Shell views the transition process from energy from fossil fuel sources to energy from hydrogen as a journey. A journey with a clear final destination, namely a hydrogen-dominated economy, but also a journey with a course and duration constantly set to change. History The hydrogen journey effectively started in 1766 when the English scientist Henry Cavendish first identified hydrogen as a chemical element in his experiments with mercury. He later discovered that water consists of the elements hydrogen and oxygen. It was the French writer Jules Verne who in 1874 further set the course for this journey in his book “The Mysterious Island” in which he wrote the following: “I believe that water will one day be employed as a fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen will constitute it, used singly or together, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, of an intensity of which coal is not capable”. Jules Verne was thereby justifiably known as the first prophet of the hydrogen economy. This was a prediction of a new energy regime, which we expect will bring about a historical change over the next 25 to 50 years. This change will in part be based on the exhaustion of the reserves of fossil fuels, as well as the tremendous increase in the demand for energy from emerging markets. In addition, we are experiencing the increasing problem of environmental burdens due to the combustion of fossil fuels, which is in turn leading to the global greenhouse effect and local air pollution. These facts also demand a radical change of course in respect of the current situation. The future competitive landscape for hydrogen is being shaped, now. Governments, competitors, suppliers and customers are already developing policies and positions on hydrogen. Destination of Shell Hydrogen Shell has clearly formulated the destination for its journey: to create an infrastructure for hydrogen so that this source of energy becomes accessible worldwide for the everyday consumer. Shell is hard at work building this infrastructure Over the last ten years, as a partner in a number of  projects in Japan, Europe and America, Shell has acquired experience with forms of commercialisation of hydrogen, and the various technological options. Shell believes that the journey can now be responsibly accelerated, although hydrogen represents a clear new business concept. Whilst the technology itself is very much under development, Shell is focusing on so-called “lighthouse projects” or mini networks that can accelerate us towards full commercialisation of hydrogen as a transportation fuel. In these mini networks various integrated retail sites are linked with corridors to create the infrastructure to support the commercial rollout of hydrogen vehicles.
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