Hydrogen vehicle fueling alternatives: an analysis developed for the international energy agency

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Hydrogen vehicle fueling alternatives: an analysis developed for the international energy agency

Schoenung, S.M.

Vehicles fueled by hydrogen produce virtually no pollutant emissions and are projected to become a serious alternative to hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles in the future. Current vehicle designes produce power by consuming hydrogen in either a fuel cell or a spark-ignition engine. Hydrogen can be stored on-board as either a compressed gas or a cryogenic liquid. Hydrogen fueled vehicles need a ready source of fuel for routine use. The infrastructure to provide convenient fueling for passenger vehicles must be put in place in the near future, both in the US and internationally. Options for providing hydrogen fuel include electrolysis of water, reforming of hydrocarbon fuels at the fueling station; and transport of bulk hydrogen. This paper presents results of a comparative analysis for passenger vehicle fueling options using either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. The overall scope of the transportation analysis includes : - fueling alternatives, - vehicle configuration alternatives, - driving cycle implications, - cost variations for electricity, natural gas and hydrogen. Figures of merit for the overall project include: - costs, both capital and operating, - efficiency, both in terms of vehicle fuel economy and also in terms of overall energy conversion efficiency, - footprints for the fueling station alternatives, - emissions, for each alternative system. The analysis suggests that while early stations may be based on the use of delivered hydrogen, on-site generation will be competitive as costs of these technologies decrease and full utilization of the stations is realized.