Review of Energy Challenges and Horizons of Hydrogen City Buses

Abstract

This paper discusses fuel cell electric vehicles and, more specifically, the challenges and development of hydrogen-fueled buses for people accessing this transportation in cities and urban environments. The study reveals the main innovations and challenges in the field of hydrogen bus deployment, and identifies the most common approaches and errors in this area by extracting and critically appraising data from sources important to the energy perspective. Three aspects of the development and horizons of fuel cell electric buses are reviewed, namely energy consumption, energy efficiency, and energy production. The first is associated with the need to ensure a useful and sustainable climate-neutral public transport. Herewith, the properties of the hydrogen supply of electric buses and their benefits over gasoline, gas, and battery vehicles are discussed. The efficiency issue is related to the ratio of consumed and produced fuel in view of energy losses. Four types of engines–gasoline, diesel, gas, and electrical–are evaluated in terms of well-to-wheel, tank-to-wheel, delivery, and storage losses. The third problem arises from the production, operating, and disposal constraints of the society at the present juncture. Several future-oriented initiatives of the European Commission, separate countries, and companies are described. The study shows that the effectiveness of the FCEBs depends strongly on the energy generation used to produce hydrogen. In the countries where the renewables are the main energy sources, the FCEBs are effective. In other regions they are not effective enough yet, although the future horizons are quite broad.

Impact of Fuel Production Technologies on Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions from Diesel and Electric–Hydrogen Hybrid Buses in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…On the other hand, diesel vehicles cause emissions in both stages, and 89.2% of these emissions occur in the operation phase. These results are in line with the literature, because Brazil has renewables as the main energy sources, and the effectiveness of FCHBs depends on the energy generation used to produce hydrogen [38].…”

A Critical Review on Hydrogen Based Fuel Cell Technology and Applications

“…Fast forward to 2019, the FCs and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) introduced the Hydrogen Roadmap Europe. [164] This comprehensive roadmap outlines a strategic framework for the development of hydrogen-based energy systems leading up to 2030 and 2050. The roadmap places significant emphasis on the production of green and clean hydrogen, aligning with the vision of a sustainable future.…”

“…Back in 2003, the European Union's 25 member nations embarked on the European Research Area project, an initiative that encompassed the creation of a dedicated research and development platform for hydrogen and FC technologies in Europe. Fast forward to 2019, the FCs and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) introduced the Hydrogen Roadmap Europe [164] . This comprehensive roadmap outlines a strategic framework for the development of hydrogen‐based energy systems leading up to 2030 and 2050.…”

A New Generation of Hydrogen-Fueled Hybrid Propulsion Systems for the Urban Mobility of the Future

“…In addition, the production path of hydrogen could rely on a wide variety of available technologies and energy resources, many of which are renewables and/or have low carbon impact, strengthening the argument for hydrogen as a long-term sustainable energy vector to fuel the future [10]. In the context of the public urban transportation sector, hydrogen has already been exploited in Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), demonstrating significant advantages with respect to BEVs, both in terms of weight reduction and range increase, with a shorter refueling time [11,12]. Moreover, using hydrogen as a fuel to power Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) could add further benefits with respect to Fuel Cell (FC) technology, such as a great tolerance to fuel contamination, significant cost savings (up to one order of magnitude), and the possible exploitation of existing production lines, due to familiar technologies and parts to current Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs) [13].…”