Electrolytic hydrogen production infrastructure options evaluation. Final subcontract report
- Directed Technologies, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)
Fuel-cell electric vehicles have the potential to provide the range, acceleration, rapid refueling times, and other creature comforts associated with gasoline-powered vehicles, but with virtually no environmental degradation. To achieve this potential, society will have to develop the necessary infrastructure to supply hydrogen to the fuel-cell vehicles. Hydrogen could be stored directly on the vehicle, or it could be derived from methanol or other hydrocarbon fuels by on-board chemical reformation. This infrastructure analysis assumes high-pressure (5,000 psi) hydrogen on-board storage. This study evaluates one approach to providing hydrogen fuel: the electrolysis of water using off-peak electricity. Other contractors at Princeton University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are investigating the feasibility of producing hydrogen by steam reforming natural gas, probably the least expensive hydrogen infrastructure alternative for large markets. Electrolytic hydrogen is a possible short-term transition strategy to provide relatively inexpensive hydrogen before there are enough fuel-cell vehicles to justify building large natural gas reforming facilities. In this study, the authors estimate the necessary price of off-peak electricity that would make electrolytic hydrogen costs competitive with gasoline on a per-mile basis, assuming that the electrolyzer systems are manufactured in relatively high volumes compared to current production. They then compare this off-peak electricity price goal with actual current utility residential prices across the US.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Directed Technologies, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 125028
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-463-7903; ON: DE95009276; TRN: AHC29528%%63
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
29 ENERGY PLANNING AND POLICY
HYDROGEN FUELS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
ELECTROLYSIS
HYDROGEN-BASED ECONOMY
ECONOMICS
OFF-PEAK POWER
COST
PROGRESS REPORT
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
SERVICE SECTOR
FUEL SUPPLIES
HYDROGEN GENERATORS
DESIGN
GAS COMPRESSORS
GAS CYLINDERS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
CAPITALIZED COST
RECOMMENDATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA