3. HYDROGEN DELIVERY AND PRODUCTION
President Bush announced the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative (HFI) in his Presidential Address in January 2003. The objectives of this Initiative are to reduce our dependence on imported oil, to increase our energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce air emissions. The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier and fuel cell vehicles can help meet all of these objectives.
Cost effective and energy efficient transport and delivery of hydrogen from central or distributed hydrogen production facilities will be an important part of the hydrogen infrastructure that will enable widespread use of hydrogen for transportation and other energy needs. Significant research and development is needed on suitable delivery technologies to achieve the delivery cost, energy efficiency, and performance targets as described in the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Multi-Year Research, Development, and Demonstration Plan1.
Specifically, grant applications are sought to address three key delivery technologies; off-board bulk hydrogen storage, hydrogen liquefaction, and hydrogen compression.
In addition, research and development of low-cost, highly efficient hydrogen production technologies from diverse sources is also needed. Photoelectrochemical hydrogen production, in an early stage of development, depends on a breakthrough in materials development. The primary research in this area is progressing on three fronts: 1) the study of high-efficiency materials to attain the basic science understanding needed for improving lower-efficiency low-cost materials; 2) the study of low-cost durable materials to attain the basic science understanding needed for modifying higher-efficiency, lower-durability materials; and 3) the development of multijunction devices incorporating multiple material layers to achieve efficient water splitting. Grant applications are sought in these areas of production of hydrogen using photoelectrochemical technology.
a. Off-Board Hydrogen Bulk Storage—In order to effectively handle
hourly, weekday to weekend, and seasonal hydrogen demand variations, the
hydrogen production and delivery infrastructure will require cost effective bulk
storage of hydrogen. Bulk storage of gaseous hydrogen avoids the cost and
energy needed for hydrogen liquefaction. Current gaseous hydrogen storage relies
on steel pressure vessels for storage of 2,000-6,000 psi hydrogen. Such
pressure vessels have a purchase cost in the neighborhood of $800/kg of hydrogen
stored. The HFI Program is targeting a cost of $300/kg of hydrogen. Several
approaches have been suggested including lower cost, high pressure fiber wrapped
or other composite structures, cold gas storage that increases the hydrogen
density through both lower temperature and high pressure, and the use of novel
solid carriers within the storage vessel that would allow higher density gas
storage for a given pressure. There may be other approaches as well. Grant
applications are sought to develop lower cost bulk hydrogen gaseous storage
technology that can ultimately approach the long term target of $300/kg of
hydrogen stored capital cost.
Questions - contact Grace Ordaz (grace.ordaz@hq.doe.gov)
b. Hydrogen Liquefaction—Cryogenic
liquid hydrogen has a much higher volumetric density than gaseous hydrogen
resulting in much lower transport and storage costs. However, current hydrogen
liquefaction technology is costly and consumes more than 30% of the energy in
the hydrogen. Grant applications are sought to dramatically reduce the cost and
increase the energy efficiency of hydrogen liquefaction.
Questions - contact Grace Ordaz (grace.ordaz@hq.doe.gov)
c. Hydrogen Compression—Current
hydrogen compression technology is not as reliable as desired which results in
high costs. The reciprocating compressor technology typically used for large
volume throughput compression utilizes lubricants which can contaminate the
hydrogen. Grant applications are sought for improved hydrogen compression
technology for refueling sites (50-2,000 kg/day hydrogen throughput with
compression from 50-200 psi to 5000-12,000 psi) and for hydrogen pipeline
transmission (100,000 -1,000,000 kg/day throughput with compression from 300 psi
to 1,000-2,000 psi).
Questions - contact Grace Ordaz (grace.ordaz@hq.doe.gov)
d. Hydrogen Production—Hydrogen
can be produced from a variety of domestic resources utilizing several different
production technologies. Of particular interest for the long term is direct
photoelectrochemical hydrogen production. Grant applications are requested for
research and development of photoelectrochemical materials that show capability
of achieving a band gap of 2.0 - 2.3 eV band gap while maintaining a chemical
conversion process efficiency of 10 -12% with a material that will be durable
enough to last 1000 – 5000 hours.
Questions - contact Grace Ordaz (grace.ordaz@hq.doe.gov)
References:
1. “Multi-Year Research, Development and Demonstration Plan: Planned Program Activities for 2003-2010,” U.S. DOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program, February 2005. (Available at: www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/mypp).
2. “FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership Hydrogen Delivery Roadmap,” November 2005. (Full text available at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/delivery/pdfs/dtt_roadmap_11-05ver1_final_03-21-06.pdf)
3. “2005 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen Program,” U.S. DOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program, November 2005. (Full text available at: www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells. In center of page under “Site Updates”, click on 2nd bullet. Note: 2006 Annual Progress Report will be posted this fall.)
4. “Solar and Wind Technologies for Hydrogen Production: Report to Congress,” U.S. Department of Energy, December 2005. (Full text available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/solar_wind_for_hydrogen_dec2005.pdf)
5. Mintz, M, et al., “HDSAM: Hydrogen Delivery Scenario Analysis Model to Analyze Hydrogen Distribution Options,” Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1983, December 2006. (Abstract and ordering information available at: http://pubsindex.trb.org/document/view/default.asp?lbid=777833)
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