Hydrogen Fuel CellsAlex Richman

History of Hydrogen Fuel Cells How They Work Key Players

◦ Economical◦ Political

Long Island’s First Hydrogen Fuel Station Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative (H2I)

Agenda

Hydrogen fuel cells date back to as early as 1839

First commercial application1955 1991 Roger Billings was the first person to

develop a working hydrogen powered car The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical

Advisory Committee (HTAC) was established under Section 807 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005◦ Provides technical and programmatic advice to

the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy

History Of Hydrogen Fuel Cells

How They Work

How They Work

According to The Guardian, President Obama wants to be oil independent by 2020

According to the Washington Post, Obama wants to cut research in hydrogen by 40%

$187 million dollars devoted. Washington Post says “that's barely enough to cover one year's bonuses on the lower floors at AIG”

Lack of infrastructure

Debate over Hydrogen

Automakers ◦ Honda◦ Toyota◦ General Motors

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) McCormick -“I resigned because of the closed-

mindedness of the administration on these matters.” President Barack Obama

Key Players

Key Players◦ Kate Murray

Town of Hempstead Supervisor ◦ New York State Energy Research Development

Authority (NYSERDA) ◦ National Grid ◦ GM, Toyota, Ford

‣ Location - Hempstead, Long Island, New York Expertise required

◦ Urban Development ◦ Hydrogen Fuel Cells◦ Designing of fueling stations

Long Island’s First Hydrogen Fuel Station

Cost of the Project $2.2 million dollars◦ 50% through tax subsidies ◦ NYSERDA, National Grid ◦ Toyota donated two hydrogen vehicles and Ford donated a Shuttle Bus

Beneficiaries ◦ Car manufacturers◦ People living in the area ◦ Elderly

Losers ◦ Communities that have not received funding for a fuel station◦ Taxpayers that wanted their money to be spent elsewhere

Barriers ◦ Funding - took time to get the money due to the financial coverage◦ Needed a location for the project

Impact◦ Cleaner Environment ◦ Push for hydrogen vehicles◦ Push to build a fueling station in Manhattan

Taxi’s run on hydrogen

Long Island’s First Hydrogen Fuel Station

Key Players ◦ General Motors ◦ The Gas Company (TGC)◦ Department of Business, Economic Development and

Tourism (DBEDT)◦ U.S. Department of Energy◦ Fuel Cell Energy ◦ Aloha Petroleum Ltd.◦ Louis Berger National Renewable Energy Laboratory ◦ The County of Hawaii ◦ University of California – Irvine, and the University of Hawaii

Location ◦ Oahu

Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative (H2I)

Expertise required ◦ Urban Development ◦ Hydrogen Fuel Cells◦ Designing of Fuel Station

Funded◦ GM and The Gas Company◦ Supported by the DBEDT◦ U.S. Department of Energy

Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative (H2I)

Beneficiaries ◦ The Gas Company ◦ GM and other automakers ◦ Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism◦ People employed by the project

Losers ◦ People that do not want fuel stations to be located near them ◦ Taxpayers that wanted their money to be spent elsewhere◦ People who will want to purchase a hydrogen vehicle

Barriers ◦ Funding◦ Need locations for the stations

Impact◦ Cleaner Environment ◦ Push for hydrogen vehicles◦ Push to build stations in other parts of Hawaii

Cheaper fuel prices Reduce the state’s 90 percent dependence on imported oil Get 70 percent or more of Hawaii’s energy through energy efficiency and  clean, renewable

resources

Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative (H2I)

Conclusion

Many barriers that need to be overcome ◦ Funding ◦ Dependence on oil and batteries

Projects are a stepping stone for more infrastructure

Advantages◦ Reliable, renewable ◦ No CO2 emissions, water byproduct ◦ Hydrogen Vehicles are 60 -70% efficient ◦ Driving range (400 miles) exceeds other

alternative fuel vehicles (less space and weight) 2015

Questions

Need government subsidies Need to standardize hydrogen fuel station

infrastructure Write letters to congress Keeping oil prices high and lithium battery

prices high DOE needs to invest more into hydrogen

research

Call To Action

Pictures◦ http://www.soultek.com/blog/labels/fuel%20cells.html◦ http://its.berkeley.edu/btl/2011/winter/hydrogen◦ http://www.tymco.com/environment/◦ http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/archive/MSD-H-fuel-

cells.html ◦ http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/bmws-liquid-

hydrogen-fueled-v12 ◦ http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/g-m-has-

hydrogen-hopes-for-hawaii/◦ http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/facts/

2006_fcvt_fotw423.html ◦ http://fuelcellsworks.com/news/2011/03/29/long-islands-first-

hydrogen-fuel-station-powers-hempsteads-new-pollution-free-cars-for-inaugural-drive/

References

Paper◦ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35838273/ns/business-oil_and_ene

rgy/

◦ http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09082003-121021/unrestricted/hicknerdissertation.pdf

◦ http://fatheromalley.com/DoItYourselfHydrogen.aspx ◦ http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/news/news_detail.bran

d_gm.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2010/Dec/1208_fuelcell

◦ http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2008/01/11/hydrogenfuel-cells

◦ http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/stations_counts.html◦ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/1

6/AR2009111602668.html

◦ http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/automakers_promote_hydrogen_cars_obama_administration_remains_skeptical/2011/04/13/AFnQ84iD_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

◦ http://its.berkeley.edu/btl/2011/winter/hydrogen

References