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The only generally available technology considered zero emission is that used in battery powered electric vehicles.
Developmental techologies offering zero pollution include:
Note that "zero emissions" does not mean that the complete power cycle is non-polluting, except in special cases, since in most cases the energy is provided from fossil fuel plants. This may still be an advantage for urban areas when compared to conventional vechicles. Special cases producing zero pollution in the operating energy cycle would include electric vehicles where an offsetting amount of zero emissions power is provided, especially solar electric power. "Zero emissions" also does not include emissions associated with manufacturing such vehicles or components, nor outgassing from synthetic materials used in vehicle construction, nor soot-like dust from tire wear, nor potential pollution associated with end-of-life vehicle or vehicle component dismantling, recycling, and reuse.
Hydrogen powered vehicles as proposed by the automotive industry are especially questionable in their net pollution since current economic production of hydrogen is typically by the processing of natural gas or coal using water in processes using high temperature and pressure. Unless special care is taken to sequester the carbon dioxide and other more toxic waste from these processes, a future " hydrogen economy" may produce even more greenhouse gases and toxic pollution than the current fossil fuelFossil fuels are coal and hydrocarbon fuels or hydrocarbon containing fuels such as petroleum (including natural gas). The utilization of fossil fuels has fueled industrial development and largely supplanted water driven mills and wood or peat burning for usage. However, hydrogen may be produced from water using electricity, which may be derived from solar powerSolar power describes a number of methods of harnessing energy from the light of the sun. It has been present in many traditional building methods for centuries but has become of increasing interest in developed countries as other power sources such as fo, but currently at greater expense[1] than from fossil fuels.
[1] The expenses from using solar power appear greater than for fossil fuels largely because many of the costs of fossil fuels have been externalized, that is to say that someone other than the producer and consumer of the product bear the indirect costs of the cycle (though these may be the same population, bearing for example, increased health costs).