Late last year (The Lightest of All), I discussed a new concept.  Instead of using batteries to store energy produced by wind and solar, folks like BP and Linde are choosing to produce hydrogen from the energy, which then serves as the energy storage.  But, is that the best use for hydrogen?

Let’s not forget that hydrogen is the lightest element- and a chemical energy carrier- that can be piped or transported to where it is needed.  That is among the reasons why the European Commission’s Joint Research Center expects 10 to 23% of EU’s energy consumption in 2050 will be generated from hydrogen.   After all, hydrogen stores thrice the energy per unit mass as does conventional gas or diesel- and when it ‘burns’ in the air, the only product is water.  In other words, the ultimate green fuel.

A kilogram of hydrogen has the same energy as a gallon of diesel fuel. But, that cost is $13 to $ 16 versus $3 bucks for the diesel (which also includes 75 cents in federal taxes).   Sure, the lowered costs of energy from wind and solar renders hydrogen production via clean energy possible- except…

We already produce some 70 million tons of hydrogen a year (for fertilizer, among other uses)- but 96% of this is derived from fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, and oil) via steam reformation (that also produces carbon dioxide).  (That means our 70 million tons of hydrogen yields 830 million tons of carbon dioxide annually!)

Which also means just 4% of our hydrogen production is effected via electrolysis (splitting hydrogen from water).  Oh- and that energy is generated by fossil fuel power plants.  To produce green hydrogen means the cost per kilogram quadruples.  We need a whole bunch of solar and wind power projects to be able to lower the cost of energy production to make green hydrogen cost competitive.

Nevertheless, given the big push to replace the internal combustion engine, it’s not surprising that hydrogen is being considered.  I had written about the experiment to make Washington Metro buses run on hydrogen some years ago.   But, this is way bigger than that.

Daimler – who most of you associate with Mercedes Benz- is actually the parent of Freightliner.  (Daimler is the world’s largest manufacturer of heavy trucks.)  And, Daimler plans to convert – within 15 years- all its trucks to zero-emission vehicles.  (They promise the vehicles will be cheaper to buy and operate by 2027.)  That does NOT mean these trucks will be electric- because the batteries needed for such vehicles would reduce the potential payload, which is the key consideration of trucking companies when they purchase new (or used) vehicles.

Which is why Daimler is opting for fuel cells that use hydrogen to power their tractors.  Moreover, these vehicles can be filled with fuel as fast as can the diesels they are replacing. Right now, GenH2, the Daimler prototype, is being field tested.  (It runs 600 miles between refuelings.)

Don’t expect these tomorrow either- the cost for the fuel cells  needs to be cut and a hydrogen infrastructure needs to be developed.

Daimler has created a joint venture with it arch rival, Volvo Trucks, to develop the fuel cell systems.  A truly interesting development!

And, there are others- Toyota has hooked up with Kenilworth, GM with International Trucks, and Nikola swears it is setting up a hydrogen distribution system in the US.

We’ll see.