Hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen as a fuel in an electrochemical process that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electrical energy and water. The reverse process of electrolysis, which produces ‘green’ hydrogen and oxygen from water, can use a range of renewable energy resources (wind, wave, solar) to produce hydrogen as a fuel for renewable power generation. There is also growing interest in hydrogen power as a uniquely clean energy source that can produce heat and whose only by-products are water.
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Green hydrogen produced from electrolysis (a high energy process) and renewable energy sources is a high cost option, which only accounts for around 5% of total H2 production. Currently, the vast majority of global hydrogen production derives from fossil fuel sources (methane gas reforming) and will continue to do so for several decades. However, as manufacturing capacity for more efficient and cost-effective electrolysers grows, it is expected that costs of production will fall markedly alongside roll-out of maturing renewable power generation technologies and capacity.
In order to produce a secure, resilient and decarbonised energy system, production and bulk storage of hydrogen will play an important role in balancing intermittent supply of energy from renewable energy sources with end-user demands (ie. for grid electricity, domestic and industrial heating and fuel for transportation).
Debates continue regarding hydrogen fuel cells advantages and disadvantages, but despite current limitations, hydrogen is still an environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil fuels and can be used to provide flexible and high-density power and propulsion for a wide range of industrial plant and modes of transportation using hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology presents several advantages over other power sources , including:
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe and despite the challenges associated with its extraction from water, is a uniquely abundant and renewable source of energy,perfect for our future zero-carbon needs for combined heat and power supplies.
Hydrogen fuel cells provide an inherently clean source of energy, with no adverse environmental impact during operation as the byproducts are simply heat and water. Unlike biofuel or hydropower, hydrogen doesn’t require large areas of land to produce. In fact, NASA have even been working on using hydrogen as a resource with the water produced as a byproduct being used as drinking water for astronauts. This shows that hydrogen fuel cells are a non-toxic fuel source and therefore superior in this way to coal, natural gas and nuclear power which are all either potentially dangerous or hard to obtain. Production, storage and use of hydrogen will play an important role in driving further development of renewable energy, by balancing their intermittent supply modalities with the challenging end-user demands, avoiding the need for significant early investment to upgrade grid infrastructure.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology provides a high-density source of energy with good energy efficiency. Hydrogen has the highest energy content of any common fuel by weight. High pressure gaseous and liquid hydrogen have around three times the gravimetric energy density (around 120MJ/kg) of diesel and LNG and a similar volumetric energy density to natural gas. These
Hydrogen fuel cells are more efficient than many other energy sources, including many green energy solutions. This fuel efficiency allows for the production of more energy per pound of fuel. For example, a conventional combustion based power plant generates electricity at 33-35% efficiency compared to up to 65% for hydrogen fuel cells. The same goes for vehicles, where hydrogen fuel cells use 40-60% of the fuel’s energy while also offering a 50% reduction in fuel consumption.
Hydrogen fuel cells do not generate greenhouse gas emissions as for fossil fuel sources, thus reducing pollution and improving air quality as a result.
With almost no emissions, hydrogen fuel cells do not release greenhouse gases, which means they do not have a carbon footprint while in use.
The charge time for hydrogen fuel cell power units is extremely rapid, similar to that for conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and markedly quicker in comparison tobattery-powered electric vehicles. Where electric vehicles require between 30 minutes and several hours to charge, hydrogen fuel cells can be recharged in under five minutes. This fast charging time means that hydrogen powered vehicles provide the same flexibility as conventional cars.
Hydrogen fuel cells do not produce noise pollution like other sources of renewable energy, such as wind power. This also means that, much like electric cars, hydrogen powered vehicles are much quieter than those that use conventional internal combustion engines.
Some low-carbon energy sources, including wind energy and biofuel power plants can be an eyesore, however, hydrogen fuel cells do not have the same space requirements, meaning that there is less visual pollution too.
Hydrogen fuel cells offer greater efficiencies with regard to usage times. A hydrogen vehicle has the same range as those that use fossil fuels (around 300 miles). This is superior to that currently offered by electric vehicles (EVs), which are increasingly being developed with fuel cell power units as ‘range-extenders’. Hydrogen fuel cells are also not significantly impacted by the outside temperature and do not deteriorate in cold weather, unlike EVs. This advantage is increased further when coupled with the short charging times.
Where local conditions allow, the availability of hydrogen through local generation and storage could prove to be an alternative to diesel-based power and heating in remote areas. Not only will this reduce the need to transport fuels but will also improve the lives of those living in distant regions by offering a non-polluting fuel obtain from a readily-available natural resource.
As the technology advances, hydrogen fuel cells will be able to provide energy for a range stationary and mobile applications. Hydrogen powered vehicles are just one example, but it could also be used in smaller applications such as domestic products as well as larger scale heating systems. Similar to ICE powerplants, the functions of energy storage capacity (ie. the fuel tank) and engine size are decoupled, in contrast to battery-based power (ie. for which power scales linearly with mass), thus providing great flexibility in design.
Hydrogen fuel cells have the potential to reduce the dependency of a nation on fossil fuels, which will help democratise energy and power supplies around the world. This increased independence will prove a benefit for many countries who are currently reliant on fossil fuel supply. Of course, this will also avoid the problem of rising fossil fuel prices as stocks reduce.
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For all the many advantages of hydrogen fuel cells, there are still a few disadvantages and challenges to address:
Despite being the most abundant element in the Universe, hydrogen does not exist on its own so needs to be extracted from water via electrolysis or separated from carbon fossil fuels. Both of these processes require a significant amount of energy to achieve. This energy can be more than that gained from the hydrogen itself as well as being expensive. In addition, this extraction typically requires the use of fossil fuels, which in the absence of CCS undermines the green credentials of hydrogen.
Hydrogen fuel cells need investment to be developed to the point where they become a genuinely viable energy source. This will also require the political will to invest the time and money into development in order to improve and mature the technology. Put simply, the global challenge for development of widespread and sustainable hydrogen energy is how best to incrementally build the ‘supply and demand’ chain in the most cost-effective manner.
Precious metals such as platinum and iridium are typically required as catalysts in fuel cells and some types of water electrolyser, which means that the initial cost of fuel cells (and electrolysers) can be high. This high cost has deterred some from investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology. Such costs need to be reduced in order to make hydrogen fuel cells a feasible fuel source for all.
There are also barriers around regulatory issues concerning the framework that defines commercial deployment models. Without clear regulatory frameworks to allow commercial projects to understand their cost and revenue basis, commercial projects can struggle to reach a financial investment decision (FID).
The cost for a unit of power from hydrogen fuel cells is currently greater than other energy sources, including solar panels. This may change as technology advances, but currently this cost is a barrier to widespread use of hydrogen even though it is more efficient once produced. This expense also impacts costs further down the line, such as with the price of hydrogen operated vehicles, making widespread adoption unlikely at the moment.
Storage and transportation of hydrogen is more complex than that required for fossil fuels. This implies additional costs to consider for hydrogen fuel cells as a source of energy.
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Because fossil fuels have been used for decades, the infrastructure for this power supply already exists. Large scale adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology for automotive applications will require new refueling infrastructure to support it, although for long-range applications such as those for HGVs and delivery truck is it likely the start-to-end refueling will be used.
Hydrogen is a highly flammable fuel source, which brings understandable safety concerns. Hydrogen gas burns in air at concentrations ranging from 4 to 75%.
The advantages of hydrogen fuel cells as one of the best renewable energy sources are evident, however there are still a number of challenges to overcome to realise the full potential of hydrogen as a key enabler for a future decarbonised energy system.
On the positive side, hydrogen fuel cells could offer a fully renewable and clean power source for stationary and mobile applications in the near future. To achieve this there is the need to scale up decarbonised hydrogen production and fuel cell manufacture, and develop the required regulatory framework to clearly define commercial deployment models. Further technological advances to lower the associated costs of extraction, storage and transportation are envisaged, along with further investment in the infrastructure to support it.
Hydrogen could become the best solution for the future of our energy requirements but this will require political will and investment to achieve. However, as fossil fuels run out hydrogen could be a key solution for our global energy needs.
Image Credit: Adam E Moreira / Wikimedia Commons
The debate between battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology for buses has been ongoing for years, with both sides having strong proponents. However, in recent years it seems that the pendulum has swung more in favor of battery-electric technology due to its falling costs and increasing efficiency. But overall, your best choice depends on the features you prioritize in a vehicle.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs), also known as all-electric cars, are powered by electricity from batteries. BEVs have become increasingly popular in recent years due to advances in battery technology and the desire to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
There are different BEVs, including those with range extenders and those without. Range extenders are small gasoline engines that generate electricity to extend the range of the BEV beyond what the battery alone would allow. BEVs without range extenders are sometimes referred to as pure electric vehicles (PEV).
The advantages of BEVs over traditional gasoline-powered cars are their much lower emissions, particularly greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide; their significantly cheaper operating costs; and, for some drivers, the feeling of increased power and torque.
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Hydrogen fuel cell buses have recently gained popularity as a clean and efficient alternative to traditional diesel-powered buses. Fuel cells convert chemical energy into electrical energy, with water and heat as the only byproducts, making them much cleaner than internal combustion engines, which produce harmful emissions like carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Fuel cell buses are also more efficient than diesel buses, meaning they use less fuel to travel the same distance. That results in significant cost savings for bus operators and reduced environmental impact.
The battery-electric bus is more efficient than the hydrogen fuel cell bus in terms of overall energy efficiency. The difference is that the battery-electric bus uses a single energy source (electricity) to power its motor. In contrast, the hydrogen fuel cell bus relies on two energy sources (hydrogen and oxygen) to generate electricity to power its motor.
The overall efficiency of a battery-electric bus is about 85-90%, while the overall efficiency of a hydrogen fuel cell bus is only about 60-70%. It means that, for every 100 units of energy input, a battery-electric bus will use about 85-90 units of that energy to move the vehicle, while a hydrogen fuel cell bus will only use about 60-70 units of that energy to move the vehicle.
The battery-electric bus is also more efficient than the hydrogen fuel cell bus in carbon dioxide emissions. The reason for this is that, while both buses produce emissions when operating, the battery-electric bus emits no gas when it is not running (i.e., when it is plugged into the grid). On the other hand, the hydrogen fuel cell bus produces emissions even when it is not being used, as a result of the need to constantly replenish its supply of hydrogen. Overall, the battery-electric bus is more efficient than the hydrogen fuel cell bus in terms of energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions.
Hydrogen fuel cells are much more efficient than batteries in converting stored energy into usable power. That means that more of the energy stored in a fuel cell can be used to power the bus compared to a battery which will lose some of its stored energy as heat during the conversion process.
Hydrogen fuel cells have a much higher capacity than batteries, meaning they can store more energy for a given weight, making them ideal for applications where space is limited, such as in buses. Hydrogen fuel cell buses are superior to battery-electric buses when storing surplus renewable energy.
There are a few drawbacks to battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technologies that need to be considered when choosing which type of vehicle is right for you. Battery electric vehicles can take a long time to charge, and the range may not be suitable for long-distance travel. Hydrogen fuel cells require dedicated infrastructure for refueling, which can be expensive to build and maintain.
Both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have high initial costs, but battery electric vehicles tend to be more expensive in the long run. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is still relatively new, so there are some uncertainties about its long-term viability.
There are a few key reasons why battery-electric buses have become more popular than hydrogen fuel cell buses. First, battery-electric buses are much cheaper to operate and maintain than their hydrogen counterparts. That is because batteries can be easily recharged, while hydrogen fuel cells need to be regularly replaced.
Second, battery-electric buses emit far less pollution than hydrogen fuel cell buses. No combustion is involved in powering a battery-electric bus, whereas hydrogen fuel cells produce emissions as a byproduct of the chemical reaction that produces electricity.
Finally, battery-electric buses are much more efficient than hydrogen fuel cell buses. They can store more energy in their batteries than hydrogen fuel cells, enabling them to travel further on a single charge.
The future of passenger transport lies in battery electric vehicles (BEVs). BEVs are more efficient than hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and emit no pollutants. But BEVs have one big drawback: their batteries are expensive. But as the cost of batteries continues to fall rapidly, BEVs will be cheaper to operate than hydrogen fuel cell vehicles within a few years. Also, the range of BEVs is increasing as battery technology improves, making BEV buses more practical for long-distance travel.
There is no clear winner between battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses regarding range or refueling time. However, battery-electric buses have numerous advantages over their hydrogen fuel cell counterparts. Hydrogen fuel cells may be the better option if you prioritize range. But if you prioritize refueling time, a battery-electric bus may suit you. Ultimately, your best choice will depend on your specific needs and preferences.