North Dakota State University has opened a first-of-its-kind wind-to-hydrogen project at the North Central Research Extension Center just south of Minot, ND.

In an article in the Minot Daily News, Sen. Byron Dorgan said this country desperately needs an energy source besides oil:

“In the longer term, in my judgment, the fuel of the future is going to be hydrogen,” Dorgan said. “I’m a big fan of the biofuels, I’m a big fan of ethanol, I believe it’s enormously important that we’ve invested in wind energy. But I believe —especially in the longer term — our grandkids need to be driving vehicles that put water vapor out the tailpipe and have twice the efficiency of power to the wheel. That comes with hydrogen fuel cells. It allows us to say to the Saudis and the Kuwaitis and others, ‘We don’t need your oil.’”

The intermittent wind energy will be used to secure a more reliable energy source: hydrogen. The power generated from the wind will be used to seperate hydrogen from water molecules. The hydrogen can then be used in vehicles and generators equipped to burn it.