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Introduction: Fuel Cells – The Hydrogen
Revolution?
Global energy challenges:
Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Carbon Dioxide
Concentrations (1751-2004)
• Volatility in oil prices and sustained
shortfalls due to far-reaching
geopolitical and macroeconomic
challenges.
• Rising of CO and other GHGs
• Rapid economic growth and energy
consumption in China and India
• Global climate change by majority of
mainstream scientists’ beliefs.
Fuel-Cell Technology
http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/greenhouse/Chapter1.htm
U.S. Anthropogenic GHGs Emissions by
Gas, 2006
(Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent)
Fuel-Cell Technology
History:
Year
1983
Event
William Grove, British physicist proposed fuelcell idea.
1950 Fuel-cell research was accelerated and
s
driven by the U.S. space program’s needs.
Since Fuel cells have also been used in military
1950 equipment and scientific applications in
locations like the South Pole.
Type of Fuel cell:
1.Alkaline fuel cell (AFC)
2.Phosphoric-acid fuel cell (PAFC)
3.Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
4.Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC)
Type of Fuel cell for the transportation:
PEM ( Proton change membrane or polymer electrolyte membrane)
Fuel-Cell Technology
Component of PEM fuel
cell:
Consist of seven parts – All are assembled in a few mm
thick.
3
- Proton exchange membrane: made of Teflon
- Two electrodes: Carbone Anode (-) and Platinum Cathode (+)
- Two porous backing for each electrode: made of carbon
paper/cloth.
- Two exterior plates: made of stainless steel
5
1
Chemical processes:
Generate electricity by electrochemical reaction
Oxygen (O2)
atmosphere
+
Hydrogen (H2)
2
4
H2O
Cryogenically cooled
tanks
Performance of PEM:
alternativefuels.about.com/.../PEM-Fuel-Cell.htm
• Each PEM produces ~ 0.7 volts of electricity.
• Multiple fuel cells generates 200-300 volts to power a large electric motor.
• Latest generation of fuel-cell in 2003:
- Comparable in size & weight
- More expensive 10 times, $30,000 than ICE (Internal Combustion Engine),
$3,000
Introduction: Fuel Cells – The Hydrogen
Revolution?
Internal Challenges:
• High costs of development both viable
fuel-cell technology and infrastructure
for producing and distributing
hydrogen.
• Ambiguous supporting from federal
government
•Ambiguous the proposed level of
supporting from federal government to
overcome the “Chicken – and – egg
dynamic.
Why
?
• Cost $10-20 billion to
develop a network of
hydrogen refueling stations.
• In 2003, GM spent over $1
billion in fuel-cell R&D but
had yet to commercialize
any its vehicles.
• Future role of fuel cells was
too important to let market
forces alone dictate the
timing of what it hoped
would be a “ hydrogen
revolution.” – by Bush
administration.
• Past government in the U.S.
and abroad had a
questionable track record
when sponsoring
The US Government and the
Hydrogen Economy
 2002, Bush administration
 "National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap"
 "National Vision of America's Transition to a
Hydrogen Economy-To 2030 and Beyond.“
 October 5, 2003
 "hydrogen highway“
 “elected officials across the political spectrum
were beginning to believe that government
intervention in facilitating hydrogen-fueled
transportation was necessary and desirable.”
Issues of Hydrogen Economy
•
In 2002, National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap proposed seven critical barriers to
the successful development of hydrogen economy.
– Production
– Delivery
– Storage
– Conversion
– Applications
– Education and Outreach
– Codes and Standards
• Balkanized approach
• Globally coordinated approach
European Union and Japanese Efforts

In EU and Japan government agencies were funding both fuel-cell basic
science and enabling infrastructure technology


Japanese efforts were considered to be ahead of US and EU
Compared to US and Japan; EU efforts were more focused on demonstration and pilot
projects

In 2004, there was not significant difference across US, Japan and EU in
supporting hydrogen based transportation.

Europeans had greater incentive to adopt hydrogen based transportation
technologies.
Japan
4.62
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Oil/idUSTRE4BO0AC20081225
Other Actors
 Apart from customers there
are numerous groups that
have effect on development
of hydrogen based economy
 Oil companies
 Oil-producing nations
 Automobile
manufacturers
Future
 Government plan to establish a hydrogen
economy
 US government funding of $1.7 billion over
the next 5 years (from 2002)
 Could the government afford it?
 Could it afford not to make it?
What is it like today? (1)

Technical progress (1):
 Reduced the projected cost of hydrogen production from distributed natural gas
(assuming widespread deployment) from $5 to $3 per gallon gasoline equivalent.

Reducing the projected, high-volume manufacturing cost of automotive fuel cell
systems from $275/kW in 2002 to $73/kW in 20083 and improving the projected
durability of fuel cell systems in vehicles from 950 hours in 2006 to 1900 hours in 2008

Identifying new materials that have the potential to increase hydrogen storage
capacity by more than 50 percent,5 and developing and demonstrating a novel “cryocompressed” tank concept;

Reducing the projected cost of hydrogen production using renewable-based
technologies—e.g., electrolysis and distributed reforming of bio-derived liquids
(ethanol, sugars)—from $5.90 to $4.80 per gge (assuming widespread deployment)
(1) Congress Report on “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell activities, Progress and Plan”, by US DoE, January 2009
What is it like today? (2)
However:
 With current technology hydrogen fueled cars would be more than
twice as expensive as internal combustion engine systems.
 Based on the highest demonstrated durability to date, fuel cell
systems would have a lifespan of approximately 1900 hours, which
equates to about 57,000 miles .
 The industry failed to meet the goal of 100,000 hydrogen-fueled
vehicles by 2010, as specified in EPACT section 811(a)(4).
 To achieve goal of 2.5 million hydrogen fueled cars in the US by
2020 would require the government to pump at least $55 billion in
subsidies over the next 15 years to make hydrogen vehicles cost
competitive with conventional cars and trucks (1)
(1) http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2008/2008-07-18-10.asp
What is it like today? (3)

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2008 that "Top executives from General Motors
Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday expressed doubts about the viability of
hydrogen fuel cells for mass-market production in the near term and suggested their
companies are now betting that electric cars will prove to be a better way to reduce
fuel consumption and cut tailpipe emissions on a large scale.

The Los Angeles Times wrote, in February 2009, "Hydrogen fuel-cell technology won't
work in cars.... Any way you look at it, hydrogen is a lousy way to move cars

On May 2009 the US Secretary of Engery Steven Chu announced that since fuel cell
hydrogen vehicles "will not be practical over the next 10 to 20 years", the U.S.
government will "cut off funds" for development of hydrogen vehicles, although the
DoE will continue to fund research related to stationary Fuel cells (1)
(1) The Newyork Times, May 7, 2009
References
LOGO
Appendix
How does it work?:
1.Store H2 flow through channels in exterior plate and
into anode, usually using Pt.
2.Resulting positive charge of H+, it is pulled through
the membrane to the Cathode.
- The membrane prevent e- from traveling directly through
the cathode.
3.The e- is forced into the external circuit that traveled
around the membrane then into the cathode.
- This circuit is used to provide electricity to an electric
motor, a rechargeable battery, or another electric-power
device
4.H+ and e- reach the cathode, atmosphere oxygen
(O2) is forced into the cathode by a compressor.
- Pt catalyst in the cathode split the oxygen molecule in to 2
oxygen atoms.
5.O- & H+ bond to from H2O and small amount of heat
- Water and Heat are exhausted into the atmosphere as
only by product of the process.
Note:
Pt is one of the world’s most precious metals. It is a barrier to reducing fuel-cell costs
Pt cost $865 per ounce – twice the price of goal.
The problems of Oil Age
 Global warming
 Supply safety
 Price swings
 High oil prices could cause recessions in the
developed country
 A source of war
The Problems of Hydrogen Economy
 The chicken-and-egg problems
 Viable Fuel-cell technology
 Infrastructure for producing and distributing
hydrogen
• Cost $10-$20 billion in the US for a distribution
system
 Public concern about safety