==> “Hydrogen is neither more nor less hazardous than gasoline, propane, or methane. Like any flammable substance, it requires caution when using. Hydrogen has been safely produced, stored, transported, and used in large amounts for decades for a variety of purposes such as in agriculture, oil production and even food processing....” <==
This statement could not be more wrong, or more dangerous because of its falsehood.
First of all, hydrogen is chemically a very active METAL (electron donor), and as such it can dissolve into many metals that would have no problem containing something less chemically active. In addition, hydrogen is the lightest molecule in the universe, and therefore, on average, the fastest diffusing molecule at any temperature. Hydrogen will escape through ANY fault or flaw in its containment, and will penetrate, weaken, and diffuse through most metal tanks that would easily contain almost any other gas.
Second, hydrogen gas forms an explosive mixture in air at any level from 4% (LEL, or lower explosive limit) to 75% (UEL, or upper explosive limit. By comparison, gasoline vapor explosive range is 1.4% to 7.6%; propane, 2.2% to 9.5%; and natural gas, 4.8% to 13.5%.
So. Without extraordinary measures, hydrogen gas will tend to leak out of its containment and form a mixture in air which will be more likely to explode than any other gas.
And for what? Read my posts 7 and 25. Incredibly hazardous and difficult storage (totally impractical pressure [150-250 bar] or totally impractical temperature [-400F] and transport.
In fact, gasoline is the safest, easiest way to handle, transport, and store hydrogen for use as a fuel. 56% MORE hydrogen can be extracted from a gallon of gasoline without additional energy input than a gallon of pure liquid hydrogen, or the gasoline can be burned as fuel to produce 3.7 TIMES the BTU’s as burning an equal volume of liquid H2.
I'm sorry, but in fact the post above couldn't be more unrealistic.
The figures on flammability ranges and explosive limits do not have the catastophic, unsafe effect claimed. I'm happy to report that hydrogen is transported and delivered safely thousands of times every year. And in fact many of the properties that you cite are the very things that allow hydrogen to provide benefits to energy security, the environment and our economy.
Safety? Hydrogen tanks have been drop tested, bullet tested, bonfire tested and put through tons of rigorous tests to make sure you and everyone else can handle them safety. Hydrogen cars are crash tested too. While hydrogen is flammable just like other fuels we use everyday, have no fear that you can handle hydrogen products just like you handle batteries, gasoline at the pump or even natural gas right in our homes.
In fact, many of hydrogen's properties make it safer. The tendency of hydrogen to dissipate is actually a huge benefit, because it won't pool on the ground like gasoline or propane, but rather will rise up and away so that it won't be able to catch on fire.
The hundreds of companies that are selling hydrogen products today are smart enough and have been working at this long enough to know how to make hydrogen devices that work safely.
Still unsure of hydrogen's safety? Become more familiar with the world's most abundant element by either reading about how it's being used today:
http://www.h2andyou.org
OR learning about the safety aspects at: http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/general/factSheet_safety.pdf
OR you can even take a free, short online course offered by the Department of Energy:
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/firstresponders.html