With ethanol’s future uncertain, many commentators see the transportation debate evolving into a war between two other technologies—hydrogen-powered fuel cells and battery powered electric vehicles. Some alternative fuel advocates are putting their support behind hydrogen, the most abundant element on Earth. Water, for example, is composed of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Hydrogen can be produced from water by electrolysis, which separates the oxygen from the hydrogen. It can be used to power hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles (or to provide heat and electricity for buildings). Hydrogen fuel cells work by recombining hydrogen and oxygen—a process that produces electricity, heat, and water. Hydrogen-powered cars, therefore, could be an ideal transportation solution—nonpolluting, zero-emission vehicles that release only water, a natural and completely safe waste product. Also, fuel cells are highly efficient and powerful, and unlike typical batteries, fuel cells will never lose their charge as long as hydrogen fuel is supplied.
Hydrogen fuel cell technologies, however, must overcome many stubborn challenges before they can become a practical source of energy. Perhaps the biggest obstacle is cost; it currently takes more energy to make hydrogen than is produced, and production relies on expensive catalysts made from platinum, a scarce metal. And like biofuels, hydrogen is currently made using fossil fuels, so it is not emissions-free. In addition, liquid hydrogen fuel is highly flammable and must be stored at very low temperatures or under very high pressure, making transport and storage difficult. Switching vehicles to hydrogen fuel cell power also would require building a whole new infrastructure similar to the chain of gas stations that currently dot the landscape. Researchers are hoping to find answers to these problems by searching for other types of catalysts, studying other ways to improve production, and developing better hydrogen storage options.
Hydrogen researchers, however, have been promising breakthroughs since the 1990s with little progress to show for their efforts. Many observers are thus coming to the conclusion that the hydrogen fuel cell is a technology that will not be perfected in the near future. As physicist and climate expert Joe Romm explains, “Neither government policy nor business investment should be based on the assumption that these technologies will have a significant impact in the near or medium-term.” The Obama administration apparently agrees; it submitted a budget for 2010 that sharply cut back on government support for hydrogen projects. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu explained the administration’s problems with hydrogen technology:
Right now, the way we get hydrogen primarily is from reforming [natural] gas. That’s not an ideal source of hydrogen. . . . The other problem is, if it’s for transportation, we don’t have a good storage mechanism yet. Compressed hydrogen is the best mechanism [but it requires] a large volume. We haven’t figured out how to store it with high density. What else? The fuel cells aren’t there yet, and the distribution infrastructure isn’t there yet. So . . . to get significant deployment, you need four significant technological breakthroughs. That makes it unlikely
Congress promptly reversed President Obama’s decision, however, restoring more than $200 million to 190 hydrogen projects around the country.
The energy efficiencies of various fuel production pathways from well to pump. The efficiencies shown are defined as the energy in a given fuel (available at pumps in vehicle refueling stations) divided by total energy inputs during all Well-to-Pump activities, including the energy content of the fuel. One way to interpret the Well-to-Pump efficiencies in the figure is as the difference between 100% and the energy efficiencies, which roughly represent energy losses during Well-to-Pump stages for making a given fuel available at the pump. As stated in Section 3, Well-to-Pump activities include biomass feedstock production; feedstock transportation and storage; fuel production; and fuel transportation, storage, and distribution. (more…)
The commercialization prospects for fuel cell vehicles depend not only on their performance and cost, but also on how well they can compete with other technology options that address similar market and policy needs. While market forces have not traditionally motivated design change for reasons of environmental performance, customer values and expectations can evolve and such characteristics could grow in importance. However, inherent market conservatism will favor less disruptive ways to address evolving needs, which might be met by improved gasoline and diesel vehicles, including hybrid-electric versions. Yet looking over the long run, particularly the need to substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen fuel cells may well provide a solution that is superior to other alternatives. (more…)
Most production systems try to become first full-scale production begins as small toys and devices of concept. The Horizon hydrogen car is an example.
Many people are aware of the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. One of the main culprits, of course, are emissions from automotive. (more…)
Scientists at the Carnegie Institution have found that using a high pressure can create a very unique material for storing hydrogen. The discovery opens the door to a whole new way of addressing the problem of hydrogen storage.
Researchers have found that xenon, a noble gas that normally is not reactive, combines with molecular hydrogen (H2) under pressure to form a compound previously unknown. (more…)
Mercedes-Benz presented at Geneva Style F800 Concept (the F stands for Mercedes: technology, design and art), a prototype that shows the path that the firm will design and technological advances in the recent future.
The platform can equip the F800 fuel cell systems and hybrid plug, through the use of compartments in the frame for storing hydrogen fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. (more…)
http://newenergyalternative.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/cars.jpg” title=”Vehicle Efficiency Technology” alt=”Vehicle Efficiency Technology” class=”index-image” width=”120″ />
Although the automotive industry is a vigorous sponsor of research and development in vehicle efficiency technology—worldwide, nearly $20 billion U.S. worth in 1997—governments throughout the world sponsor additional automotive R&D, both separately from and in partnership with the industry. This work focuses primarily on four areas: emissions reduction, safety, fuels, and fuel economy. Within the past few years, government sponsorship of automotive R&D has moved sharply in the direction of attempting to advance the performance and cost-effectiveness of automotive fuel cells vehicles, which address three of the four areas: emissions, fuels, and fuel economy. (more…)
It shows Well-to-Wheels Greenhouse Gas emissions of the 23 vehicle/fuel systems. For each system, the bottom bar represents CO2 -equivalent emissions of CO2 , CH4 , and N2O, combined with their greenhouse global warming potentials (GWPs). The top bar represents CO2 emissions only. For the two ethanol pathways (corn and cellulosic ethanol), there are some negative emissions. They represent carbon uptake during biomass growth. The carbon is eventually emitted to the air during ethanol combustion air. (more…)
In recent years, there has been a greater understanding of the role of automotive emissions as environmental pollutants. Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide degrade the earth’s atmosphere and are health hazards. Carbon dioxide adds to the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases and in turn accelerates the process of global warming. (more…)
The issues of hydrogen storage run through the hydrogen production, hydrogen transport, supply and demand for end use of hydrogen as an energy sources. (more…)
