Given the need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, especially those that contain carbon and are primarily produced by the burning of fossil fuels, hydrogen has long been considered a valid, though costly, alternative.

Hydrogen-fueled vehicles are already circulating in a handful of countries, but the current cost of obtaining the gas through electrolysis, plus storing and distributing it, is prohibitive.

A group of 11 researchers at the University of Buenos Aires' Catalytic Processes Laboratory, or LPC, developed a technique to obtain hydrogen from ethyl alcohol or ethanol, derived from vegetable sources such as sugar cane and cereals.

"Hydrogen is usually obtained from natural gas, a process that gives off carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. It is also obtained from water, through electrolysis, but it is very expensive," LPC director Miguel Laborde told EFE.

The production of so-called "green hydrogen" from alcohol also produces carbon emissions but at a much lower rate.

"In addition, it is carbon that was already in the biosphere, because it comes from the vegetables used to manufacture alcohol. Therefore, it does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere," the scientist said.

The hydrogen so obtained may be used in "fuel cells," devices that generate enough electricity to power vehicles.

Though a technique for converting ethanol into hydrogen was already known in Europe, the Argentine team perfected it to the point of achieving an "ultra-pure" hydrogen.

The new process produces a hydrogen-based fuel containing 20 to 30 parts carbon dioxide per million, the right amount to avoid corroding vehicle fuel cells.

Last year, Spanish industrial group Abengoa, which produces biofuels among other things, signed a $300,000 contract with LPC to develop the technology.

As part of the deal, in which Argentina's Scientific and Technical Research Council, or CONICET, acted as intermediary, LPC ceded the intellectual property rights to the Spanish company for the amount of $75,000.

"Argentina competed with other countries for the deal, but the background of our researchers and the economic advantage that our devalued currency entails carried the day," Javier Gomez, CONICET's Technological Liaisons chief, told EFE.

The new process will make the use of hydrogen in transportation more affordable, as drivers will only need to fuel up with alcohol at regular gas stations, without the need for separate hydrogen production, compression, storage and sales facilities.

Another advantage is that ethanol may be manufactured any place on the planet where the raw material grows, thereby preventing the geopolitical crises arising from uncertainty about the cost of crude oil as reserves dwindle.

"Obviously, using hydrogen is still more expensive than using oil, as in the latter case the related technology has already been developed and essentially paid for. But you could penalize the use of highly polluting fossil fuels to encourage the use of clean alternative fuels such as this one," Laborde said.

In the future, LPC's process may be used not only in transportation but to replace the petrochemical industry with an "alcochemical" one.

"Instead of obtaining synthetic gases from oil and natural gas, the chemical industry could make those gases combining carbon and hydrogen from vegetable alcohol," Laborde explained.

At the 10th U.N. Conference on Climate Change, held in Buenos Aires, the International Energy Agency noted that the reduction of carbon emissions has been insufficient to stop global warming and urged the development of new technologies that will permit the massive use of hydrogen and fuel cells.

Some $1 billion are currently being spent on developing such technology, but experts believe up to $4 billion a year are need.