H2challenge-cofe

Commercialization Challenges for a Hydrogen Economy James Dunn

Center for Technology Commercialization Conference on Future Energy Sept 2006

Hydrogen A unique ‘Energy Carrier’, which can produce Electricity (& Heat) using Fuel Cells, (or be Combusted in ICE/Turbines), forming water, with NO Emissions. H2 must be separated from chemical compounds, like CH4, by chemical ‘reforming’ (SMR), or by Electrolysis, or ThermoChemical splitting of H2O Electricity for Electrolysis from Nuclear plants or Renewable Energy sources like Solar PV, Wind, Hydro

Why Hydrogen?  Sustainable  Renewable  Minimal

Environmental Impact  Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil  Create new Clean H2 Economy  Good ‘Energy Carrier’ ? Major issues: COST and Infrastructure!

Hydrogen Sources  Reformed

from CNG (96% of today’s H2)  Reformed Gasoline – CO, CO2 issues  Electrolyzers – H2O + Electricity  BioMass, Methanol/Ethanol – Direct/reformate  ThermoChemical – Solar/Waste Heat + H2O  Oxidizing Aluminum, Zinc, ?

Hydrogen Storage  H2

Gas - High Press. Tanks 5-10,000

psi  Liquid Hydrogen – Cost + Cryo issues  Hydrides – Na, Mg, others – high losses  Carbon NanoTubes – only 2-4% Wt. H2  NH3, or other liquids, (like Methanol)  Other – Urea, Ammonium borate, etc.

Hydrogen Issues  Making H2

uses more energy than it yields

 Storing/Delivering H2 uses too much energy  H2 can’t be distributed in existing Natural

Gas pipelines  We need a safe/cheap way to store H2 in

cars

Hydrogen Challenges 

H2 is currently too COSTLY to compete with gasoline or CNG



Nat’l H2 infrastructure could cost over $100 B



Renewable energy too costly for making H2 (vs. nuclear or off-peak power)

 NEW H2

production and delivery industry needs to be developed (non HC based)

Hydrogen Costs At today's energy prices, it is still more expensive to make H2 by electrolysis than reformed fossil fuels Delivered H2 cost from Nat. Gas too high to compete. H2 Cost driven by base fuel - Nat’l Gas ($515/mcf), plus Transportation and Storage costs Estimated H2 costs are approx.: $ 8 + per GJ of H2 energy from nat. gas, $10 per GJ from coal, and

Natural Gas Reserves – US 2%

Efficiency of H2 Energy production, storage, and conversion/use  Production

70%

- Electrolyzer

=

NG SMR Reform = 90%

 Storage

(Compression)

= 85%

 Delivery

(per 1000 kM)

= 90%

 Fuel

60%

Cell Conversion

= 50-

H2 Storage/Delivery Losses  Compression

– 800 bar – 15%  Liquification – Comp.+Cryo - 30-40%  Hydrides – Chemical + Heat = 60%  Delivery – Truck Wt. of 35,000 kg to haul 500 kg H2 (takes 20 H2 trucks to dlvr. same energy as one Gasoline truck!)  Pipeline Loss = 25-30% for 3000 kM  H2 Storage/Delivery losses exceed liq.

Real Costs of H2 ($/kg)  Base

Fuel (LNG/NG) – $2.50 – 5.00+  Reforming (SMR) $1.30 - $1.60  Liquifying $2.00 – 3.00  Transport/Dlvy. $1.00 – 12.00  Dispensing $2.00 – 7.00  Carbon Tax ???  Total Cost/kg $8 – 30+ (vs. Gasoline cost $3/Gal) Source – Doty Scientific - 2004

Critical Success Elements  H2

must be made Close to Point of Use

 H2

must NOT depend on Petroleum or HC’s (Ideally produced from H2O or Biomass)

 Production

Emissions

must NOT produce C-

Key Issues for Commercialization COST, COST, COST Cost to Produce H2 Cost to Store/Deliver/Dispense Cost to Convert to H2 usage If H2 Economy costs More than existing Petroleum Economy, will people convert?

Summary – H2 Benefits 

Hydrogen is a key link between electric energy from renewable sources and chemical energy.



H2 an ideal fuel for new ‘clean energy’ conversion devices, like fuel cells, or hydrogen IC engines.

BUT 

Hydrogen is NOT a good medium for carrying energy from primary sources to Distant End Users. New solutions needed for

New Ideas for H2 Generation/Use 

Solar Thermal processes: High T Power Tower Sodium Iodide process - Florida Solar Energy Center



New Low T (450C) Vanadium catalyzed ThermoChemical process – Reaction Sciences, Inc.



New H2 ICE programs and Free Piston engines: Ford, Volvo, BMW, Sandia Labs

Florida Solar Energy Center High Temp Solar Thermochemical process Objectives Produce hydrogen via a new Sulfur-Ammonia thermochemical water splitting cycle Use both solar heat and photon energy to increase solar to hydrogen efficiency Develop multiple processes utilizing solar and electrical energy for the production of hydrogen

High T Sulfur Ammonia process Florida Solar Energy Center 

Approach SO2(g) + 2NH3(g) + H2O(l) →(NH4)2SO3(aq) 25 oC (Chemical absorption) (NH4)2SO3(aq)+H2O→(NH4)2SO4(aq)+H2(g) 25oC (Solar photochemical step)

(NH4)2SO4(aq)→2NH3(g) + H2SO4(l)285 oC (Solar thermochemical step)

H2SO4(l) →SO2(g) + H2O(g) + 1/2O2(g) 850 oC (Thermochemical step)

Overall: H2O + Solar energy = H2+ 0.5 O2 [Producing High Temp 850 C heat most costly

NEW Waste Heat H2 Generator Reaction Sciences, Inc - N J Novel Low T Hydrogen production method Developed by Reaction Science Inc.  Uses

450-500C H2O from Waste Heat (or Solar Thermal Trough) + VCl3  NO FUEL  NO EMISSIONS  High efficiency  Extremely Low Cost H2 - $.35/kg

RSI Low Temp. Thermo-Chem H2 Benefits 

Produce Hydrogen at $0.35 /kg (vs. $6-15/kg now)

    

NO FUEL and NO Emissions (only Water used!) Hydrogen from Solar Energy @ > 40% effic. Saleable Oxygen by-product Use H2 for Fuel Cells, H2 combustion, or refinery Can use H2 for coal gasification, & coal to

Cost & Environmental Comparison 1 Gigawatt H2 Plant Steam Reform Nat V- Process Gas  Plant Cost $120M  Plant Cost $120 million  Ops. expense .25/kg  Ops. Expense $0.20/kg  Fuel Cost = 0 (H2O)  Fuel Cost $4-7/Mcf  Gas Consumption = 0 30 year Fuel cost $ 22 B  30 year Gas  CO2 Emissions = 0 consumption 720 Billion Cu Ft  NET H2 Cost =  30 year CO2 emissions $.35/kg

HYDROGEN OUT

HEAT

VCl3 DECOMP.

VCl3

H20 IN

Cl2

REVERSE DEACON

VCl2

HCl + O2

HCl – O2 SEP.

VCl3 REGEN./ H2 GEN.

HCl

OXYGEN OUT

H2 Internal Combustion Engines  Ready

today – Ford, Volvo, Mazda,

BMW  Simple – Clean - No CO, CO2  Ideal for Fleets and central fuel depots  Competitive Today  Easy to roll out + Service  Need distributed H2 Fuelling Stations

Ford E-450 Van with H2 Triton V-10

Why Fuel Cells & H2 ICE vehicles ?  High

Efficiency – 30-50%

 Zero

Emissions – Only Water Vapor No carbon emissions

 Combined

Heat and Power

 Hydrogen

Fuel - Sustainable and Renewable

Sandia ‘Free Piston’ H2 Engine Free piston linear alternator -The free piston linear alternator was designed to approach ideal Otto cycle performance through HCCI operation, with high compression ratios, and rapid combustion.

The linear generator is designed to generate electricity directly from the piston’s oscillating motion, as rare earth perm. magnets in piston are driven back and forth thru alternator coils. Combustion occurs alternately at each end of piston using two-stroke cycle scavenging The alternator controls the piston’s motion, and cylinder gas compression, by efficiently managing the piston’s kinetic energy through each stroke. Compression of the fuel/air mixture is achieved inertially, and a mechanically simple, variable compression ratio design is possible with sophisticated electronic control, and used to start the piston moving. The Compression ratio of the engine is variable; depending on engine’s operating conditions (e.g., fuel type, equivalence ratio, temp.) Thus, the desired compression ratio can be achieved by modifying the operating parameters, vs changes in the engine’s hardware.

Free Piston EngineGenerator

NREL Solar Hydrogen Home Vision

BPU Funded Solar Hydrogen Home Project 

Solar-Hydrogen Home

Duffy Fuel Cell Electric Boat

Fuel Cells in Aviation 

Electric UAV’s – NASA Helios Aerovironment



Auxiliary Power – Boeing APU



Electric Airships – HAA – L-M

Piloted Fuel Cell Aircraft 2 place Electric DynAero

Hydrogen Future Hydrogen is a unique ‘Energy Carrier’ with great potential, but COST, STORAGE, and DISTRIBUTION issues must be solved before it can become a successful and competitive “Energy solution”.

Future Vehicle Technology

Technology Time Mpg  Hybrid Gas-electric 2000-2015 50-75+  Hybrid diesel-electric 2007-2015 75100  Hydrogen ICE 2008-2030 40-75  Alt. Fuel Hybrids 2010-2020 60100  Plug-in Hybrids/EV’s 2010-2025 100165  H2 ICE Hybrids 2015-2030 100-

Vehicle Trends

150 mpg Car – 2012 ?

For More Information: James Dunn Center for Technology Commercialization 134 Flanders Rd. Westboro, MA. 01581 [email protected] 508-870-0042