Here's a very good discussion of legal and safety-engineering considerations 
of the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, that is, as the fuel for hydrogen 
fuel cells.

The comparison photos of a fuel fire in a hydrogen car and in a gasoline car 
are impressive. Combustion of the hydrogen occurs above the vehicle, because 
hydrogen is very light, relative to air. The hydrogen vehicle suffers no 
damage. The gasoline car is destroyed by the fire, because gasoline flows downward, 
beneath the vehicle.

http://www.fuelcells.org/info/HydrogenandtheLaw.pdf

As to damage to the atmosphere from hydrogen, there was no reference in the 
Washington Post article mentioned a few weeks ago by Linda Scarth to either the 
mechanism by which the damage is caused, or to quantitative data as to how 
much hydrogen would have to leak in order for there to be significant damage to 
the environment. Such information is necessary to make a determination of the 
danger of hydrogen to the environment. 

[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/14/AR20060214017
71.html]

Tom



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