Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association

KPMG’s Global Automotive Executive Survey for 2012 highlighted a number of interesting perceptions of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) that are held by automotive executives worldwide.  Advantages of FCEVs such as long range and rapid refueling time were noted as factors that make the cars seem more promising over time and likely to gain more consumer demand than many other low and zero emission options.

The survey is KPMG International’s annual assessment of the current state and future prospects of the worldwide automotive industry.  This year, 200 senior executives from the world’s leading automotive companies were interviewed, including automakers, suppliers, dealers, financial service providers and mobility service providers.

Fuel cell electric mobility was deemed by the executives surveyed to be the second most important trend in the industry over the next 15 years, with battery electric mobility slightly ahead.  However, the results also showed that fuel cell vehicles are seen as a more promising prospect than battery electric cars.  The reasons for these electric mobility trends were attributed to environmental issues, growing urbanization and changing customer behavior.

Consumer demand for FCEVs by 2025 was predicted by BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) respondents, to top demand for hybrids and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).  Respondents from the TRIAD countries (including North America, the E.U. and industrialized Asia) chose FCEVs and BEVs equally in terms of attracting consumer demand, with both technologies slightly trailing hybrids.  Overall, FCEVs are looking at taking up a fifth of the electric vehicle demand worldwide by 2025, based on these results.

The report accounts for the expected success of FCEVs by explaining that “there is considerable confidence in the potential of fuel cells, whose longer driving range should enable automakers to achieve a critical mass of sales by 2025.”  It also points out “the relative affordability of core materials (except for platinum) when compared to batteries” that fuel cells enjoy, another factor that may help propel them to commercial success.

Also identified in the report was the lack of hydrogen infrastructure for FCEVs.  Given that almost all major automakers are planning to sell FCEVs commercially by the middle of this decade, the time to start planning and constructing this infrastructure is now.

It is an exciting time for the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industry.  Fuel cell manufacturers are on the verge of becoming profitable, fuel cell electric vehicles are only a couple short years away from hitting showrooms and global deployments are increasing rapidly.  All of these accomplishments and future successes have been, and will continue to be, propelled by the research and innovations behind them.  This post will take a brief look at a few of the most recent stories about research in the fuel cell and hydrogen energy field.

A lot of fuel cell and hydrogen energy research of late has been centered on hydrogen storage for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).  Ease and time for refueling, cost, vehicle range and fuel tank size, are all aspects of FCEVs that could be improved by advances in hydrogen storage.  Research on this topic is unique in that it there are such diverse approaches that can be taken.  Storing hydrogen as a gas or liquid, either purely or with other molecules, are different options that all have their own merits. 

In late 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced just over $7 million of funding for hydrogen storage technologies, split between four different projects.  One such project at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is working on metal-organic frameworks (MOFS), three-dimensional sponge-like structures that are optimized for hydrogen adsorption.  These MOFs are extremely light weight and serve to increase the capacity for hydrogen in a fuel tank, without requiring high pressures.

Metal-organic frameworks pack more surface area than a football field in the palm of your hand.

Source: Clean Technica

So far the project has been able to double hydrogen capacity, but only at extremely low temperatures, and is working towards creating frameworks with larger gains in capacity at room temperature.  General Motors (GM) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are also contributing to this project.

Another project that received DOE funding has recently developed a new liquid-based hydrogen storage material.  Chemists at the University of Oregon recently published a paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society detailing their boron-nitrogen based material, which works safely at room temperature, can release hydrogen controllably, and results in spent fuel which is able to be recycled (replenished with hydrogen).  A liquid storage method would have advantages in its compatibility with current liquid infrastructure.  Developing a more energy efficient regeneration mechanism and increasing the hydrogen yield of the material are being focused on moving forward.

Hydrogen is released from the material in the presence of iron chloride.

Source: University of Oregon

Hydrogen storage research is also currently being directed towards portable fuel cell applications.  Portable fuel cells can offer lightweight, longer lasting alternatives to batteries in many cases and improving hydrogen storage capacities will serve to multiply these advantages.  Researchers at DOE’s Savannah River National Laboratory are using alane (AlH₃), to store hydrogen due to its high energy to weight ratio, known as specific energy.  To date, the lab has developed a new process for producing alane at lower costs by reducing the use of solvents, and also found a process that can double the amount of hydrogen released from alane.  Testing with commercial fuel cells has been successful so far and more testing applications will be pursued, as well as efforts to further reduce the cost of producing alane.

There are a number of other aspects of fuel cells that are being targeted by research, including the catalysts they use.  Traditionally, platinum has been used as a catalyst in fuel cells and electrolyzers to speed up the systems’ reactions.  However, due to the high prices of platinum, finding new materials for catalysts could reduce the overall cost of fuel cells and also potentially increase their efficiency.  Chemists at UC Berkley have recently published a paper in the journal Science, reporting on their development of a molybdenite (MoS₂) catalyst that is composed only of edges.  Edges and defects are the locations on the material where the chemical reactions actually take place, known as active sites.  By constructing a catalyst that is all edges, the density of active sites on the catalyst is greatly enhanced, improving its efficiency.  This was done by placing single molybdenite molecules on a small carbon framework.  The catalysts were successful in producing hydrogen when added to both acid water and seawater. 

Molybdenite (top), and a single molybdenite molecule on a carbon framework (bottom).  The molecule can catalyze the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen when a current (electrons) is supplied.

Source: UC Berkeley

Jumping back to focus on FCEVs, ACAL Energy just finished durability testing of its liquid cathode system, which also uses materials other than platinum as a catalyst.  The drive cycle testing showed no change in performance over 400 load cycles and 100 thermal cycles for a full-scale fuel cell stack.  The liquid cathode system is showing promise to improve fuel cell durability in FCEVs and also reduce the price of them. 

One more fuel cell component that has received some research attention and results recently is the electrolyte.  The role of an electrolyte in a fuel cell is to conduct charged particles between electrodes.  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology along with Arizona State University have optimized the conductivity of ceria (CeO₂), used as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), by doping it with an ideal concentration of gadolinium. 

Top view of a gadolinium doped ceria unit cell.  The blue, green and red balls represent Ce, Gd and O ions, respectively.

Source: NIST

The result is an electrolyte with higher conductivity, and therefore higher efficiency.  It is also able to operate at lower temperatures, which could provide some flexibility in terms or other SOFC materials, potentially reducing system cost.  These findings were published in Modeling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering and Journal of Materials Chemistry.

This snapshot of some of the recent announcements in fuel cell and hydrogen energy research hopefully gives an idea of the breadth of the field and the research angles that are being taken, as well as the incredible potential of the industry.  It is easy to see how more rapidly than ever, new applications for fuel cells and hydrogen are being discovered, as current ones advance towards commercialization and those already in use are improved.

With urban fuel cell electric bus investments being made in major cities worldwide, it is clear that there is a burgeoning market in the fuel cell industry.

UTC Power’s fuel cell hybrid bus shown here in Hartford, Connecticut in 2007; the first to be introduced in New England.

Last month, Ballard Power Systems successfully shipped three fuel cell power modules to TuttoTransporti (TUTTO) in Sao Paulo, Brazil to begin deploying a fleet of the country’s first hybrid transit buses. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, emits 3-million tons of greenhouse gases annually, 85 percent coming from vehicles. The fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) initiative has been implemented in order to reduce the city’s carbon output as Brazil prepares for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Brazil’s FCEB project is one of many other measures worldwide working to reduce vehicle emissions in heavily populated areas. Fuel cell electric buses are currently operating in more than 10 cities across the United States, including San Francisco, Austin, and Honolulu. Six of the country’s 26 total operating FCEBs are being utilized in Connecticut, between Hartford and New Haven (see photo), where UTC Power (based in South Windsor, CT) and Ballard fuel cell modules have been propelling clean public transportation since 2007. The largest fleet in the US can be found in Oakland, CA where hydrogen from The Linde Group provides fuel to AC Transit agency’s 11 UTC Power fuel cell electric buses. Recent studies exploring the successes of these and other FCEB projects have further supported this cutting edge technology that is making great strides in clean transportation on a worldwide scale.

The illustration above highlights the components that comprise both a fuel cell and the modern fuel cell electric bus. Illustration: Karl Reque

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has cited that fuel cell technology is of special interest to transportation authorities because “it holds the promise of greatly reduced emissions, quiet operation, and reduced fuel consumption for transit fleets.”  In July 2011, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) completed an evaluation to observe the impact of active FCEB projects in the US using many different criteria; vehicle performance, capital costs, safety efforts, maintenance, and public perception, among others. The study, titled “Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2011”, was a joint venture by both the FTA and the Department of Energy. NREL measured the fuel economy of the buses and found that the FCEBs showed fuel economy improvements ranging from 46% to 141% when compared to diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) baseline buses. In particular, the studies showed that the three FCEBs (two by Ballard, one from UTC Power) at SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, California are able to achieve fuel economies twice that of the conventional CNG buses in the same service.

The largest active hydrogen FCEB fleet in the world is currently operating in the town of Whistler, British Colombia, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The 20 bus fleet—powered by Ballard Power System fuel cell modules and Air Liquide hydrogen fuel—completed tests in 2009 and began operation in time for the Olympic Games. The buses have a range of 500km (a little over 300 miles) before requiring an 8-10 minute refueling. The fleet produces no greenhouse gas emissions at the tailpipe and will help the province attain its goal of lowering GHG emissions by 33% by 2020. In December 2011, the FCEB fleet exceeded a total of one million miles in service. This milestone has translated to greenhouse gas savings of 2,200 tons, equivalent to removing 400 passenger cars from the road.

Watch a video about Whistler’s fuel cell demonstration project here:

Fuel cell powered buses continue to represent a very strong sector of the industry. Last year, Pike Research—a clean technology market research and consulting firm— released a study titled “Fuel Cell Vehicles” that noted a measurable trend towards cleaner transit buses. According to their report, alternative fuel vehicles will represent more than 50% of the 64,000 total transit buses that will be delivered worldwide in 2015. FCEB projects provide real-world applications for the capabilities of fuel cell technology. Fuel cell buses are hitting milestones both abroad and on U.S. soil. There are currently around 100 fuel cell buses operating in various countries around the world and further developments are expected to increase this number by 45% in 2012. These, among other successes, reinforce confidence in further FCEB projects and infrastructure development.

Larry Stapleton, Ballard’s Vice President of Sales said recently that Brazil’s fuel cell bus initiative marks “another important step toward a tipping point in the global volume of fuel cell bus orders.” Stapleton believes that “2012 will be a key year as we move toward fuel cell bus commercialization.” The future is very bright for the fuel cell electric bus industry at a time when clean power and fuel efficiency are at a premium on the global landscape.

Links:

Read Ballard's news release about powering FCEB buses in Brazil here. 

NREL’s fuel cell bus evaluations can be found online here.

Read Pike Research's news release about their study of FCEBs here.

myFC, in collaboration with SiGNa Chemistry, has recently introduced PowerTrekk; an integrated portable fuel cell charger that can be operated completely independently of a fixed power source. Once the user inserts a PowerPukk fuel pack and a small amount of water, the user is provided instant power on the go. Without fans or pumps, the fuel cell silently converts hydrogen into electricity. Equipped with a USB port, PowerTrekk will work with USB-compatible phones, digital cameras, GPS devices and more. PowerTrekk is currently being showcased at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 which concludes tomorrow, January 13. The PowerTrekk will be available in the United States starting in May 2012 for $299, with the PowerPukk costing $3 per fuel pack.

See more about myFC’s PowerTrekk here. 

Among the current innovators of portable fuel cell technologies, Apple Inc. has begun exploring the capabilities of fuel cells for its mobile electronic devices. Apple has filed two patent applications which would incorporate portable fuel cells into product design to potentially provide users the ability to operate their mobile device devoid of a stationary power source. The applications aren’t clear on their choice of fuels; either hydrogen or a hydrocarbon. Apple has also left their patent open to a wide range of fuel cell types, including solid oxide, molten carbonate, direct methanol, alkaline, and others. Apple’s patent proposal, which was published in the database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 22, highlights the company’s proclivity for being a few steps ahead of the global technology field. Apple noted in their application that there is “increasing awareness and desire” among consumers to use renewable-energy sources.

You can read more about Apple’s patent applications here.

The introduction of the PowerTrekk to the public and the pending Apple patents could revolutionize popular opinion towards fuel cell technology. Currently, fuel cells have been most utilized in stationary applications, providing back-up power, or in the transportation sector, powering fork lifts and lift trucks. With these new products being offered to a broader audience, we can expect a growing interest in the fuel cell industry.

Until recently, portable fuel cell technology has largely been focused on applications for the military. Portable applications such as remote monitoring/sensing and mobile soldier power remain a strong area of focus for portable fuel cell developers. United States Army Major Mark Owens is a researcher at Project Manager Soldier Warrior, which develops and integrates components designed to increase combat effectiveness and decrease combat load. Owens claims that the U.S. Army is particularly interested in portable fuel cell technology because it drastically reduces the amount of batteries that soldiers carry during on-foot missions. PM Soldier Warrior studied one three-day mission with a company-sized element and found that the use of fuel cells reduced the amount of batteries they carried by 600 pounds.

See further comments from Major Owens in article here.

Practical portable fuel cell development highlights the fact that fuel cells are gaining serious momentum in the public market. While cost remains a factor, the release of myFC’s PowerTrekk will further bolster attention to the industry. Pike Research, a cleantech market intelligence firm, forecasts that, by 2017, annual unit shipments for portable fuel cells will reach 7 million per year.

Ben Engleman

To continue our 2011 recap of the fuel cell industry, we will now take a look at backup power applications.  Backup power is usually deployed at critical sites like telecom towers and control rooms, data centers, or military installations where dependence on the nation’s unreliable power grid is unacceptable.  In 2011, fuel cells have shown considerable promise in this application. 

Backup Power

Fuel cells have steadily gained acceptance as an extremely reliable and efficient source of backup power.  Fuel cells installed for backup power have been tested and shown to have availabilities of over 99.5% all the way up to 99.9999% in some locations.  Additionally, fuel cell systems are often designed with the ability to run on a variety of fuels with hydrogen, natural gas and biogas being the most common.  This redundancy increases a facilities energy security since it could conceivably switch fuels if there was a supply disruption.

Companies like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have all deployed fuel cells at telecom towers and routing and control centers around the country.  Another wireless communications service provider, MetroPCS, completed what was thought to be the largest single deployment of fuel cells at telecommunications sites in US history in 2009.  The project involved 330 5kW, 10kW and 15 kW fuel cells at 140 sites in Florida.  Not only do backup power sources at telecom towers need to be reliable and rugged, the FCC has proposed, but not yet mandated, a rule that backup must be available for up to eight hours.  Fly wheels cannot achieve this goal and the amount of batteries required is not practical in the locations of the towers. 

When scalability, reliability, endurance, and heat management are all of critical importance, fuel cells have proved to be a trusted solution for backup power.  Those characteristics are exactly what are required by data centers, another growing market for fuel cell installations.  In the past year companies like AT&T and Japanese telecom giant NTT announced plans to install fuel cells at their US data centers.  NTT will install 500 kW of fuel cells at its data center in San Jose, CA, while AT&T plans to install 7.5 MW (75 fuel cells) at 11 of its CA offices.  Fuel cells not only offer the “5-nines” (99.999% reliability) or more data centers require, but they present additional benefits their competitors cannot match.  Endurance is one benefit, but the ability to capture and productively use excess heat is especially valuable because data centers are constantly battling heat to keep their servers functioning properly.

Additionally, grocery chains, like Whole Foods, have deployed fuel cells for backup power in their stores so that they do not lose valuable fresh and frozen inventory in the event of a power outage.  For example, when Hurricane Irene struck the Northeast in August, and a rare October snow and ice storm hit, residents and businesses in Connecticut were without power for days.  A Whole Foods Market in Glastonbury, CT, however, was the first grocery store to install a fuel cell, and one of the only stores to reopen immediately after the storm.  Not only did the fuel cell save Whole Foods money on potential lost inventory, it provided the community with food and water in a time of need. 

Note: these figures only include units providing feedback data to NREL, they are not the entire market.

The military has also been a supporter of fuel cells for backup power.  The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), part of the Department of Defense (DOD), Research and Development (DLA R&D) team sponsored a recent report that highlighted the benefits of fuel cells for the military’s backup power needs.  The report specifically states, “Military facilities are highly dependent on a vulnerable commercial power grid. Backup power systems eliminate risks from grid disruption. As an option for backup power, fuel cell advantages include reliability, lower maintenance, longer life, lighter weight, and lower emissions.”  In conjunction with these recommendations, the DOD and the Department of Energy (DOE) have continued a five-year demonstration partnership to install fuel cells for backup power at eight military bases.  The most recent installation was at the Aberdeen Proving Ground Base in Maryland.

For more on the MetroPCS fuel cell deployment, click here.

For more information on how fuel cells provided essential backup power during Hurricane Irene and October’s Winter Storm Alfred, click here.

To read the press release from DOE on the Aberdeen fuel cell deployment, click here.

To read the full DLA-sponsored report on fuel cells and the military, click here.