A proposed fuel cell vehicle for reducing CO2 emissions and its contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Major US electric utility climate pledges have the potential to collectively reduce power sector emissions by one-third

Evaluating automobile fuel/propulsion system technologies

Energy-related activities are a major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A growing body of knowledge clearly depicts the links between human activities and climate change. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil and other human activities has released carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and other heat-trapping GHG emissions into the atmosphere and thus increased the concentration of atmospheric CO2 emissions. The main human activities that emit CO2 emissions are (1) the combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity, accounting for about 37% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 31% of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2013, (2) the combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel to transport people and goods, accounting for about 31% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 26% of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2013, and (3) industrial processes such as the production and consumption of minerals and chemicals, accounting for about 15% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and 12% of total ...

Securing Platinum-Group Metals for Transport Low-Carbon Transition

Low-carbon production of iron and steel: Technology options, economic assessment, and policy

Fuel cell vehicles, as the most promising clean vehicle technology for the future, represent the major chances for the developing world to avoid high-carbon lock-in in the transportation sector. In this paper, by taking China as an example, the unique advantages for China to deploy fuel cell vehicles are reviewed. Subsequently, this paper analyzes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 19 fuel cell vehicle utilization pathways by using the life cycle assessment approach. The results show that with the current grid mix in China, hydrogen from water electrolysis has the highest GHG emissions, at 3.10 kgCO2/km, while by-product hydrogen from the chlor-alkali industry has the lowest level, at 0.08 kgCO2/km. Regarding hydrogen storage and transportation, a combination of gas-hydrogen road transportation and single compression in the refueling station has the lowest GHG emissions. Regarding vehicle operation, GHG emissions from indirect methanol fuel cell are proved to be lower than those from direct hydrogen fuel cells. It is recommended that although fuel cell vehicles are promising for the developing world in reducing GHG emissions, the vehicle technology and hydrogen production issues should be well addressed to ensure the life-cycle low-carbon performance.

Driving a sustainable road transportation transformation

A larger adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is typically included in the strategies to decarbonize the transportation sector. This inclusion is supported by life-cycle assessments (LCAs), which show the potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emission benefit of replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with their fuel cell counterpart. However, the literature review performed in this study shows that the effects of durability and performance losses of fuel cells on the life-cycle environmental impact of the vehicle have rarely been assessed. Most of the LCAs assume a constant fuel consumption (ranging from 0.58 to 1.15 kgH2/100 km) for the vehicles throughout their service life, which ranges in the assessments from 120,000 to 225,000 km. In this study, the effect of performance losses on the life-cycle GHG emissions of the vehicles was assessed based on laboratory experiments. Losses have the effect of increasing the life-cycle GHG emissions of the vehicle up to 13%. Moreover, this study attempted for the first time to investigate via laboratory analyses the GHG implications of replacing the hydrophobic polymer for the gas diffusion medium (GDM) of fuel cells to increase their durability. LCA showed that when the service life of the vehicle was fixed at 150,000 km, the GHG emission savings of using an FC with lower performance losses (i.e., FC coated with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) instead of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) are negligible compared to the overall life-cycle impact of the vehicle. Both the GDM coating and the amount of hydrogen saved account for less than 2% of the GHG emissions arising during vehicle operation. On the other hand, when the service life of the vehicle depends on the operability of the fuel cell, the global warming potential per driven km of the FEP-based FCEV reduces by 7 to 32%. The range of results depends on several variables, such as the GHG emissions from hydrogen production and the initial fuel consumption of the vehicle. Higher GHG savings are expected from an FC vehicle with high consumption of hydrogen produced with fossil fuels. Based on the results, we recommend the inclusion of fuel-cell durability in future LCAs of FCEVs. We also advocate for more research on the real-life performance of fuel cells employing alternative materials.

<div>Considered as one of the most promising technology pathways for the transport sector to realize the target of “carbon neutral,” fuel cell vehicles have been seriously discussed in terms of its potential for alleviating environmental burden. Focused on cradle-to-gate (CtG) stage, this article evaluates the environmental impacts of fuel cell heavy-duty vehicles of three size classes and three driving ranges to find the critical components and manufacturing processes in the energy context of China. The findings show that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the investigated fuel cell heavy-duty vehicle range from 47 ton CO<sub>2-eq</sub> to 162 ton CO<sub>2-eq</sub>, with the fuel cell system and hydrogen storage system collectively contributing to 37%–56% of the total. Notably, as the driving range increases, the proportion of GHG emissions stemming from fuel cell-related components also rises. Within the fuel cell system, the catalyst layer and bipolar plate are identified as the components with the most significant impacts, accounting for 62.9% and 32.7%, respectively, of the total GHG emissions from a fuel cell stack. The fundamental materials constituting these components namely, platinum, titanium, and carbon black are thus of considerable significance in the emission profile of the fuel cell stack. For the hydrogen storage system, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) layer stands out as the most important component, constituting 98% of the total GHG emissions. It is suggested that GHG emissions from fuel cell systems and hydrogen storage systems can be effectively curtailed by implementing strategies such as grid decarbonization, reducing Pt loading in catalysts, and enhancing fuel cell power density. Additionally, the potential for GHG emissions reduction in fuel cell heavy-duty vehicles can be reinforced through the adoption of lightweight materials and the integration of low-carbon alternatives into the glider components.</div>

Do soil conservation practices exceed their relevance as a countermeasure to greenhouse gases emissions and increase crop productivity in agriculture?

Because of their high efficiency and low emissions, fuel-cell vehicles are undergoing extensive research and development. When considering the introduction of advanced vehicles, a complete well-to-wheel evaluation must be performed to determine the potential impact of a technology on carbon dioxide and Green House Gases (GHGs) emissions. Several modeling tools developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) were used to evaluate the impact of advanced powertrain configurations. The Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit (PSAT) transient vehicle simulation software was used with a variety of fuel cell system models derived from the General Computational Toolkit (GCtool) for pump-to-wheel (PTW) analysis, and GREET (Green house gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation) was used for well-to-pump (WTP) analysis. This paper compares advanced propulsion technologies on a well-to-wheel energy basis by using current technology for conventional, hybrid and fuel cell technologies.

There is a consensus on the need to reduce the emissions of carbon compounds. The increase in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime industry poses a serious challenge to environmental sustainability, climate change, and the operating costs of ships. This article shows how hybrid versus diesel propulsion technology for ships can help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel consumption, and how these changes can be achieved. The need to reduce exhaust emissions and the increasing need for the shipping industry to seek alternative fuels means that existing regulations for marine engines and engine emissions are being updated almost constantly and new regulations are being formulated. The cost implications of the new regulations may lead to an increase in emissions as engines with lower fuel consumption are chosen, i.e., larger marine engines. Alternative approaches are needed to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, which could ultimately lead to hybrid propulsion for ships. This paper examines the current state of greenhouse gas emissions in shipping by analyzing the CO2 emissions and operating costs of two ships of the same type with similar technical and technological characteristics and different propulsion systems to gain insight into the problem. This paper compares the reductions in CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, and fuel costs for two suction hopper dredgers with standard diesel and hybrid propulsion. The technical characteristics, CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, and price of the two ships were analyzed to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each propulsion system. The novelty of this study is that two suction hopper dredgers from the same company with similar technical–technological characteristics but different propulsion systems were used for the case study and a mathematical procedure for calculating CO2 and other greenhouse gasses was presented in comparison, all to determine to what extent and in what way the hybrid propulsion system of a ship can contribute to reductions in CO2 emissions and fuel costs at the ship and company levels compared to a standard diesel propulsion system. This comparative analysis shows how much lower CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, and fuel cost savings can be expected when using a hybrid propulsion system compared to a standard diesel propulsion system. Finally, a conclusion is drawn on the efficiency and environmental compatibility of the two systems.

Deployment of fuel cell vehicles in China: Greenhouse gas emission reductions from converting the heavy-duty truck fleet from diesel and natural gas to hydrogen

Methane emissions along biomethane and biogas supply chains are underestimated

Taking Stock of Strategies on Climate Change and the Way Forward: A Strategic Climate Change Framework for Australia