Hydrogen in Maine

Hydrogren is touted as the thing that will solve all of our energy problems, and that it is just around the corner. Only everything I've read about it says that just isn't happening in the near future - so why do the news stories continue to perpetuate the hydrogen myth?

Case in point being an AP article via ENN about a $250,000 demonstration project in Maine. The featured project creates hydrogen through electrolysis, which is powered by renewables, "The system unveiled at Chewonki uses renewable power -- from solar panels atop the center and purchases of 'green' electricity -- to produce hydrogen from water through a process known as electrolysis." The governor of Maine even signed an execuitve order to promote hydrogen power in the state.

I'm all for R&D and if we can get hydrogen to work despite its (many) faults that would be great, but these dangling-carrot type stories really should come with a warning label, "Hydrogen may be farther away than it appears..."

UPDATE: 8/30/06
Here's another one - Hydrogen vehicles in Brazil... although acknowledging that these vehicles are (at least) 10 years off, the article begins with, "Brazil has joined the industrialised countries in the race for hydrogen power..." but hey, more races mean more R&D....