Clean-energy expert Joe Romm concluded decades ago that to make hydrogen safe, competitive with dirty fossil fuels, and widely available, “multiple miracles are needed” that aren’t going to happen any time soon, if ever. Why, then, are we investing billions of dollars today on this still-unproven technology?

Among hydrogen's strongest advocates are methane-gas utilities seeking to leverage federal dollars to preserve their businesses as cities phase out gas and expand solar, wind, and battery storage.