Hydrogen Fuel Cells vs. Internal Combustion Engine

Paper Summary:

This paper assesses the viability of the hydrogen fuel cell in comparison to the gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine both now and 100 years from now. The paper examines economics, environmental impact and safety. In particular, the paper discusses the economic comparison by looking at fuel costs, the cost of the vehicle and infrastructure costs. The environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the effect of those emissions on global warming are also discussed. Several figures are included with the paper.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
Economics: Fuel Cost
Economics: Cost of Vehicle
Economics: Cost of Infrastructure
Environmental Impact
Safety
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Economics: Fuel Cost
Economics: Cost of Vehicle
Economics: Infrastructure Costs
Environmental Impact
Safety
Conclusions

From the Paper:

"With respect to vehicle cost, I was unable to get an accurate handle on the effect that the use of hydrogen fuel cells has on the price due to the fact that the purchase costs of the hydrogen vehicles clearly included development and infrastructure capital costs that have been extremely diluted for the diesel ICE bus. However, it can be said that the price of the fuel cell stacks is quite noticeable at $268/kW. For a standard 70 kW passenger car, this adds up to a cost of $18,760, which is very significant. 100 years from now, this is projected to have changed, as by 2020 the price of the fuel stacks is projected to have dropped to around $38/kW, corresponding to an engine cost of $2,660, which is much more reasonable. However, there are problems on the horizon with respect to the platinum reserves. If hydrogen fuel cell vehicles were to become the primary source of transportation for the entire world, the demand on the platinum reserves would exceed the supply. Fortunately, there has been progress with respect to the catalyst. QuantumSphere, Inc., as mentioned, developed a nanometal electrode formulation that drastically increases electrolysis efficiency, and considering that fuel cells are just the reverse of electrolysis, it is, in my opinion, very likely that we will manage a way to catalyze the reaction efficiently without the use of significant amounts of platinum."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Review 2007; http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/pdf/pages/sec2_2.pdf
• Energy Information Administration. "Energy in Brief - What are Greenhouse Gases and How Much Are Emitted by the United States?" http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energy_in_brief/greenhouse_gas.cfm
• Encyclopedia Brittanica. "Gasoline Engine." http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/226592/gasoline-engine/259104/Four-stroke-cycle#ref=ref67285
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration. "4-Stroke Internal Combustion Engine." http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/engopt.html
• Energy Information Administration. "U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices." http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html

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