Deployment Of Fuel Cell Vehicles Research Articles

Deployment of Fuel Cell Vehicles and Hydrogen Refueling Station Infrastructure: A Global Overview and Perspectives

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can complement other electric vehicle technologies as a zero-emission technology and contribute to global efforts to achieve the emission reduction targets. This article spotlights the current deployment status of fuel cells in road transport. For this purpose, data collection was performed by the Advanced Fuel Cells Technology Collaboration Programme. Moreover, the available incentives for purchasing a fuel cell vehicle in different countries were reviewed and future perspectives summarized. Based on the collected information, the development trends in the last five years were analyzed and possible further trends that could see the realization of the defined goals derived. The number of registered vehicles was estimated to be 51,437 units, with South Korea leading the market, with 90% of the vehicles being concentrated in four countries. A total of 729 hydrogen refueling stations were in operation, with Japan having the highest number of these. The analysis results clearly indicate a very positive development trend for fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen refueling stations in 2021, with the highest number of new vehicles and stations in a single year, paralleling the year’s overall economic recovery. Yet, a more ambitious ramp-up in the coming years is required to achieve the set targets.

Hydrogen penetration and fuel cell vehicle deployment in the carbon constrained future energy system

This research details outcomes from a global model which estimates future hydrogen penetration into a carbon constrained energy system to the year 2050. Focusing on minimum and maximum penetration scenarios, an investigation of global fuel cell vehicle (FCV) deployment is undertaken, cognizant of optimal economic deployment at the global level and stakeholder preferences in a case study of Japan. The model is mathematically formulated as a very large-scale linear optimization problem, aiming to minimize system costs, including generation type, fuel costs, conversion costs, and carbon reduction costs, subject to the constraint of carbon dioxide reductions for each nation. Results show that between approximately 0.8% and 2% of global energy consumption needs can be met by hydrogen out to the year 2050, with city gas and transport emerging as significant use cases. Passenger FCVs and hydrogen buses account for almost all of the hydrogen-based transportation sector, leading to a global deployment of approximately 120 million FCVs by 2050. Hydrogen production is reliant on fossil fuels, and OECD nations are net importers - especially Japan with a 100% import case. To underpin hydrogen production from fossil fuels, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is required in significant quantities when anticipating a large fleet of FCVs. Stakeholder engagement suggests optimism toward FCV deployment while policy issues identified include necessity for large-scale future energy system investment and rapid technical and economic feasibility progress for renewable energy technologies and electrolyzers.

Securing Platinum-Group Metals for Transport Low-Carbon Transition

Summary Fuel cell technology is the key to transport low-carbon transition. It depends on the catalysis from platinum-group metals, the rarest metals on Earth. However, due to the limited reserve, it is critical to evaluate whether global platinum resources can meet the increasing demand. This paper aims to account whether current platinum resources can support future fuel cell vehicle deployment for 140 countries for the period 2000–2100 by establishing a technology-rich, bottom-up model. It is found that, under a wide range of scenarios, the primary resource demand is significantly lower than the supply capacity at the global level. This result confirms that fuel cell vehicles have the potential to significantly contribute to global decarbonization strategies. However, challenges exist at regional and national levels. Most regions will rely heavily on resource import from the few countries with substantial resource endowments but with political instability, implying potential supply risks.

(Invited) Advancement of Thin, Reinforced Membranes for High-Performing, Long-Lasting Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

After decades of research and development, commercialization of proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) vehicles is now a reality, and several production scale vehicles have been launched. GORE-SELECT® Membranes (GSMs) enable the Toyota Mirai (2015), Honda Clarity (2016), and Hyundai Nexo (2018)1. However, mass deployment of PEMFC vehicles is hindered by lack of hydrogen infrastructure and higher cost than internal combustion engines2. W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc. (Gore) is committed to supplying the fuel cell market with the highest performance and most durable membranes to support the lowest $/kW system. One approach to simultaneously increase power density and decrease membrane cost (by reducing material content) is to use thinner membranes, ca. 10 µm or less. Thin membranes facilitate high performance systems by means of higher proton conductance and faster water transport properties, yet durability remains a challenge. Gore is uniquely positioned to deliver high-strength reinforcement layers for the most mechanically durable thin membranes at high volume with superior uniformity. Expertise in engineering fluoropolymer composites has allowed Gore to develop thin membranes that mechanically outlast thicker membranes while exceeding performance, Figure 1. The remaining challenge to address is chemical durability. Higher gas permeance of thin membranes can result in increased radical generation through multiple mechanisms3. As shown in Figure 2, Gore is working to increase the selectivity of protons relative to gas crossover, which is critical for maintaining performance while extending chemical lifetime. Additionally, chemical degradation can be mitigated through advanced additive strategies. In this talk we discuss Gore’s understanding and advancements of thin membrane technology culminating with the introduction of new state-of-the-art membranes that break the cost / performance trade-off. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the Electrochemical Products team of W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc. REFERENCES W. L. Gore & Associates, (2018) https://www.gore.com/news-events/press-release/gore-s-fuel-cell-technology-helps-power-latest-hyundai-fuel-cell-vehicle.D. L. Greene and G. Duleep, Status and Prospects of the Global Automotive Fuel Cell Industry and Plans for Deployment of Fuel Cell Vehicles and Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, (2013).M. Zaton, J. Rozière, and D. J. Jones, Sustain. Energy Fuels, 1, 409–438 (2017). Figure 1

Systematic planning to optimize investments in hydrogen infrastructure deployment

The introduction of hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) to gradually replace gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles can provide environment and energy security benefits. The deployment of hydrogen fueling infrastructure to support the demonstration and commercialization of FCVs remains a critical barrier to transitioning to hydrogen as a transportation fuel. This study utilizes an engineering methodology referred to as the Spatially and Temporally Resolved Energy and Environment Tool (STREET) to demonstrate how systematic planning can optimize early investments in hydrogen infrastructure in a way that supports and encourages growth in the deployment of FCVs while ensuring that the associated environment and energy security benefits are fully realized. Specifically, a case study is performed for the City of Irvine, California – a target area for FCV deployment – to determine the optimized number and location of hydrogen fueling stations required to provide a bridge to FCV commercialization, the preferred rollout strategy for those stations, and the environmental impact associated with three near-term scenarios for hydrogen production and distribution associated with local and regional sources of hydrogen available to the City. Furthermore, because the State of California has adopted legislation imposing environmental standards for hydrogen production, results of the environmental impact assessment for hydrogen production and distribution scenarios are measured against the California standards. The results show that significantly fewer hydrogen fueling stations are required to provide comparable service to the existing gasoline infrastructure, and that key community statistics are needed to inform the preferred rollout strategy for the stations. Well-to-wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, urban criteria pollutants, energy use, and water use associated with hydrogen and FCVs can be significantly reduced in comparison to the average parc of gasoline vehicles regardless of whether hydrogen is produced and distributed with an emphasis on conventional resources (e.g., natural gas), or on local, renewable resources. An emphasis on local renewable resources to produce hydrogen further reduces emissions, energy use, and water use associated with hydrogen and FCVs compared to an emphasis on conventional resources. All three hydrogen production and distribution scenarios considered in the study meet California's standards for well-to-wheel GHG emissions, and well-to-tank emissions of urban ROG and NO X. Two of the three scenarios also meet California's standard that 33% of hydrogen must be produced from renewable feedstocks. Overall, systematic planning optimizes both the economic and environmental impact associated with the deployment of hydrogen infrastructure and FCVs.