Homegrown fuels could have a vital role to play in developing a hydrogen economy, according to the head of a US hydrogen technology centre.

The Gas Technology Institute (GTI) has developed fuel processing technology capable of turning ethanol into high-quality hydrogen, meaning that "hybrid" ethanol-hydrogen vehicles and onsite hydrogen-based power plants could be possible.

Gerry Runte, executive director of GTI's Hydrogen Systems Centre, told FarmWeek, that ethanol has the benefit of being easy to transport and widely available.

"Moving hydrogen can be a very expensive process. There are pipelines in the US, but not many. Trucking hydrogen around in liquid form or bottling it in compressed cylinders add expense to the basic product."

"If you can use another, more easily handled commodity, deliver it to where hydrogen is needed, and make the hydrogen there, typically you're a lot better off."

Mr Runte said that although Ethanol may not suit all hydrogen processes, it could be vital in the initial development of a hydrogen-based economy.