The hydrogen that is created is separated through the use of Pressure swing adsorption or a hydrogen-permeable membrane made of polymer or a palladium alloy.
Since the remaining gas mixture still contains a significant amount of chemical energy, it is often mixed with air and burned to provide heat for the endothermic reforming reaction.
Also, this could help ease the public's concern over the danger of hydrogen and thereby make fuel cell-powered vehicles more attractive.
While hydrogen power produces energy without CO2, a methanol reformer creates the gas as a byproduct.
Methanol (prepared from natural gas) that is used in an efficient fuel cell, however, releases less CO2 in the atmosphere than gasoline, in a net analysis.