Hydrogen Pathways, Updated Cost, Welt-to-Wheels Energy Use, and Emissions for the Current Technology Status of 10 Hydrogen Production, Delivery, and Distribution Scenarios.

摘要

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program--which is coordinated across the Department and includes activities in the Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Science, Nuclear Energy, and Fossil Energy--has identified a need to understand the cost, energy use, and emissions tradeoffs of various hydrogen production, delivery, distribution and use options under consideration for fuel cell vehicles. The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) within EERE has been researching and developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies because they have the potential to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign crude oil, diversify energy sources, decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and provide domestic economic growth. This report describes a life-cycle assessment conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of 10 hydrogen production, delivery, dispensing, and use pathways that were evaluated for cost, energy use, and GHG emissions. This evaluation updates and expands on a previous assessment of seven pathways conducted in 2009 (Ruth, Laffen and Timbario 2009). The evaluation takes a life-cycle approach, addressing both the well-to-wheels (WTW) transportation fuel cycle and also the portion of the vehicle cycle that considers the manufacturing of a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) and the decommissioning and disposal/recycling of the FCEV. This study summarizes key results, parameters, and sensitivities to those parameters for the 10 hydrogen pathways, reporting on the levelized cost of hydrogen in 2007 U.S. dollars as well as life-cycle energy use and GHG emissions associated with the pathways. The results from this assessment aid in understanding and evaluating technology needs and progress, potential environmental impacts, and the energy-related economic benefits of various hydrogen production, delivery, and dispensing options.