A techno-economic analysis of decentralized electrolytic hydrogen production for fuel cell vehicles

Hydrogen from decentralized water electrolysis is one of the main fuelling options considered for future fuel cell vehicles. In this study, a model is developed to determine the key technical and economic parameters influencing the competitive position of decentralized electrolytic hydrogen. This model incorporates the capital, maintenance and energy costs of water electrolysis, as well as a monetary valuation of the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is used to analyze the competitive position of electrolytic hydrogen in three specific locations with distinct electricity mix: Vancouver, Los Angeles and Paris. Using local electricity prices and fuel taxes, electrolytic hydrogen is found to be commercially viable in Vancouver and Paris. Hydrogen storage comes out as the most important technical issue. But more than any technical issue, electricity prices and fuel taxes emerge as the two dominant issues affecting the competitive position of electrolytic hydrogen. The monetary valuation of GHG emissions, based on a price of $20/ton of CO2, is found to be generally insufficient to tilt the balance in favor of electrolytic hydrogen. 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy.

[1]  C. E. Thomas.  Fuel options for the fuel cell vehicle: hydrogen, methanol or gasoline? , 2000 .

[2]  Mitch Jacoby,et al.  Filling up with hydrogen , 2005 .

[3]  M. Rosen.  Energy and exergy analyses of electrolytic hydrogen production , 1995 .

[4]  Christopher E. Milliken,et al.  LOW COST, HIGH EFFICIENCY REVERSIBLE FUEL CELL SYSTEMS , 2002 .

[5]  Grant Arnold,et al.  Life-Cycle Value Assessment (LCVA) of Fuel Supply Options for Fuel Cell Vehicles , 2003 .

[6]  R. Dones,et al.  Greenhouse gas total emissions from current and future electricity and heat supply systems , 1999 .

[7]  D. Blake,et al.  Assessment of methods for hydrogen production using concentrated solar energy , 1998 .

[8]  J. Ogden.  PROSPECTS FOR BUILDING A HYDROGEN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE , 1999 .

[9]  Bassam Tabbara,et al.  Hydrogen Fuel for Surface Transportation , 1996 .

[10]  J. Ivy,et al.  Summary of Electrolytic Hydrogen Production: Milestone Completion Report , 2004 .

[11]  F. Mitlitsky,et al.  Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems , 1998 .

[12]  Marc A. Rosen,et al.  Comparative efficiency assessments for a range of hydrogen production processes , 1998 .

[13]  V. Putsche,et al.  Survey of the Economics of Hydrogen Technologies , 1999 .

[14]  G. Schiller,et al.  High performance electrodes for an advanced intermittently operated 10-kW alkaline water electrolyzer , 1998 .

[15]  C. A Schug,et al.  Operational characteristics of high-pressure, high-efficiency water-hydrogen-electrolysis , 1998 .

[16]  M. Mann,et al.  Technoeconomic analysis of different options for the production of hydrogen from sunlight, wind, and biomass , 1998 .

[17]  David Scott,et al.  The energy system , 1994 .

[18]  M. Rosen,et al.  Exergy analysis of hydrogen production from heat and water by electrolysis , 1992 .

[19]  W. Vanvorst.  Impact of the California Clean Air Act , 1997 .

[20]  J. Ogden.  Developing an infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles: a Southern California case study , 1999 .

[21]  Colin Ramshaw,et al.  Intensification of Water Electrolysis in a Centrifugal Field , 2002 .

[22]  K. Hassmann,et al.  Primary energy sources for hydrogen production , 1993 .

[23]  Sourabh Dutta,et al.  Technology assessment of advanced electrolytic hydrogen production , 1990 .

[24]  Matthew J. Fairlie,et al.  FILLING UP WITH HYDROGEN 2000 , 2002 .