Fuel cell vehicles still in first gear

As in years past, fuel cell-powered vehicles are the technology of the future, according to a report published on Thursday by the U.S. National Academies.

Despite a great deal of technical progress, the study concludes that fuel cell vehicles will only make a significant dent in oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions with decades of coordinated government policies and commitment from industry.

The primary barriers to adoption are high costs and the absence of an infrastructure to distribute hydrogen, the report said, which was commissioned by Congress and sponsored by the Department of Energy.

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui earlier this year drives some of the first people who will lease the Honda's FCX Clarity hydrogen car: actress Laura Harris (front passenger), Southland Industries CFO Jon Spallino (behind her), and film producer Ron Yerxa.

(Credit: Honda Motor)

Fuel cell vehicles use hydrogen as a fuel and emit water vapor and heat. In a fuel cell, the hydrogen passes through a membrane to produce an electrical current to power the car.

In 2003, President Bush announced a $1.2 billion initiative to encourage development of hydrogen production technology and fuel cell vehicles.

Fuel and auto companies have invested in them as well by creating cars and setting up a handful of fuel stations.

The authors said that the best-case scenario would result in 2 million fuel cell vehicles by 2020. Adoption could increase rapidly thereafter if products were competitive on cost, the study found.

To move completely off oil and onto hydrogen fuel would require a hefty investment: $55 billion from government and $145 billion from industry between 2008 and 2023. "To put these numbers into perspective, the government subsidy for ethanol fuel could grow to $15 billion per year by 2020," according to the report summary.

How much hydrogen fuel cell vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions depends on how the hydrogen is made.

A Shell station in Los Angeles, for example, uses an electrolyzer that converts electricity made from renewable sources to hydrogen, but that approach doesn't scale to very high volumes, according to Shell.

The National Academies recommended a "portfolio approach" of pursuing different transportation technologies, including fuel cells, biofuels, and fuel efficiency.

[dargon19888]

This is pretty silly.

The issue isn't that difficult to solve, provided that all of the technologies that CNET has reported on do work.

Its almost as bad as listenting to Al Gore whine, yet while he was in the white house as VP, he did nothing to help create more nuclear plants (the cleanest and most environmentally friendly energy source.

[XiroMisho]

yeah, nuclear energy defiantly the safest method... only produces the most toxic substance known to man which man is still having trouble safely disposing of.

[korymic]

Al Gore may have bot done all that He has done addressing Global Climate Change from Carbon, while in the White House, but He waasted no time after the 2000 Presidential Election was stolen by Bush,Rove and Michael Connell, Computer Guru that Testified before Congress and Was killed in His Single Engine Plane, days before He was to testify again about Rove and Election Fraud through Computer intercept of Vote Tallys.

[bj1126]

Because government intervention here has such a great track record? We're starving people around the world because of our ethanol mandate.

I'm all for getting off oil but we need real solutions not fantasies propped up by our tax dollars.

[blurble]

Like HE|L they are. Look to GERMANY you bozos. Mercedes citaro HYDROGEN FUEL CELL BUSES. Since 2004!!!!!!!!

Just search google duh.. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&fkt=484&fsdt=7109&q=mercedes+hydrogen+bus

[blurble]

I just can't help but to find most people completely FUBAR in this country when it comes to knowing what OTHER countries are doing or have already DONE in regards to automotive technology and innovation / implementation.

Here Europe is, with all their 50-70 mpg diesels and hydrogen fueled BMW 7, and the US media completely ignores them. Just a bunch of hitler hating panzies who want to do things the "merican" way. Well boys and girls, time to tighten those fanbelts around your waists and get ready to be paying $20 for a gallon, because YOU caused it by not conforming to the rest of the civilized world.

[open-mind]

Blurbie, that BMW is a concept car, and the diesels from Europe don't meet the USA emission requirements. Plus diesel fuel costs even more than gasoline, and there's no good cheap way to make mass quantities of hydrogen.

Electric cars are the answer. Coming soon (well, sooner than hydrogen or diesel) to a GM dealer near you: http://www.gm-volt.com

[blurble]

Oh yes the diesels do meet standards now. That's why VW is bringing the Jetta back this year, and it will be even CLEANER than gas. With its particulate trap that burns off the excess, it will probably even make CA cleaner than when it was first discovered. Audi will be bringing the A4 and Q7, and BMW will be bringing their diesel guzzling 335d twin turbo. This will most certainly solidify the concept of diesel being less efficient to those less informed 'mericans.

Diesel may be more expensive, but that is offset by the fact diesel engines last 500k- million miles, and get DOUBLE the mileage of gas. So prices would have to be double what they are now. Which makes no sense why everyone is biyatching about the price. The only ones doing it are the truckers, and that's because they're too stupid to own a Mercedes ACTROS. But don't blame them, blame the US EPA.

http://www.emercedesbenz.com/May08/30_001172_New_Mercedes_Benz_Actros_Recorded_As_Worlds_Most_Economical_Series_Production_Truck_By_Guinness_World_Records.html

Diesel is set to make a sonic boom comeback into the US market soon.

The BMW may be a concept, but it works and is in use BEFORE toyota came along with their model which they're only giving to "celebrities" like what BMW did.

[jasmred]

Dargon 19888 - so this is why the NDA in UK is hiring and has 2.79 billion pounds (approx 6 billion US$) to clean up their nuclear plants? (see www.nda.gov.uk) Nuclear MAY have a place but I bet you won't be living next to a nuclear dump if you can help it, will you? I also wonder if the cost of this is included in the calculations of how much the electricity generated from the UK plants cost? If the money spent on developing nuclear plants around the world was spent on developing renewables (with appropriate storage solutions for base power loads) then we might not have to even think about trying to find hiding places for the most long lived toxic waste man has ever produced!

[md_scotty]

Discuss Energy Environment Issues :
Energy Environment Forum
Cheers !

[kevinlara1]

This is a report sponsored by the Govt. that's proposing more oil exploration and extraction and that editted the Global Warming report to downplay concerns.....don't buy it. The technology is here today, the production and availability of hydrogen does NOT have to distributed given advances in technology and hydrogen cars represent a very efficient and clean alternative to any combustion based transportation option. What we need is the political will to change and we can achieve near energy independence in 10 years. Our's is the land of invention and problem solving. Lets get on with it.

[Morndenkainen]

200 billion to get us off oil by 2023? Heck, the war in Iraq is running us what, 700 billion a year? Lets give thoes idiots their sandcastles back and spend the 700 bill a year here at home, and get off oil by 2015... Since hydrogen can be made from electrolysis, and electricity can be generated from wind.. I guess there'd really be no demand for oil, and then we can laugh and tank everyone elses economy by not buying any oil..

Oh wait, no, that would make too much sense wouldnt it? Keeping american dollars in america? What am i thinking?? I must be as crazy as Al Gore....

[maczocalo]

New technologies introduced to consumers initially cost more at the beginning, but over time, the cost drops as those technologies enter mainstream society. For example, when the home computer was introduced, the technology was much slower and more expensive than it is today. As people adopted computers, the technology improved and the price dropped. The hydrogen industry?s goal is to make hydrogen vehicles available at a price comparable to today?s automobiles.

Transitioning to a new fueling infrastructure is a complex endeavor, requiring a multi-lateral effort involving multiple industries. As a representative of the Hydrogen Education Foundation, I am helping people understand that energy companies such as Shell, Air Liquide, and Chevron, and the Department of Energy are working to establish additional hydrogen fueling stations across the country. An initial $10 to $15 billion investment, equivalent to about one month of military spending in Iraq and the amount of government subsidy for ethanol (described above), would establish an initial refueling infrastructure within 2 miles anywhere within the top 100 metro areas and along all US highways.

Although, creating a hydrogen fueling infrastructure is complex, it is achievable and simpler than it appears. Hydrogen has been used for decades by other industries, such as agriculture, oil production and even food processing (ever heard of the term ?hydrogenated?? ? take a look at a jar of peanut butter or the wrapper of a Starburst). More than 40 billion kg of hydrogen are produced globally each year with production plants located near or within every major metropolitan city in the US ? enough to fuel 130 million fuel cell-electric vehicles annually. Since hydrogen is used to produce gasoline, switching from gas to hydrogen to fuel our transportation is achievable.

To learn more about the benefits of hydrogen, we invite everyone to please visit and ask us questions at www.h2andyou.org.

[albizzia]

After 40 years of intensive research H2 fuel cells powerful enough to run a car still cost about a half million dollars. H2 storage is also costly, high pressure carbon fiber tanks don't come cheap and cost more than a LiIon EV battery pack! Any guess as to how long it will take to make the numerous breakthroughs necessary to make H2 cars cost competitive with plug-in cars? BTW, we're already seeing breakthroughs that will improve capacity and reduce cost of batteries, but major breakthroughs on the H2 front are notably missing.

Then there is the high cost of H2 fuel. The combination of electrolyzer, compression for storage, and fuel cell takes 3x more electricity than a charger and battery does, so cost of H2 fuel will always be much more than the cost of electricity.

Then there is the lack of H2 refueling facilities. The electric grid goes almost everywhere, and outlets are abundant, and building parking lot chargers is considerably cheaper than building H2 refueling facilities.

The future is electric.

[Maykayla]

Cash for Clunkers is a good idea. Cash for Clunkers is a program that President Obama has come up with. He is trying to get dealerships to offer a great cash advance for trading in older vehicles. The idea here is to motivate people to buy vehicles with greater fuel efficiency, or use public transportation. We're entering an age of green practices, and driving around a Pontiac Bonneville the size of an elephant just isn't the greatest idea any more. At any rate, those of us that wish to dispossess ourselves of a gas hog in lieu of something that is a bit lighter on the wallet, Cash for Clunkers might be just what the doctor ordered. Read more on this site for more information: http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/30/cash-for-clunkers-obama/.

[jatopolski]

I think the Cash for Clunkers is a great deal for the low income society. However, the majority of low income people cannot afford to make payments for a new car and probably could not qualify for a loan either. I do not think it is right to make it so they can only use the voucher on a new vehicle. It should be for any newer vehile within the range of the voucher. I do feel, however, that the voucher be established only to purchase another vehicle, or in another sense , "swap" a clunker for a "newer" vehicle that is econmically fule efficient. The way it is to be set up now unfortunately is giving the upper class another advantage.