We prepared activated carbons (ACs) that are among the best adsorbents for hydrogen storage. These ACs were prepared from anthracites and have surface areas (S(BET)) as high as 2772 m(2) g(-1). Anthracites activated with KOH presented the highest adsorption capacities with a maximum of 5.3 wt.% at 77 K and 4 MPa. Non-linearity between hydrogen uptake at 77 K and pore texture was confirmed, as soon as their S(BET) exceeded the theoretical limiting value of (geometrical) surface area, i.e., S(BET) > 2630 m(2) g(-1). We separated adsorption and compression contributions to total hydrogen storage. The amount of hydrogen stored is significantly increased by adsorption only at moderate pressure: 3 MPa and 0.15 MPa at 298 and 77 K, respectively. Hydrogen adsorption on ACs at high pressure, above 30 MPa at 298 K and 8 MPa at 77 K, has not interest because more gas can be stored by simply compression in the same tank volume. (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.