Hydrogen Economy 
Iceland is famed for its hot springs, rivers and geysers and its beautiful wildernesses. A few years ago, the country embarked on a radical plan to transform itself into the world's first 'hydrogen economy'.
It aims to run all its transport and even its huge fishing fleet on hydrogen produced from its underground geothermal energy, and to free itself from dependency on fossil fuel within 30 years.
The project - the brainchild of Bragi Arnason - is still in its infancy, but with demand on global oil reserves expected to increase sharply in the next few years, could hydrogen be a viable alternative source of energy for the future.
Iceland has already done more than most countries to harness its abundant source of renewable energy.
Virtually all of its electricity and heating comes from hydroelectric power and the geo-thermal water reserves tapped from the hot rock layers lying just beneath the surface of this extraordinary island.
But with no fossil fuel resources of its own, the country relies on imported oil to power its cars, buses and fishing trawlers, which provide 70% of its income. Despite a desire for clean energy, Icelanders are bad polluters, with more cars per head than anywhere else in the world.
Dr Arnason is convinced that in the long run the country's hydrogen project will succeed and Iceland will be able to cut its carbon emissions by 50%.
In the meantime, while other countries may not have the resources to replicate this scientific experiment, they are watching with great interest to see if hydrogen -- one of the world's most common elements - could be the key to the world's future energy supplies.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 July 2008 )
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