LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: High oil prices are grabbing headlines now, but researchers are working on what they think may be the fuel of the future. CNN's Chris Burns, reporting from Munich, today.</s>CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine driving up to your local filling station and tanking up with the most plentiful element in the world. Automakers are racing to find ways to replace fossil fuels. One of the hottest ideas is using liquid hydrogen, creating energy by combining it with oxygen. Costing several thousand dollars to modify, this BMW prototype uses either gasoline or hydrogen. It can fill up at this station at Munich Airport, which also serves prototype shuttle buses. One downside: Liquid hydrogen is an explosive fuel used in rocket engines. BMW says its hydrocar has passed crash tests. At a hydrogen forum in Munich, researchers show off their wares, suddenly terribly relevant to a world hit hard by the latest oil price shock.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since the energy-importing countries, in general, are very knowledgeable in energy efficiencies, in renewable energies, in hydrogen, they should go together and form this counterbalance in order to free themselves from the import dependency of fossil fuels.</s>BURNS: What's more, hydrogen power is earth-friendly. Its main byproduct is water. (on camera): OK, reality check. There's more than one catch to what seems like a miracle fuel, starting with how the hydrogen is produced, how much it costs, and where to get it. (voice-over): So far, the most economical way to mass-produce hydrogen fuel is with a natural-gas fired plant. Solar power and wind power are still a long way from becoming economically viable. It still costs about 30 percent more to run a car with liquid hydrogen than with gasoline in Germany, and the world's filling stations would have to adapt to hydrogen fuel, a huge investment. But tougher environmental policies and rising petroleum prices could be hydrogen power's best ally. A potential silver lining to think about for those angered by the price at the conventional pump. Chris Burns, CNN, Munich, Germany.
Liquid Hydrogen May Become Popular Future Fuel