Hydrogen

What is hydrogen fuel?

Hydrogen fuel is produced from either the breakdown of a hydrocarbon source (natural gas, fossil fuels or ethanol) or by the electrolysis of water. It can also be obtained as a co-product of oil refining or the production of industrial gases. Some 35 million tons are produced globally every year for industrial use.

Hydrogen can be used as an alternative to petrol in modified conventional petrol engines or as the fuel source in fuel cells.

Fuel cells are extremely efficient electro-chemical devices that use hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. This electricity is then used to power electric motor(s) driving the vehicle.

Fuel cell vehicles can be either pure or hybrid. The hybrid design incorporates the use of a battery for peak power loading. This also enables the vehicle to use regenerative braking which can reduce fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent. Hybrids can save fuel at a rate of 30-40 per cent.

What are the environmental benefits of using hydrogen fuel?

Hydrogen burns almost pollution-free and when combined with oxygen, produces water and electricity. For this reason it is viewed by many as the ultimate clean fuel.

When fuelled directly by pure hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles emit only heat and water vapour.

However, unless the hydrogen is produced using a renewable energy source such as solar or wind power, the carbon dioxide emissions which result from the hydrogen-producing process can be higher than with petrol or diesel fuels.

How much does it cost to buy and maintain a hydrogen-fuelled or fuel cell vehicle?

Hydrogen fuelled and fuel cell vehicles are currently limited to a small number of demonstration vehicles.

The first fuel cell car to go on sale is the Honda FCX Clarity. It will be sold in strictly limited numbers however, with 200 being available over three years from three Californian dealers. The car will only be available for lease at $600 per month, which is well below the production costs for the car.

There is currently no refuelling infrastructure in the UK.

Is hydrogen fuel currently being used anywhere?

A small number of hydrogen-fuelled prototype vehicles have been produced and trialled in the UK. The Royal Mail will be trialling two converted Ford Transit vans on Stornoway, where they will be fuelled by Green Hydrogen and a fuel cell delivery van on a university campus in Birmingham. http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/online/news/list?filterType=application&filterValue=Transportation

There are also plans to use Hydrogen and fuel cell powered vehicles at the London 2012 Olympics. See the London Hydrogen Partnership website for details http://www.london.gov.uk/lhp/index.jsp

California has the most fuel cell vehicles (only about 65 however) and refuelling stations (26) as part of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) and Hydrogen Highway Projects.