A base-facilitated process for producing hydrogen. Hydrogen is produced
from a reaction of carbonaceous matter with a base and water, preferably
through the formation of a bicarbonate or carbonate by-product. The
base-facilitated hydrogen-producing reactions are thermodynamically more
spontaneous and are able to produce hydrogen gas at less extreme reaction
conditions than conventional reformation or gasification reactions of
carbonaceous matter. In another embodiment, the instant reactions permit
the production of hydrogen from carbonaceous matter without the
production of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. In a preferred
embodiment, the carbonaceous matter is coal or a derivative thereof.