Hydrogen Economy Based Transportation System - Essay Example

It is well established that ultimately, hydrocarbon fuels will need to be replaced by zero-carbon fuels. Both alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles require not only technological advancements but also firm government support. Amongst these alternative fuels, hydrogen seems to be the most difficult transitioning alternative fuels, largely because of the extensive effort which is required to transform the existing hydrocarbon infrastructure (Eliasson & Bossel 2002). Hydrogen used in fuel cell applications gives emissions of only water vapour unlike hydrocarbon fuels. Hydrogen can also be obtained from renewable resources such as solar or wind energy and also from domesticated feedstocks such as coal and natural gas. It might be decades away before hydrogen cars become a cost-effective solution for transportation. Hence, assigning of major public resources for the development of a hydrogen economy is untimely. Advocates of hydrogen fuel cell technology are keen to point towards the advancements made in the efficiency and size of fuel cells as well as towards the establishment of few hydrogen stations within parts of America and Europe. Carmakers are also keen to promote the data of real-world performance given hydrogen fuel cell cars through the smattering number of test trails (California Fuel Cell Partnership 2002). However, the technological, logistical and economic issues challenging hydrogen fuel cell vehicles indicate that it is unlikely for hydrogen cars to achieve any significant commercial penetration any time soon. A key barrier to hydrogen cars can be described as a chicken and egg problem. That is there is no point of making hydrogen cars when there are no or negligible number of hydrogen filling stations or vice versa. A Hydrogen economy based transportation system will not only be slower but also more challenging to maintain than it is realized. It is therefore difficult to foresee hydrogen fuel cells transforming transportation and achieving even less than 5% market penetration in 2030 (Derwent 2003). A significant commercial success of hydrogen vehicles even by the middle of this century will require a diverse set of major technological advances as well as government incentives. According to the United States manager of Toyota's advanced technologies group, "Continued research and development ("R&D") in hydrogen and transportation fuel cell technologies remains important because of their potential to provide a zero-carbon transportation fuel in the second half of the century. But 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." (Eliasson & Bossel 2002) The potential benefits of a hydrogen economy may be outweighed when liability analysis of such leaks are considered. According to previous studies, a full scale progress of the hydrogen economy and associated hydrogen leaks is likely to adversely affect the environment. For instance, an analysis suggests that hydrogen leaks can cause a more deeper as well as a more persist hole in the ozone layer (Tromp et al. 2003).Whilst another research by the ABB, the Swedish-Swiss energy engineering conglomerate suggest that about "1.2 to 1.4 energy units of valuable electricity, natural gas, gasoline etc. have to be invested to obtain one energy unit of hydrogen.... Most of these source energies could be used directly by the consumer at comparable or even higher source-to-service efficiency and lower overall CO2 emission." (Eliasson & Bossel 2002) Hydrogen used in fuel cell applications gives emissions of only water vapour unlike hydrocarbon fuels. Hydrogen can also be obtained from renewable resources such as solar or wind energy and also from domesticated feedstocks such as coal and natural gas. The current reliance on producing hydrogen from steam reformation makes it less viable, if at all when considered in the long term. If hydrogen can only be made using natural gas, the whole journey towards a hydrogen economy with fuel cells will undoubtedly still remain a farfetched dream. Using renewable sources to extract hydrogen from water molecules via the process of electrolysis seems to be the only clean and sustainable way for hydrogen powered vehicles and fuels cells to overtake more traditional petrol engines (California Fuel Cell Partnership & Bevilacqua-Knight 2001). At the same time some innovative alternatives have also been suggested including the use of off-peak electricity as well as nuclear energy to produce hydrogen from electrolysis. Electricity from these last two sources would certainly be more efficiently utilized if it is used to charge up batteries directly in all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles (California Fuel Cell Partnership 2002). Even though petrol engines seem to be redundant somewhat, hydrogen fuel cells have so far failed in gaining the kind of momentum required for mass production and use. Despite its readily available feedstocks and environmental friendly features, hydrogen flames are both odorless as well as invisible. Even though the heat radiation given from a hydrogen flame is small, the ignition energy is far more than that of natural gas or gasoline. Furthermore, the flammable hydrogen in composition of air is higher than other alternative or even conventional fuels. Due to the flammable properties of hydrogen, it requires extensive precautious handling than other conventional fuels. For instance, the regulations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) necessitate strict ratings for equipments preventing explosions where hydrogen is handled such as motors, light fixtures, thermostats etc. On the other side of the spectrum, hydrogen fuel cell costs have come down by over 65% since 2002 and the current cost of the fuel cell is about $107 per kilowatt according to the California Fuel Cell Partnership (2004). The organization expects this to go down to $45 per kilowatt by the year 2010 and to $30 per kilowatt by 2015 (California Fuel Cell Partnership 2002). These figures come from CaFCP, one of the more optimistic players in the market and yet they clearly indicate that hydrogen fuel cells are likely to remain uncompetitive on account of their pricing as well as other factors unless it is supported by handsome government subsidies. In majority of cost studies researching fuel cells, the main focus has mostly been financial incentives like tax credits or engineering issue due to hydrogen infrastructure such as seal compatibility, pumps or pipers. However, the safety is rarely addressed in these cost studies, for instance, the probability of an injury in these areas is not considered but the severity of the injury is considered (Romm 2004). Development programs on the safety of hydrogen technology utilize electronic equipment for the detection of flame or leaks, though these programs do not make use of intrinsic safety features such as distinctive odour or visibility of flames which are expected from fuels. Liability costs for the ineffectiveness of these programs mainly remain ignored in these programs. Leaks from hydrogen systems have been already reported in public settings. In 2006, a leak was detected in a Toyota's fuel cell vehicle by strange noises heard by the driver when he had been filling up the hydrogen tank, whilst, the onboard alarm detectors and sensors had not been able to detect the leak. The leak had occurred even with the certification of Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport stating that the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle was ready to be sold in the market. A recent study conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory suggested that for the target of getting 2 million hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on American roads by 2025 $10 billion public funding would be necessary for accomplishing such a target. In contrast, the report by America’s National Academy of Science suggested higher costs of almost $55 billion of public funding for getting only 2 million cars onto American roads by 2023. However, both studies agree that technology will be cheaper than it is in the present. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory was sponsored by American Department of Energy and suggested that in future it will be possible to make fuel. Even if it is assumed that a strong network of hydrogen filling stations is successfully built and also technological breakthroughs have been made for producing cost effective fuel cell vehicles, the of problem of the production and delivery of hydrogen in large amounts still amounts to be a great hindrance (Romm 2004). The Oak Ridge National Laboratory study suggests that there can be two possible solutions to this barrier that can be implemented in the near term. One of them is through steam reforming being carried out to derive hydrogen from natural gas at filling stations whilst, the other solution suggests to make hydrogen from gases derives from coal or biomass, centralized plants and subsequently deliver it via pipelines or lorry. Sceptics of hydrogen fuel cells point towards the capital costs of production, safe storage and transportation of hydrogen gas and also towards the accessibility of other viable alternatives. For instance, even if the necessary aspects of fuel-cell technology are achieved, they should make use of methanol instead of hydrogen as it can be transported and stored more easily and is also of higher energy density. Moreover, the steam reforming process produces extensive carbon-emission which is in contrast to the fundamental principle of zero-emission hydrogen cars. In accord, the American National Renewable Energy Laboratory reported that a kilogram of hydrogen gas produced from steam reforming gives off carbon-emission of 11.9kg if CO2. A good example of such a miscalculation of the zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is the Chevy Equinox fuel-cell vehicle which travels 39 miles per kg of hydrogen, while the FCX Clarity can travel 68 miles per kg of hydrogen. Both of these vehicles indirectly cause emissions of 305 and 175 grams of CO2 through the steam reformation process generating the hydrogen fuel. In comparison, the Toyota Prius hybrid emits 167grams of CO2. Other small cars running on gasoline also emit approximately equivalent amounts of emissions into the atmosphere (Rand & Dell 2008). Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles face many challenges due to all of the historical barriers of alternative fuel success. One the most challenging barrier is the lack of government support ahead of just research and development. In the absence of technological breakthroughs, high commercial success of fuel cell vehicles cannot be expected by 2030 or even later. List of References (2008). Fuel Cells: Is the great hydrogen hope about to be shattered? Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Technology International 28-37 Baldur Eliasson & Ulf Bossel (2002), The Future of the Hydrogen Economy: Bright or Bleak? available at http://www.evworld.com/databases/storybuilder.cfm?storyid=471 California Fuel Cell Partnership, & Bevilacqua-Knight, INC. (2001). Bringing fuel cell vehicles to market: scenarios and challenges with fuel alternatives : consultant study report. Sacramento, Calif, California Fuel Cell Partnership. California Fuel Cell Partnership. (2002). Driving for the future. [West Sacramento, CA], California Fuel Cell Partnership. California Fuel Cell Partnership. (2002). Driving for the future: 2001-2002: past progress, new challenges. [West Sacramento, CA], California Fuel Cell Partnership. Dick Derwent, The Met Office, Climate Implications of a Hydrogen Economy (2003), http://www.cambrensis.org/Dick%20Derwent%20Presentation.ppt. Parsons Brinckerhoff, & California Fuel Cell Partnership. (2004). Support facilities for hydrogen-fueled vehicles: conceptual study and cost analysis study. West Sacramento, Calif, California Fuel Cell Partnership. Rand, D. A. J., & Dell, R. (2008). Hydrogen energy challenges and prospects. RSC energy series. Cambridge, Royal Society of Chemistry. http://ebook.rsc.org/?DOI=10.1039/9781847558022. Romm, J. J. (2004). The hype about hydrogen: fact and fiction in the race to save the climate. Washington, DC, Island Press. Tracey K. Tromp et al. (2003). Potential Environmental Impact of a Hydrogen Economy on the Stratosphere, Sci., June 13, 1741. Read More