--- title: "Elon Musk Shreds Bill Gates for Supporting Hydrogen Power" description: "Yesterday, Musk casually dismissed Bill Gates' claim that hydrogen power is the \"Swiss Army Knife of decarbonization\" — with just a laughing face emoji." date: "2022-07-08" modified: "2022-07-08" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-bill-gates-hydrogen-power" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "Bill Gates" - "elon musk" - "Hydrogen" - "the digest" --- # Elon Musk Shreds Bill Gates for Supporting Hydrogen Power ![Yesterday, Musk casually dismissed Bill Gates' claim that hydrogen power is the "Swiss Army Knife of decarbonization" — with just a laughing face emoji.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Shots Fired There's nothing more Elon Musk than [denouncing hydrogen power]() and ridiculing a billionaire foe in the same breath. Yesterday, the self-described [sock aficionado]() and longtime hydrogen energy hater casually dismissed Microsoft founder Bill Gates' claim that hydrogen power is the "[Swiss Army Knife of decarbonization]()" — by responding to another user's [Gates-disparaging tweet]() with just a simple-yet-effective [laughing face emoji](). "Cheap clean hydrogen would be a great breakthrough we have many uses for it," the user [wrote](). "Also if we could bottle the tooth fairy and clone Santa Claus, and replace public transport with unicorns we'd be all good." ## Hydro No The rivalry between these two tech moguls runs deep, as do their very different opinions about hydrogen power. Earlier this year, for instance, Musk called the controversial resource "the most dumb thing I could possibly imagine for energy storage" at the [*Financial Times* Future of the Car Summit](). "I really can’t emphasize this enough," he continued. "It’s important to understand that if you want a means of energy storage, hydrogen is a bad choice." Musk has also maintained a [very public beef]() with hydrogen cell-powered truck manufacturer [Nikola Motors](), [tweeting]() back in 2020 that "fuel cells = fool sells." ## Hydro Hurrah Alleged [climate advocate Gates](), on the other hand, is incredibly excited about hydrogen energy's potential. In [his remarks]() published on his personal blog — which Musk just lol-faced at — Gates argues that traditional battery power is great for passenger EVs and shorter trucking endeavors, but not so much for [aviation](), shipping, and long-distance trucking, for which hydrogen fuel cells might make a lot more sense. "Clean hydrogen has the potential to provide a net-zero solution for moving cargo around the world," the philanthropist wrote in the post. But Musk appears to think otherwise, given Tesla's much-anticipated, [battery-powered]() semi truck. Hydrogen fuel cell technology still [has plenty to prove](), especially when it comes to powering passenger vehicles. But if we've learned anything from the drama, it's that a picture — or, perhaps, an emoji — is worth a thousand words. **More on Musk's cursed Twitter:** [*Elon Musk Takes Flabbergastingly Awkwardly Picture with the Pope*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()