You take intermittent sources of energy (wind, solar, tidal, etc.,) and use it to generate Hydrogen. Then you store and transport Hydrogen for use at a later time, converting it back into electricity via a fuel cell.
When viewed in this context, Hydrogen makes (slightly) more sense.
But generating Hydrogen from hydrocarbons makes no sense at all.
Agreed. I understand the current production, storage and transport issues with hydrogen. Generating via nat gas or other carbon (even “renewables”) and transporting to distribution sites in ICE vehicles makes no sense. My only point is “if” production of hydrogen via solar or other clean energy souces can be made highly efficient, scaled for commercial use, and localized at or near distribution sites, it may be a viable from an economic standpoint. The economic benefits in material handling are there which is one reason Amazon, Walmart and others have HFC forks in their disty centers. I suspect another reason is the “green image” so many companies are touting. A lot less down time (hrs vs min) to “re-charge” fork batteries, no battery room etc. I’m not sold on hydrogen..yet. Just observing that there is interesting technology being explored. There’s also appears to be lot of renewed interest in the auto industry.