A life cycle assessment of hydrogen and gasoline vehicles, including fuel production and utilization in vehicles powered by fuel cells and internal combustion engines, is conducted to evaluate and compare their efficiencies and environmental impacts. Fossil fuel and renewable technologies are investigated, and the assessment is divided into various stages. Energy efficiencies and greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated in each step for crude oil and natural gas pipeline transportation, crude oil distillation and natural gas reformation, wind and solar electricity generation, hydrogen production through water electrolysis, and gasoline and hydrogen distribution and utilization. When taking into account fossil fuel energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the efficiency of a fuel cell vehicle employing hydrogen from natural gas should be at least 25 to 30 % higher than a gasoline one to be competitive. Wind electricity generation to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, and its application in a PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) vehicle, has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel energy consumption. The economic attractiveness of renewable wind technology depends significantly on the ratio in costs between hydrogen and natural gas; when this ratio is 2:1, a financial investment to produce hydrogen via natural gas is about five times more profitable than to do so via wind energy.
Life cycle assessment of hydrogen fuel cell and gasoline vehicles
Lebenszyklusbewertung von Wasserstoff-Brennstoffzellen und Benzinfahrzeugen
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy ; 31 , 3 ; 337-352
2006
16 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 17 Tabellen, 29 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
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