National Research Council hydrogen report: “The cost premium for hydrogen fuel cells offset to be offset by savings in fuel costs by 2023″

In Washington, more details emerged from the National Research Council Report on Hydrogen Fuel Technology. A copy of the report obtained by Biofuels Digest revealed 13 distinct conclusions.

“1:  A portfolio of technologies including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, improved efficiency of conventional vehicles, hybrids, and use of biofuels—in conjunction with required new policy drivers—has the potential to nearly eliminate gasoline use in light-duty vehicles by the middle of this century.

2:  Sustained, substantial, and aggressive energy security and environmental policy interventions will be needed.

3: Lower-cost, durable fuel cell systems for light-duty vehicles are likely to be increasingly available over the next 5-10 years.

4:  If appropriate policies are adopted to accelerate the introduction of hydrogen and HFCVs, hydrogen from distributed technologies can be provided at reasonable cost.

5: The maximum practicable number of HFCVs that could be on the road by 2020 is around 2 million.

6: Fuel cell vehicles would lead to significant reductions in oil consumption and also significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

7:  The cost premium for HFCVs relative to conventional gasoline vehicles is projected to be fully offset by the savings in fuel cost over the life of the vehicle by 2023.

8:  The committee estimates that total government-industry spending on RD&D needed to facilitate the transition to HFCVs is roughly $16 billion over the 16-year period from 2008 through 2023.

9:  The estimated government cost to support a transition to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is roughly $55 billion over the 16-year period from 2008 to 2023.

10: Policies designed to accelerate the penetration of HFCVs into the U.S. vehicle market will be required to exploit the long-term potential of HFCVs.

11:  At least two alternatives to HFCVs—advanced conventional vehicles and biofuels—have the potential to provide significant reductions in projected oil imports and CO2 emissions.  However, the rate of growth of benefits from each of these two measures slows after two or three decades.”

Hydrogen background

• In California, the first hydrogen fueling station in the state opened in Los Angeles, near interstate 405 on the west side of the city.

• General Motors VP Larry Burns, addressing the National Hydrogen Association, said that the auto industry had developed hydrogen vehicles, and government and energy companies must develop the infrastructure for fuel distribution.

• In Florida, SeaWorld Orlando announced that it would deploy two new hydrogen-powered shuttle buses.

• Acta stated its belief that a hydrogen fueled transport system is ten years away, not 20 to 30 years.

• Researchers in England announced a process to convert glycerol to hydrogen gas.

• ExxonMobil, QuestAir Technologies and Ben Gurion University said recently that they had completed initial development on a hydrogen production system for fuel cells that would convert biofuels on-board to hydrogen.

• A new process for producing hydrogen from biomass has resulted in a 288 percent net energy gain.

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