Mobility Powered by Green Hydrogen: Possibility or Pipe Dream?
As more countries commit to net-zero emissions by 2050, hydrogen will play an increasingly significant role in helping them reach that goal, particularly in the mobility arena where conventional renewables cannot be cost-effectively utilized. Energy policies issued by governments around the world are promoting green hydrogen, with the current $150 billion market expected to grow to $600 billion by 2050. Oil and gas prices have spiked, and sudden supply concerns have only accelerated efforts to fund technology that improves hydrogen production, storage, and distribution. However, despite its potential, green hydrogen is still a long way from becoming an energy alternative of mass scale.
The hydrogen technology: what’s it all about?
Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe, but its best-known form is probably water (H2O). Hydrogen weighs approximately 14 times less than air and has an energy density almost 3 times higher than diesel or gasoline. When hydrogen is made with renewable energy, it provides a clean and adaptable way to store energy. We can produce green hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen, which can be used as a source of energy, and oxygen, which can be vented into the atmosphere.
EVs powered by hydrogen: how do they work?
Unlike Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) that rely on batteries (which can be very heavy) for their energy, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) use hydrogen to produce electricity, which drives a motor and propels the vehicle. A fuel cell converts H2 into electricity and water vapor via chemical reactions. The fuel cell principle is the opposite of electrolysis since it is based on the oxidation of a fuel and the reduction of an oxidant, resulting in the simultaneous production of electrical energy, water, and heat. As a result, when driving, there are no toxic exhaust emissions from the vehicle at all, just water.
FCEV: how do they refuel?
FCEVs are fueled similarly to internal combustion vehicles. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are fueled using bowsers at refueling stations rather than charging their batteries. Similar to a petrol vehicle, this process generally takes 3–5 minutes. As of right now, hydrogen refueling infrastructure is one of the primary challenges for this technology. Having said that, we continue to see new hydrogen initiatives that could eliminate this barrier in the years to come as governments increase their focus on hydrogen fuel station network expansion and support it with substantial funding.
Fleets and FCEV: what’s in it for them?
There are several incentives governments have already implemented to encourage ownership of low- and zero-emission vehicles, including discounts, tax rebates, as well as benefits such as access to inner-city zones, bus lanes, and special parking spots. Therefore, zero-emissions vehicles, including FCEVs, should have a promising future from both an environmental and a business perspective. The prevailing assumption is that FCEV ownership costs will decline by 50% over the next 10 years. In addition, due to the simpler mechanics of electric motors, EVs tend to have lower maintenance costs than internal combustion vehicles. Economies of scale will also make hydrogen vehicles and replacement parts more affordable
While battery electric vehicle technology will most likely dominate the passenger vehicle market due to its better round-trip efficiency, hydrogen fuel cell technology will most likely dominate long-haul trucking thanks to its much higher energy storage density. This means lighter trucks can travel farther and recharge much faster, making them perfect for logistics.
It is time to take action!
Demand for green hydrogen is strong and growing in the high-emissions mobility sector. Hydrogen has the potential to replace a large percentage of fossil fuels in the quest for net-zero emissions. Still, hydrogen generation and distribution require significant investment in research and development in order to improve its round-trip efficiency and achieve production at a mass scale. A marginal increase in efficiency could lead to a dramatic reduction in the cost of generating green hydrogen with current technology.
