This article examines key issues facing public and private decision makers advocating for - or affected - by the possible emergence of a hydrogen economy. It offers alternative visions of a hydrogen future, explores the extent to which society can manage this technological transition identifies key business and public policy issues, and offers recommendations. Hydrogen advocates should take the time to understand the culture of a sector, industry, or enterprise to enable identification of events and circumstances that prompts action. Also, hydrogen as currently conceived is expected to evolve from a local market to a continental market over time, implying that state and local policies is also strongly influencing its development.