Experts call for intensified development of fuel cells
From the point of view of the VDI and VDE, the current discussion focuses too much on battery-powered vehicles. This technology alone would not suffice to achieve the energy and environmental policy goals of the Federal Government. The VDI/VDE study “Fuel cell and battery vehicles” shows that fuel cell-based electromobility is not only an important step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but is also much easier to implement.
“Fuel cell vehicles are a necessary element for the e-mobility of tomorrow. The fuel hydrogen can be flexibly produced, stored and transported from renewable energies,” says Martin Pokojski, Chairman of the VDI/VDE Technical Committee “Hydrogen and Fuel Cells”. He is co-author of the study, which evaluates the two technologies according to relevant technical, ecological and economic aspects. Instead of promoting only one technology, politics and industry should focus on both systems, according to the study’s findings.
Fuel cell vehicles (FCEV) have several advantages over battery-powered vehicles (BEV): They achieve long ranges much more easily and cost-effectively, their refuelling times are comparable to today’s standard for petrol or diesel, and they enable much higher payloads. “Another advantage of hydrogen technology is its easier implementation, since existing structures can be used and existing filling stations can be expanded accordingly,” explains Dr. Andreas Schamel, co-author of the VDI/VDE study. Schamel continues: “The infrastructure investments for BEV are lower than for FCEV with a low market penetration. But the picture turns with greater market penetration. Therefore, a mixture of both systems – BEV for shorter distances and FCEV for long distances – could result in a cost optimum.”
It is generally agreed that the universally desired reduction in CO2 emissions would only be achieved if the electricity for charging the battery and producing the hydrogen come from renewable sources. But likeweise, the origin of the raw materials should be taken into account. Prof. Dr. Angelika Heinzel from the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology in Duisburg and also co-author of the VDI/VDE study, says: “It plays an important role how the raw materials are extracted and how the batteries and fuel cells are produced. Careful analyses of energy consumption and CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle and an increase in the recycling rate are also indispensable. Both technologies require raw materials that are not available indefinitely”.
In addition to the energetic efficiency of the powertrain and the raw material requirements of the battery and fuel cell, Heinzel also specifically investigated the consumption of resources and land for the required infrastructure – such as power lines and charging stations, gas pipelines and hydrogen filling stations. “Both technologies will be introduced in future in segments of the mobility sector: Fuel cell vehicles will initially be used in fleet vehicles and long-range vehicles. In contrast to battery production, the fuel cell still has to overcome the hurdle to mass production,” Heinzel said. This could open up a great opportunity for German manufacturers.
The authors of the study jointly demand that the Federal Government should create incentive systems and establish infrastructures for fuel cell and battery vehicles as quickly as possible. “These include the expansion of the hydrogen infrastructure and the inclusion of hydrogen as an energy carrier in the cross-sector long-term strategy for a secure energy supply.
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