HFC are considered an efficient conversion technology of Hydrogen-to-electricity. Hydrogen is considered as a clean energy carrier. Combined together they have great potential to contribute to addressing energy challenges facing Europe, including the reduction in its carbon emission.
HFC technology has a significant role to play in a number of energy end-use sectors, including public and private transport that contributes ~20% of Europe's carbon emission. FCEV allow more sustainable transport, using a powertrain technology that is clean, efficient and makes better use of natural energy resources – thus helping to decarbonise the transport sector, address the issue of poor air quality and reduce noise pollution.
A number of light and heavy-duty FCEVs are already in circulation in Europe, but increasing their number to a commercial scale requires lowering the price through technological development and mass market production processes. FCEV commercialisation depends largely on the development of infrastructure for the production, storage, and distribution of Hydrogen, as well as special refuelling stations. Currently, only a small number of Hydrogen refuelling stations exist in Europe (and worldwide), and refuelling station costs need to be reduced to make them commercially viable.
The challenges of Hydrogen as an energy storage solution are:
• Exploiting the exciting attributes of fuel cells hinges on developing cost effective Hydrogen production & Hydrogen Infrastructure as much like electricity, Hydrogen transport & storage is expensive & difficult
• Hydrogen is dangerous to use - wide explosive range & invisible flame. Current codes for Hydrogen use & storage are onerous and impact its cost
Hydrogen Production & Distribution:
Hydrogen has a very good energy content by weight (about 3 times more than gasoline) but it has a very low energy content by volume (about four times less than gasoline). This makes storage and distribution to the point of use very costly. The ability to store Hydrogen safely, reliably and cost effectively is one of the challenges facing the widespread use of Hydrogen as a form of energy. The storage of Hydrogen is particularly challenging for vehicle applications where more severe constraints exist in terms of acceptable mass and volume.
Estimates of Hydrogen infrastructure investment are complicated by significant uncertainty. The cost of Hydrogen supply infrastructure for road transport is estimated to be in the order of several hundred billion dollars. Assuming large-scale, centralised Hydrogen production, the cost of worldwide pipeline-based distribution systems for road transport could range from $0.1 to $1.0 trillion. The incremental investment in re-fuelling stations would be somewhere between $0.2 for centralised Hydrogen production and $0.7 trillion for decentralised production. A full Hydrogen economy (i.e. widespread use of Hydrogen in transport and stationary sectors) would require global pipeline investment in the order of $ 2.5 trillion, the bulk of which would be to finance supplying commercial and residential customers.
Much work is currently being done on trying to develop low cost reliable means of storing both liquid and gaseous Hydrogen. How Hydrogen is produced can influence the method and cost of delivery. Centrally produced Hydrogen from large scale plants, results in longer transport distances that increase delivery costs. Decentralised production at the point of use, such as refuelling stations or power generation sites eliminates the delivery costs but results in higher production costs. The Terragenic solution allows enjoying the best of two worlds! Centralised production of low cost and safe Hydrogen fuel combined with low cost distribution infrastructure and storage requirements.
What are the overall objectives?:
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Terragenic’s safe Hydrogen-on-demand technology address the two Hydrogen challenges listed above: its innovative fuel with high Hydrogen/energy density (1) reduces significantly the Hydrogen production and delivery/storage costs and (2) enables a safe platform for Hydrogen storage that is neither explosive nor requires high-pressure storage. This unique combination is of great value and helps pave the path for a safe, clean and cost-competitive Hydrogen automotive platform.
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Using the Terragenic technology, one H2Kg cost is as low as 50% of conventional Hydrogen and FCEV TCO is reduced by ~30% compared to BEV and compressed hydrogen vehicles!
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The overall purpose of the study process and concluding report was to establish how to take the Terragenic technology to market and with which value proposition. Following are the aims of the study:
• Product-market fit: identify validate the right value proposition to take to market
• Go-To-Market: understand the market structure, the path to revenue and suitable partners for this.
• Business development: identify, qualify and establish collaboration with partners
As a direct result of the study effort Terragenic partnered with Arcola Energy, a Hydrogen system integrator, to deliver a unique demonstrator first, and commercial product later. The Terragenic/Arcola offering is to convert the existing compressed hydrogen based range-extender of the Renault kangoo ZE-H2 Symbio light commercial vehicle to the Terragenic system
