Fuel cell technology I like. What I'd really prefer to see, however, is a liquid fuel source such as used in direct methanol fuel cells. There would be CO2 and water generated but not the litany of harmful emissions typical of most internal combustion engines (which is why they require catalytic converters).
The big advantage of fuel cells is a much more efficient method of turning chemical energy into mechanical energy. The fuel cells provide power from the hydrogen or methanol (or whatever) and oxygen by extracting the energy directly from the chemical bonds. The only inefficiency is the system-level losses such as resistance and anode or cathode efficiencies.
Internal combustion engines are inherently inefficient because of the thermodynamic process involved to turn heat - not chemical bonds - into mechanical energy. The thermal efficiency limit is in the 37%-43% range for "steel internal combustion engines" with average efficiencies coming in at 20% or less.
The average efficiency versus efficiency limit is why hybrids can work well. If the internal combustion is run only at peak efficiency to charge batteries, the average efficiency is around that 40% mark, losing a few more percent due to all the power handling (resistance and such).
Fossil-fueled power plants can attain efficiencies approaching 60%, still providing a significant net advantage of using fossil-fueled electrical hydrogen production, eventually delivering energy through fuel cells rather than internal combustion.
There are also "steam reformers" available that produce hydrogen gas chemically from fossil fuel sources such as natural gas (home-based devices have been proposed and small scale use already occurs). It's possible this method of "harvesting" hydrogen would provide a better overall efficiency compared to the typical fossil-fuel power plant. This is conjecture, however, since I haven't seen any numbers to compare the methods.
Hydrogen is dangerous. Gasoline is dangerous! Anything that contains a large amount of energy is dangerous. You can breathe hydrogen/oxygen mixtures (as do deep sea divers) without physical problems. I would NOT want to breath gasoline/oxygen mixtures! Gasoline fumes and even natural gas can loiter around a leak and pose an explosion hazard. Lighter gasses like hydrogen and even propane will quickly dissipate unless contained.
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This is my take having developed an interest in fuel cells back in the early '80s and watching how development has continued over the years. I'm not involved with fuel cells directly but want very much to see them succeed.
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