Hydrogen is one natural gas that is proving to be a great source of renewable energy as far as decarbonization goals are concerned. Fuel cell vehicles, stationary fuel cells, and green hydrogen production are amongst the areas covered in IDTechEx’s portfolio of Hydrogen Research Reports and Subscriptions, that each can contribute towards increasing sustainability across major sectors including automotives and energy storage.
Cars running on hydrogen
Reducing transport emissions globally is a shared goal across many OEMs, to not only bring about environmental benefits but also improve air quality in particularly built-up areas, and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have been researched by IDTechEx as one solution. While Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles can be known to limit range to some extent, fuel cell technologies can boast greater energy density and allow for improved range and faster recharging times.
IDTechEx’s report, “Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 2025-2045: Markets, Technologies, Forecasts”, identifies that one of the main drivers for FCEVs was a lack of infrastructure for battery electric vehicles. However, since this issue is slowly being resolved with more charging ports available and the introduction of faster chargers, FCEV technologies might be better targeted to heavy-duty vehicles that complete long-distance journeys, rather than cars doing shorter distances. These vehicles in particular would otherwise require much larger batteries than cars and frequent charging breaks during long operating hours, which is where the energy density advantages offered by fuel cells could help.
Stationary fuel cell technologies
The benefits of fuel cell technologies are not limited to vehicles, as the energy storage sector is also seeing increased uptake of stationary fuel cells as a means to help reduce reliance on the grid. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs), alkaline fuel cells (AFCs), and molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are some examples of stationary fuel cell types covered in IDTechEx’s report, “Stationary Fuel Cell Markets 2025-2035: Technologies, Players & Forecasts”, that each have their own benefits and drawbacks.
SOFCs are a popular option for stationary applications that require continuous power as they offer high power output, fuel flexibility, and efficient CHP operation. This type of fuel cell internally reforms fuels such as natural gas to produce hydrogen for the reaction and is one of the most mature technologies, held in higher regard than some other options. SOFCs can be costly and have long start up times, though with operating times up to 60,000 hours, this is still likely to be considered a worthwhile option to invest in.
Green hydrogen and electrolysis
Produced via electrolysis, green hydrogen is known to be the most sustainable type of hydrogen as its production doesn’t generate harmful emissions. With electrolysis using only water and electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, the carbon footprint is minimal. However, the cost of electrolysis technologies is one barrier to wide scale deployment. The four main water electrolyzer technologies described in IDTechEx’s report, “Green Hydrogen Production & Electrolyzer Market 2027-2037: Technologies, Players, Forecasts”, are alkaline (AWE), anion exchange membrane (AEMEL), proton exchange membrane (PEMEL), and solid-oxide (SOEC), with the systems all doing the same task, but using different chemistries and operating conditions.
The report outlines some of the main drivers for low-carbon hydrogen, including stricter regulations and carbon pricing mechanisms that penalize companies for high CO2 emissions. There are also incentives for companies to opt for low-carbon hydrogen such as government tax credits and grants, as well as international alliances, highlighting globally recognised decarbonization efforts. Private sector investments and potential export opportunities will also act as commercial drivers, and increased efficiency and reduced costs of low-carbon hydrogen technologies will also play a part.
