Abstract
A transition from gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles to hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is likely to emerge as a major component of the strategy to meet future greenhouse gas reduction, air quality, fuel independence, and energy security goals. Advanced infrastructure planning can minimize the cost of hydrogen infrastructure while assuring that energy and environment benefits are achieved. This study presents a comprehensive advanced planning methodology for the deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, and applies the methodology to delineate fully built-out infrastructure strategies, assess the associated energy and environment impacts, facilitate the identification of an optimal infrastructure roll-out strategy, and identify the potential for renewable hydrogen feedstocks. The South Coast Air Basin of California, targeted by automobile manufacturers for the first regional commercial deployment of FCEVs, is the focus for the study. The following insights result from the application of the methodology:•Compared to current gasoline stations, only 11%–14% of the number of hydrogen fueling stations can provide comparable accessibility to drivers in a targeted region.•To meet reasonable capacity demand for hydrogen fueling, approximately 30% the number of hydrogen stations are required compared to current gasoline stations.•Replacing gasoline vehicles with hydrogen FCEVs has the potential to (1) reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by more than 80%, reduce energy requirements by 42%, and virtually eliminate petroleum consumption from the passenger vehicle sector, and (2) significantly reduce urban concentrations of ozone and PM2.5.•Existing sources of biomethane in the California South Coast Air Basin can provide up to 30% of the hydrogen fueling demand for a fully built-out hydrogen FCEV scenario.•A step-wise transition of judiciously located existing gasoline stations to dispense and accommodate the increasing demand for hydrogen addresses proactively key infrastructure deployment challenges including a viable business model, zoning, permitting, and public acceptance.
Highlights
Policymakers and business leaders are beginning to recognize and accept a need to transition from petroleum-based transportation fuels to alternative fuels
Hydrogen production and distribution technologies in the scenario represent a vision for hydrogen infrastructure that is aggressive towards achieving California policy goals while remaining pragmatic by integrating a mix of hydrogen feedstocks, generation technologies, distribution strategies, and fueling technologies
The reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Scenario H relative to Scenario G are attributed to efficiency advantages of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) over gasoline Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, reduced GHG intensity of hydrogen generation strategies compared to WTW gasoline combustion, and carbon capture from coal Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facilities that cogenerate hydrogen and electricity in Scenario H
Summary
Policymakers and business leaders are beginning to recognize and accept a need to transition from petroleum-based transportation fuels to alternative fuels. An advanced planning methodology is needed to delineate a fully built-out infrastructure and impacts relative to long-term environment and energy security goals, and to facilitate the identification of an optimal infrastructure rollout strategy Such planning can target investments to be most effective. STREET is applied to a major urban region that is targeted for the early deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, and used to perform an assessment of (1) the impacts of fully built-out hydrogen infrastructure deployment with respect to long-term energy and environmental goals, and (2) preferred roll-out strategies for meeting infrastructure needs during the bulk of the transition from gasoline to hydrogen. Renewable feedstocks that could provide a source of hydrogen are identified as a potential strategy for meeting the 33% renewable hydrogen standard that is required in California [18]
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