NORWAY'S EMERGING HYDROGEN ECONOMY AND ITS LESSONS FOR HAWAII

Aware that it has only limited reserves of oil and the fossil fuels, Norway decided more than ten years ago to pursue an economic strategy of replacing its offshore oil with a modern hydrogen economy. They plan to export both green (made from renewable sources) and blue (made from natural gas). Experts say it is the only reasonable way reduce carbon emissions from transportation  because using it with fuel cells to create electricity to power vehicles does not necessitate the use of heavy batteries in uses such as cars, trucks and ships.  It produces no carbon footprint - only water and potentially billions of dollars in revenue and hundreds of jobs. Towards this end Norway began to develop a hydrogen fuel cell distribution system along its main roads. Reasoning that when fuel became accessible motorists, truck and bus drivers would follow.

Why should Hawaii with only two or three hydrogen cars be concerned about this? Because hydrogen powering cars, trucks and ships may very likely be "the next big thing". Hawaii can produce abundant green hydrogen with geothermal energy at a low enough price that it could ultimately replace heavy oil and provide fuel not just for Hawaii's transportation system but also provide base power for its grid. However as Norway's experience has shown getting to a hydrogen economy means overcoming obstacles.

Unfortunately an explosion at a UNO-X hydrogen station outside of the capital system of Norway in which three people were injured took place in 2019. Coming soon after a similar explosion at a hydrogen gas station in California, hydrogen plans in Norway were put on hold for six months. Norway's 160 hydrogen powered cars were off the road and their owners unable to find fuel until an investigation was held..

However by January 2020, the problem had been addressed, the company owners fined and a new hydrogen fueling station built outside Oslo. Soon, Norways hydrogen fueling stations were operating again. Norway plans to have 3,000 hydrogen buses and 7,000 trucks on the road by 2030. It is in the process of building a hydrogen fueling network initially through Scandinavia and then gradually through the rest of Europe. If Norway can do this why not Hawaii?