen at large enough scales to meet future demand while avoiding the release of greenhouse gases. • In the future, utilization of advanced reactor designs to produce hydrogen can lead to efficiencies up to 50%.
Energy independence and sustainability • Hydrogen sources are abundant, decreasing our dependence on foreign energy. • With hydrogen fuel production at its full potential, we can reduce our demand for oil 11 million barrels per day by 2040. • Use of fast breeder reactors to produce hydrogen can provide a sustainable energy source for future generations.
ANS Resources • ANS Position Statement #60: Nuclear Energy for Hydrogen Generation • ANS Position Statement # 44: Nuclear Power: the Leading Strategy for Reducing Carbon Emissions • ANS Position Statement #37: A Declaration on Sustainable Development by the American Nuclear Society