Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Added to this would be the equivalent of hydrogen to one litre of conventional petrol
at about 40 cents. At this point the hydrogen would not yet even have reached the
tank for end user use. Including liquidization, transport and storage, the cost rises
threefold from the given price to well over one euro. This makes it more than double
the net petrol price in Europe.
Producing hydrogen in an environmentally compatible way through electrolysis
using renewable energy is even more expensive. With a prototype facility using
wind power for electrolysis, the equivalent of hydrogen to one litre of conventional
petrol would cost 5 euros. With large-scale technical plants, a price of 2 euros could
easily be achieved at the refuelling pump. Taxes and duties would have to be added
to this.
The long-term hope is that hydrogen at top renewable sites using electricity from
wind turbines, hydropower plants or solar thermal power plants will be available
for delivery at the equivalent of less than 2 euros per litre of petrol. If the petrol
price then rises well above 2 euros per litre, hydrogen at the pump would become
competitive. Presumably it will be some years before we get to that stage.
In addition to its use as a fuel, hydrogen is also considered an option for the large-
scale technical storage of electric energy. As relatively extensive losses always
occur during the electrolysis, storage and reverse conversion of hydrogen (Figure
13.8), this type of use based on the current state of technology is only viable in
isolated cases.
Figure 13.8
Losses when hydrogen is used to store electric energy, based on the current
state of technology.
This also applies to generating electricity from hydrogen that is produced in distant
areas and has to be transported to the consumer. The use of hydrogen in the electric-
ity sector will only be economically viable if major technological advances are made
in this area and power-heat coupling is used.
13.4 Ecology
The broad public perception of hydrogen as an energy source and fuel cells is
favourable, mainly because water is the waste product when hydrogen is used.
