Hydrogen Infrastructure

Marc W. Melaina, PhD

Hydrogen Technologies and Systems Center
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Presented at the
Texas Hydrogen Roadmap Workshop
Houston Advanced Research Center
The Woodlands, TX - August 19th, 2008
 Presentation Overview
• What will it take to kick-start the hydrogen economy?
– Transition Scenarios Study (ORNL)
– National Academies Study
– Lessons Learned Report

• Where will the hydrogen come from (ultimately)?

– Many production options
– Renewable resource potential in Texas
– NREL’s Wind Hydrogen Project
– Low-carbon hydrogen for Texas refineries?

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 If the vehicles are ready, what will it take to put
the fuel infrastructure in place?
The 2004 National Academies Study recommended:
1. “DOE should map out and evaluate a transition plan…”
2. “DOE’s policy analysis should be strengthened with response
to the hydrogen economy, and the role of government in
supporting and facilitating industry investments…”

Honda Clarity: 200 leased over 3 yrs Chevy Equinox: 100 in Fall 2008

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 Near-term Hydrogen
Infrastructure Challenge
• Gasoline is currently supplied to some 250 million light duty
vehicles through approximately 160,000 gasoline stations

• Early hydrogen vehicles will be expensive, but even early

adopters will not purchase vehicles that cannot be refueled

• Analysis suggests that some 5,000 to 10,000 hydrogen stations

would be needed to satisfy early adopter markets nationwide

• These early stations would probably be underutilized as the

national fleet of vehicles ramps up over time
– Difficult to establish near-term business case, even though
potential for long-term benefits is clear

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 Analysis of the Transition to
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles &
the Potential Hydrogen Energy
Infrastructure Requirements

Published by Oak Ridge Nat. Lab

With contributions by:
Directed Technologies, Incorporated
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Life Cycle Associates
TIAX, LLC.

Excerpts describing the report:

• Scenarios took into consideration the thinking of the automobile
manufacturers, energy companies, industrial hydrogen suppliers,
and others from the private sector.
• The final scenarios attempt to reflect the collective judgment of the
participants in these meetings. (but finding are not endorsed by
participants)

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 Scenario Modeling Approach:
Assume some future demand, then model infrastructure requirements

Lagged HEV intro

rates shown for
reference

FCV Intro Rates

Scenario 1:
2 M FCVs by 2025
Scenario 2:
5 M FCVs by 2025
Scenario 3:
10 M FCVs by 2025
Greene et al., 2008

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 Estimating Consumer Demand
Potential for Hydrogen Vehicles
Demand Criteria
• Households with 2
or more vehicles
• Hybrid vehicle
registrations
• Education
• Household income
• Commute distance
• State incentives
• Clean City
coalitions
• ZEV mandates
Melendez and Milbrandt, 2006

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 Focused Deployment of Refueling Stations:
“Urban Center Concept” or “Lighthouse Strategy”

Greene et al., 2008

Three Phases of Infrastructure Rollout

Initial Introduction (2012-2015) L.A. and N.Y.C., 60 stations
Targeted Regional Growth (2016-2019) 10 Cities, ~1300 stations
Inter-Regional Expansion (2020-2025) 20 cities, 4000-8000 stations
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 Hydrogen Station
Requirements on a
City-by-City Basis
• These are idealized
introduction rates, based
primarily on city size
• In reality, urban areas with
more aggressive policies
and stronger consumer
demand will be early
adopters
• Critical mass is required to
justify targeting by auto and
fuel companies

Greene et al., 2008

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Placement of 284 Stations along Interstates:
50 & 100 miles apart

Melendez and Milbrandt, 2008

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 Early Hydrogen Stations for East Texas

Station Coverage
• 143 Stations
• 9.5 stations per million
people
• 15.5 M people in east
Texas region

Proximity to Stations
• 36% within 3 miles
• 65% within 5 miles
• 90% within 10 miles

Melendez and Milbrandt, 2008

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 Resulting Demand Potential in Houston
Methodology was carried out at the census tract level

Melendez and Milbrandt, 2006b

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 Fuel Cell Vehicle Costs

Greene et al., 2008

Scenarios: 2-10 million FCVs sold by 2025

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 Policy Support is Needed
(Subsidies, tax incentives)
• Upfront costs facing automakers and fuel providers are a
“showstopper” without government support
• However, after these transition costs are overcome, overall system
is more efficient and less costly than gasoline system
Government Support Required During Transition (2012-2025)
Cumulative costs in $billions (2004, undiscounted)
Ranges reflect different types of policy support
Fuel Vehicle Total Vehicles generally
Scenario 1: 1.5 - 5 6.5 - 13 8 - 18 require more
Scenario 2: 4 - 13 11 - 21 15 - 34 support than fuel
Scenario 3: 7 - 27 10 - 18 17 – 45
• After 2025, policy support is taken away and market growth is
sustained in all cases.
• These are very optimistic estimates, based on ideal conditions.
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 Similar Transition Costs from the
Recent National Academies Report

NAS, 2008

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 Lessons Learned Workshop
Sacramento, CA, April 4th 2008
High Priority Action Items for Hydrogen
Refueling Infrastructure
– Station Design, Siting and Availability
• R&D on station design, footprint
• Co-production systems
• Need for “Flagship” stations
– Policy and Regulatory Issues
• Long-term national plan; “Lighthouse”
– Insurance and Liability
• Need for insurance pool
– Consumer Focus
• Same or better experience as gasoline
– Incentives
• Create stable market opportunities
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 Where would the hydrogen come from?

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 Hydrogen Production Options
3 Main Low-Carbon Sources
• Fossil Fuels with Carbon
Capture and Storage (CCS)
• Nuclear Hydrogen
• Renewable Hydrogen
– Wind
– Solar
– Biomass

Important Observation:
• The early transition to hydrogen is a critical near-term challenge,
but the full potential of hydrogen will only be realized if
technologies are brought to market in coming decades that provide
sustainable, low-carbon, domestic hydrogen.

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 Long-Term Carbon Reductions from FCVs

Thomas, NHA 2008

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 Renewable Hydrogen “Potential” Far Exceeds
Projected Vehicle Fuel Demand

Milbrandt and Mann, 2007

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 Wind-Hydrogen Potential in Texas

Texas
• 12 B gal gasoline &
5 B gal diesel used
in 2006
• 27 B kg hydrogen
production potential
from wind in Texas
• Hydrogen would be
used about twice as States to North have similar wind-
efficiently hydrogen potential, but far less demand

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 Solar-Hydrogen Potential in Texas

Texas
• 12 B gal gasoline &
5 B gal diesel used
in 2006
• ~70 B kg hydrogen
production potential
from solar

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 Texas has Largest Renewable
Hydrogen Potential of any State
Wind-Hydrogen Potential: Top Ten States Solar-Hydrogen Potential: Top Ten States

South Dakota Texas 68.6

Montana Alaska
Texas 27 New Mexico
North Dakota Montana
Kansas California
Wyoming Arizona
Nebraska Nevada
Minnesota Colorado
Oklahoma Wyoming

Iowa Kansas

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Hydrogen Potential (Billons kg per year) Hydrogen Potential (Billons kg per year)

Texas: 12 B gallons gasoline and 5 B gallons diesel in 2006

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 The NREL/Excel Wind-to-Hydrogen Project

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 Low-Carbon Hydrogen Could Reduce
the Carbon Intensity of Gasoline
Low Carbon Fuel Standard
• Proposed as a regulatory framework to reduce GHGs in the
transportation sector
– Would require reduction in the carbon intensity (kg C/MJ)
of transportation fuels over time (e.g., 10% by 2020)

Large-scale hydrogen production in Texas?

• Transportation and storage costs are large for hydrogen
– Costs are reduced if hydrogen is used onsite
– Utilization onsite using existing refinery storage capacity
• Potential to displace NG-H2 in refineries with wind-H2
• Similar to use of bio-oil in conventional refineries

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 Questions?

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 References
• Levene, Mann, Margolis and Milbrandt, 2005. An Analysis of Hydrogen
Production from Renewable Electricity Sources. NREL Report
NREL/CP-560-37612
• Melaina, McQueen and Brinch, 2008. Refueling Infrastructure for
Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Lessons Learned for Hydrogen. Workshop
Proceedings. NREL/BK-560-43669
• Melendez and Milbrandt, 2008. Regional Consumer Hydrogen Demand
and Optimal Hydrogen Refueling Station Siting. NREL/TP-540-42224,
April 2008. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy08osti/42224.pdf

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 Extra Slides

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 Renewable Hydrogen Resource Assumptions
Electrolysis system conversion rate Wind Hydrogen Resource
• 52.5 kWh/kg hydrogen • Includes only Class 3 or better wind
– Assuming class 3 becomes
Solar Hydrogen Resource economic with future turbine
• Land area basis: 40 km2 grid improvements
• Non-tracking flat plate PV collector, • 5 MW of wind turbines per km2
tilted at latitude • Same exclusions as solar
• Maximum of 10% of land area used • Excludes areas with slope >20%
for PV system
• Wind turbine capacity factors:
– 30% of which is covered with PV
panels
• 10% PV system conversion efficiency
• Exclusions: National Parks, Fish and
Wildlife land, sensitive federal lands
(recreation areas, etc.), conservation
areas, water & wetlands, airports &
airfields
– 3 km buffer around all above
areas

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 NAS Study Relies on Fossil Hydrogen
with Carbon Capture and Storage

NAS, 2008

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