Hydrogen Technology and Infrastructure
The AQMD initiated the groundwork for a distributed hydrogen
refueling network that will allow the fuel cell vehicles
unhindered access throughout the Basin and help promote the
commercialization of fuel cell vehicles. Despite the
selection of hydrogen as the current fuel of choice for the
demonstration vehicles, there are various production,
storage, and dispensing strategies still under consideration
for the long-term infrastructure solution. As a
result, further development of these refueling technologies
is planned.
The economical production of hydrogen for these vehicles
and, to the extent necessary, for stationary applications, is also a key area in
need of development and demonstration. In particular, the production of hydrogen
from renewable sources is of interest, either using photovoltaics and
electrolyzer technologies or biomass feedstocks and reformation technologies due
to the potential for higher lifecycle efficiencies and lower greenhouse gas
emissions compared to conventional fuels. Such renewable energy projects
would provide data to help understand and benchmark critical parameters for
enabling these technologies.
Furthermore, as an interim step toward full fuel cell
vehicle deployment and as a means of testing and verifying the hydrogen
infrastructure, hydrogen internal combustion engines (ICEs) and hydrogen-CNG
(compressed natural gas) blended fuel (HCNG) vehicles will be developed and
demonstrated. Hydrogen ICE and HCNG vehicles, which utilize conventional engine
technologies, represent potentially cost-effective hydrogen vehicle options. The
emissions, although higher than those of fuel cell vehicles, can be optimized
for emissions lower than dedicated CNG vehicles.
Fuel Cell
Technology
Fuel cells are emerging as a leading alternative technology
to replace more polluting ICEs in vehicle, marine, and stationary distributed
energy applications. There are a handful of different fuel cell technologies and
fuels being considered for these applications.
On the mobile side, the first demonstration vehicles are
using proton exchange membrane (PEM ) fuel cells and compressed hydrogen as the
fuel, but the long-term infrastructure requirements, stack durability, and any
synergistic relationship to stationary applications remain uncertain.
Considerable research, development, and demonstration efforts are already
underway to address these issues by some of the largest automobile manufacturers
and fuel suppliers. Yet much work is needed to improve the performance and range
of these vehicles, reduce costs, develop a viable fueling infrastructure, and
obtain public acceptance for a new technology in everyday applications.
On the stationary side, many of the same technology issues
exist and can be potentially easier to address due to constant load applications
and larger space availability for the stack and balance of plant/component
integration. It is hoped that cross-cutting advances in the technology can then
be transferred and applied to mobile applications. Examples are fuel cell
vehicles which can put power back into the electrical grid or co-location of the
fuel cell DG at fueling stations to provide power for compressors or pumping.
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