Electrolytic production and dispensing of hydrogen

Conference · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:184098

Thomas, C E; Kuhn, Jr, I F ^[1]

---

1. Directed Technologies, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)

The fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is undoubtedly the only option that can meet both the California zero emission vehicle (ZEV) standard and the President`s goal of tripling automobile efficiency without sacrificing performance in a standard 5-passenger vehicle. The three major automobile companies are designing and developing FCEVs powered directly by hydrogen under cost-shared contracts with the Department of Energy. Once developed, these vehicles will need a reliable and inexpensive source of hydrogen. Steam reforming of natural gas would produce the least expensive hydrogen, but funding may not be sufficient initially to build both large steam reforming plants and the transportation infrastructure necessary to deliver that hydrogen to geographically scattered FCEV fleets or individual drivers. This analysis evaluates the economic feasibility of using small scale water electrolysis to provide widely dispersed but cost-effective hydrogen for early FCEV demonstrations. We estimate the cost of manufacturing a complete electrolysis system in large quantities, including compression and storage, and show that electrolytic hydrogen could be cost competitive with fully taxed gasoline, using existing residential off-peak electricity rates.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
• OSTI ID: 184098
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP--430-20036-Vol.1; CONF-9504160--VOL.1; ON: DE95013153
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROLYSIS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
HYDROGEN FUELS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
HYDROGEN-BASED ECONOMY