Project Next Step: A proposal for kick-starting the Hydrogen Economy
Plan for a Transition to a Hydrogen Infrastructure
The first item is to pass fuel efficiency standards for all passenger cars, truck, SUVs and vans so that we can reduce our consumption of foreign oil (presently about 60% or our total consumption) and promote hybrid-electric cars.
It is often stated that a major obstacle to converting to a hydrogen based fuel-cell economy is that the hydrogen infrastructure is not in place and can not be built for 20 or 30 years. However this need not be the case if stationary fuel cells in buildings are installed with complementary fuel cell cars which can double as part-time electrical generators. When fuel cells are installed in buildings in tandem with hydrogen cars they can take advantage of existing infrastructures including natural gas pipe lines and AC power lines that are in place. A proposal suggested by the Rocky Mountain Institute would add fuel cell powered cars to this mix and use them as stationary electrical generators when they are parked. The combination not only advances hydrogen powered cars by providing more filling stations, it also provides additional electrical generation capacity during peak daylight hours.
This clever proposal involves installing refrigerator-size reformers (devices that extract hydrogen from natural gas or other fuel) in office or industrial complexes, apartment houses, or universities. The reformers provide the hydrogen fuel for the building's fuel cells, and for a fleet of fuel cell cars. The apartment house or office building becomes the hydrogen "filling station", using the existing natural gas supply lines that are already installed in most buildings. The fleet of cars can be leased to employees who work in a common location or building. They drive to work and hook up their cars to be refueled from the reformers. The car is also plugged into the building's electrical system which connects the fuel cell to the local electrical grid. Once the car is refilled the 20kw fuel cell can then provide dual duty by generating electricity which can be supplied to building and sold back to the grid. Most typical homes require only a 1.5 to 2.5kw generator. So it is likely that much of the electricity generated by a small fleet of hydrogen powered cars would be surplus energy and could be sold to the grid.
By using this simple model a hydrogen infrastructure could be be built today with off-the-shelf technology, providing not only less polluting cars, but additional electrical generating capacity. See A Strategy for the Hydrogen Transition by RMI 1999, Vehicle of Change by Lawrence D. Burns, J. Byron McCormick, and Christopher E. Borroni-Bird in the October 2002 issue of Scientific American, and How Hydrogen can Save America by Peter Schwartz and Doug Randall, Wired Magazine, April 2003, and Amory Lovin's Hydrogen Primer, and The Future of Energy.
Advantages
The advantages of this first step towards a full hydrogen infrastructure include:
- All the technology is already developed and available. No technological breakthroughs are required.
- Every installation of a hydrogen fuel cell in a building can include a hydrogen filling station for cars.
- The electricity generated by the hydrogen powered cars can be sold back to utilities to offset the cost of the project.
- The reformer, or hydrogen appliance, is installed in the building and thus reduces the weight and the complexity of the vehicle.
- Since there is a reliable hydrogen supply, the vehicle can use gaseous hydrogen and avoid the liquid vs. gaseous debate for hydrogen fuel.
- The stationary fuel cell produces waste heat which can be used for water and/or space heating of the building.
- The system takes advantage of existing natural gas and AC electrical infrastructures. Every building has gas and power.
- Very little carbon dioxide is produced in reforming the natural gas into hydrogen fuel.
Check for updates on hydrogen powered cars at HyperCar news.