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Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) proffer a flexible and environmentally friendly solution to reduce CO 2 emissions and/or produce H 2 fuel for various applications. The integration of this technology with renewable energy systems makes them even more promising in realizing a near-perpetual green energy infrastructure in the near future. SOEC technology has achieved stupendous improvement in recent years, and some of the limiting factors to the commercialization of this technology have been explored. It is, therefore, necessary to have a succinct outlook of the different factors that contribute to the recent developments in SOEC technology. The current work presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art SOEC component materials and their degradation mechanisms, SOEC modeling essentials and efficiencies, and the scalability of SOECs. Although SOEC is considered a highly promising technology and sufficient multifaceted research has been done, yet not been widely commercialized. Despite the improvement to mitigate degradation of the SOEC materials, a large share of the degradation concerns sprang from charge transfer reaction at the triple-phase boundaries of the H 2 -electrode. Part of which can be improved by microkinetic modeling of these materials supported by their characterization to give insight into their development. Some other directions for the future in advancing this technology toward the commercialization stage are thoroughly addressed. • It reviews the state-of-the-art SOEC component materials and their degradation mechanisms. • The distribution of gas flow affects the electrochemistry of an SOEC stack. • Stack and system-level models should be comprehensive, flexible, and less complex. • Accurate evaluation for stake and system level will greatly boost its commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a stable energy supply; however, economic feasibility and supply stability limit its use. Hydrogen production technology (HPT) may be the key to overcoming these. Here, we explore HPT life cycle and strength characteristics to assess commercialization readiness using diverse analyses such as patents. Our findings show that HPT has matured and strengthened its competitiveness. However—despite the maturity—many challenges are required for commercialization success: the factor that might bridge this gap is securing price competitiveness. This study highlights the technological competitiveness of electrolysis has overtaken that of reforming and gasification. However, electrolysis has yet to achieve successful commercialization since it does not have appropriate price competitiveness. Therefore we argue for the immediate need to develop various technological methods—such as improved systems with cost-effective electrocatalysts—should be met for large-scale electrolysis commercialization. [Display omitted] • Hype cycle, S-curve showed the trajectory of hydrogen production technology (HPT). • HPT development is at a mature stage and strengthened its competitiveness. • Competitiveness of electrolysis has overtaken that of reforming and gasification. • Despite the maturity, many challenges are required for commercialization success. • Both price competitiveness and technological competitiveness must be secured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On September 22, 2021, 5 experts from Brazil and 5 from Italy discussed the future of research-to-business (R2B) cooperation between Italy and Brazil on green hydrogen (H 2) and related technologies. The workshop discussed some priorities of the Brazilian policies and elucidated the strengths and the weaknesses of the biggest economy among the Latin American countries. Because of its territorial and underground resources its social and economic activities, Brazil offers an excellent basin for supporting an H 2 -based economy. A well-established connection between Brazilian Universities and EU research organisations already exists in up-to-date research activities and frameworks for grants programmes. Nevertheless, Brazil has some difficulties creating new economies through the industrialisation of research achievements. On the other hand, Italy has a long tradition of creating and exporting technologies because its enterprises are generally prone to creating new business. In this communication, we reported the argued discussions between Brazilian and Italian players on green hydrogen that discussed how to improve the technological interaction between the two countries. This meeting discussed the entire value chain for green hydrogen, from the production to the end-user, and included distribution and commercialisation of green H 2 and related technologies. • Climate protection is possible by intensifying research cooperation on green hydrogen. • Italy has many enterprises showing interest in creating business in Brazil. • Brazil is interested in attracting resources for research and development from the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production potential using real industrial wastewater and recent trends of potential bioreactors by keeping an eye on commercial and economic aspects are presented in this study. A complete explanation of breakthroughs in lab-based and pilot-scale research is provided, demonstrating how different bioreactors and commercialization aspects are poised to be integral in developing sustainable energy. Immobilization, high-loaded reactors, and sequential dark and photo-fermentation are viable methods for implementing and commercializing biohydrogen reactors. This study suggests that microbial electrolytic cell is a more promising technology than others for hydrogen production due to its better control over hydrogen generation rate and effective conversion of organic feedstock regardless of thermodynamic limits. The key challenges to commercial-scale hydrogen production include biomass washout, high operating costs, high energy demand, and complex operation of certain bioreactor systems. Finally, a roadmap is suggested along with future research directions to ensure the sustainable production of hydrogen from wastewater. • Biological production of hydrogen from various industrial wastewaters is analyzed. • Wastewater containing carbohydrates has excellent potential to produce biohydrogen. • Key technological challenges are highlighted and recommendations for future research are provided. • The economic aspects of existing technologies for biohydrogen production are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is gaining increased attention from industries and policymakers in China. However, most of the current demonstration projects in the country have relied on conventional energy sources, including industrial byproduct hydrogen and grey hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. Moreover, strategies and policy frameworks leading to a shift to green or low-carbon hydrogen have neither been explored in-depth nor been identified clearly in the context of China. This study aims at bridging such gaps. Roadmapping techniques enhanced by the Delphi method and SWOT analysis are used to survey hydrogen energy experts from government bodies, industries, and academia to achieve basic agreement on strategically enabling large-scale green hydrogen demonstrations followed by commercialisation in China. The outcome of two rounds of surveys showed that experts' opinions converged on a strategic roadmap with three stages of development. The corresponding policies needed in each stage are evaluated and selected to form a systemic framework. • Systemic strategies and a policy framework for green hydrogen are called for in China. • Roadmapping techniques enhanced by the Delphi method and SWOT analysis are applied. • Hydrogen experts from government, industries, and academia in China are surveyed. • Experts' opinions converged on a strategic roadmap with three stages of development. • Policies needed at each stage are identified and rated to form a systemic framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel cell electric vehicles are a promising alternative on the way to emission-free mobility. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to how this change can be implemented technologically. Despite various research and development activities on fuel cells in the past two decades, a real breakthrough of fuel cell technology has not yet been reached. The aim of this paper is therefore to identify barriers to a commercialized production of PEM fuel cell stacks. For this purpose, a comprehensive expert study is performed, consisting of a qualitative, exploratory and a quantitative, hypothesis-confirming step. As a result, technical and non-technical barriers are examined and described in this paper. A cost estimation of today's actual manufacturing cost is presented as identified in the study. Conclusively, future research topics and needs for action are derived. • An expert study is performed to evaluate barriers to fuel cell commercialization. • Organizational, economical, and technical barriers are identified. • Production challenges are seen considerably more hindering than product challenges. • For a large-scale production, great uncertainty of the production technology exists. • Cost assessment indicates today's actual manufacturing cost benchmark at 245 €/kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High cost remains to be one of the primary obstacles for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). To simplify the fuel cell system and reduce cost, dead-ended anode (DEA) is widely used. However, water and nitrogen can accumulate in the dead-ended anode, resulting in cell performance decrease and severe cell degradation. Anode pressure swing supply is a new technology which has been shown to be effective in reducing local water and nitrogen accumulation in the anode channel. In this work, the effects of pressure swing supply on fuel cell degradation have been experimentally studied. Two sets of experiments on the same fuel cell are conducted, one under conventional constant pressure operation and the other under pressure swing operation. Polarization curves show that pressure swing supply can significantly mitigate cell degradation during DEA operations. Electrochemical characterizations are performed to study the mechanisms of mitigations in cell degradation. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results show that pressure swing supply can significantly reduce electrolyte membrane degradation, but has no significant mitigation effect on the cathode catalyst degradation during DEA operation. Further examinations of the membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) by scanning electron microscope (SEM) confirm the significant difference in membrane degradations since there is a very large difference in average thickness of the membranes after the degradation tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H 2 ) is often considered as the best option to store energy coming from renewable sources. Hydrogen production from lignocellulosic biomass via fermentation offers low cost and environmental friendly method in terms of energy balance and provides a sustainable pathway for utilization of huge amount of unused biomass. In this regard, special attention on potential of different lignocellulosic biomass is required. In this paper, the fermentative hydrogen production from three carbohydrates-rich biomass: water hyacinth, wheat straw and rice straw is comprehensively reviewed. In other point of view, usage of H 2 has a 10% growth annually that will reach to 8–10% of total energy in 2025. Furthermore, research on recent trends of fermentative hydrogen production is crucial and vital. However, the majority of the published researches in the last decade confirmed that some challenges exists which are the process optimization, effecting parameters and commercialization aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is attempted to analyze the integrated effects of low-carbonized developments for Chinese coal-fired power industry in two cases by extending a hybrid energy-economic model. The first case is energy efficiency improvement without CCS introduction. The second case is direct carbon removal with CCS technology, while coal controlling policy scenario is set as a baseline for comparison. Here oxy-fuel combustion has been selected as the only carbon capture technology due to its great potential in commercialization. Then the ecological co-benefits, environmental benefits, macroeconomic impacts and water saving effects of CO 2 abatement from Chinese coal-fired power industry are analyzed. Simulation results show that energy saving and coal controlling policy can create huge ecological, environmental and water saving benefits. However, coal controlling policy also will cause great macroeconomic losses. But due to extra energy consumption, the large-scale commercialization of oxy-fuel CCS technology if without CO 2 reuse will cause certain decrease of GDP growth rate and increase water consumption in China. Only when combined with resource usage of the captured CO 2 , oxy-fuel CCS introduction in China can have some practical application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper unveils the technology developed for a series hybrid battery-dominant electric-hydrogen fuel cell plug-in city bus. It possesses a homemade power train with three electric energy sources, which are the grid-charged energy, the one produced by the fuel cell that works at constant power and acts as a range extender and that resultant from the regeneration of kinetic energy. Emphasis was given to the design of the hybridization energy engineering that has predominance of power in batteries and predominance of energy with hydrogen. The remarkable amount of 46.6% of the total energy input reaches the motor axle for effective motion and a fuel economy of 6.7 kg H 2 /100 km was achieved. A total owner cost analysis has shown that computation of capital, operational and fueling costs makes the present bus 133% more expensive than a conventional diesel powered one. Commercialization prospects, and also social and environmental impacts are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the ability to operate with different variants of hydro carbon fuel such as biogas, natural gas, methane, ethane, syngas, methanol, ethanol, hydrogen and any other hydrogen rich gas. Utilization of these fuels in SOFC, especially the natural gas, would significantly reduce operating cost and would enhance the viability for commercialization of FC technology. In this paper, the performance of two indigenously manufactured nanocomposite electrolytes; barium and samarium doped ceria (BSDC-carbonate); and lanthanum and samarium doped ceria (co-precipitation method LSDC-carbonate) using natural gas as fuel is discussed. The nanocomposite electrolytes were synthesized using co-precipitation and wet chemical methods (here after referred to as nano electrolytes). The structure and morphology of the nano electrolytes were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fuel cell performance (OCV) was tested at temperature (300–600 °C). The ionic conductivity of the nano electrolytes were measured by two probe DC method. The detailed composition analysis of nano electrolytes was performed with the help of Raman Spectroscopy. Electrochemical study has shown an ionic conductivity of 0.16 Scm −1 at 600 °C for BSDC-carbonate in hydrogen atmosphere, which is higher than conventional electrolytes SDC and GDC under same conditions. In this article reasonably good ionic conductivity of BSDC-carbonate, at 600 °C, has also been achieved in air atmosphere which is comparatively greater than the conventional SDC and GDC electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen energy is an important alternative sustainable energy that can be used to reduce the impact of climate change. Its higher costs, as compared to conventional fossil fuels, impede its commercial applications. Therefore, investigating other potential business models is important. Dark fermentative hydrogen production can utilize non-economic organic substrate, such as wastewater, as the input material. Thus, such waste material becomes a useful potential energy source. This study investigates the commercialization of dark fermentation technology applications, and proposes that an ESCO be introduced as a key link in the production and sales business model of biohydrogen. Essentially, the ESCO would assume the role of hydrogen producer and work together with soft drink manufacturers; provide sewage treatment services using the organic material in the wastewater as the input material for dark fermentative hydrogen production; and sign long-term energy provision and service contracts with client users, such as the hydrogen stations that use the H 2 and CH 4 produced to guarantee successful sales. In such business models, ESCOs can obtain higher returns on investment by reducing the costs of hydrogen fermentation, purification, and storage through additional equipment purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation performs a cost-benefit analysis with economic incentives concepts (opportunity cost and profit index), discounted indices and adjustment techniques (two-tier learning curve and cost-capacity scaling methods) to support comprehensive financial decisions about investment on biohydrogen plant. A life-cycle assessment is utilized to construct four scales of the production of commercialization, which are the bench/laboratory scale, pilot scale, demonstration scale, and commercial scale, to evaluate entire economic feasibility. The results reveal that the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of biohydrogen will be approximately USD 2 to 3/kg. All financial indices reveal biohydrogen is economically feasible of investment and will be commercialized successfully before the timelines in many official reports. Results reveal decision-making criteria should include the economic incentives. LCOE of biohydrogen is less sensitive to the cost of biomass feedstock, which is more sensitive to the CAPEX, OPEX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fuels with low environmental impact has been recently highlighted in the media. In this context, the use of hydrogen as a fuel has been considered an alternative with significant potential to integrate a more sustainable energy matrix. However, there is still no appropriate infrastructure available for its commercialization. This study proposes a methodology for designing a hydrogen supply chain while considering the inherent uncertainty associated with the demand for this fuel in the future. To represent the problem and evaluate investment alternatives for the logistic infrastructure, an optimization model is proposed based on two-stage stochastic mixed-integer programming. To obtain solutions from the proposed model, the sample average approximation (SAA) method is used to obtain statistically certified solutions from a reduced number of scenarios. The proposed methodology was applied to the design of Great Britain's liquid hydrogen supply chain using real data. The proposed framework was able to provide solutions with optimality gaps estimated to be below 1% within an acceptable computational time, demonstrating the adequacy of the developed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium ion batteries have a vital role in the commercialization of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles due to their relatively high specific energy and power densities. However, the thermal accumulation of the battery strongly affects its performance and durability. In this work, a pseudo two-dimension (P2D) electrochemical model coupled with a 3D heat transfer model is established and the modeling process is presented herein. The mathematical model solves conservation of energy throughout the battery considering heat generation sources such as electrochemical reactions, active polarization, and ohmic losses. An aluminum-laminated battery was adopted for this publication to investigate the variation of irreversible and reversible heat production as a function of the depth of discharge. The temperature profile predicted by the simulation demonstrates an identical behavior with infrared imaging and the voltage variation, which also proves to be in strong agreement with numerous literature publications. It was found that the heat generation of the current collectors and separator is of relatively low magnitude proving to have little impact on temperature fluctuations. The positive reversible heat variations influence the total reversible heat, while the negative irreversible heat has a dominant position in total irreversible heat. Simulations illustrate a temperature rise of over 50 °C at a discharge rate of 5C; additionally, the utilization of active material is not uniform throughout the constant current discharge process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells have reached the status of commercialization and are now ready for the challenge of market penetration. Nevertheless, new innovative applications such as the use of non-conventional fuels and their possible implementation in a Carbon Capture and Storage system, have given new importance to research activities. In particular, the gas feedings used in these applications contain impurities that can damage MCFCs and, of these, sulphur compounds seem to be the most harmful, even at low concentrations. The aim of this work is to test the effect of SO 2 on the role of the operating variables governing the electrochemical kinetics of MCFCs, investigate the relationships and advance additional data necessary for the reading of the complex interaction phenomena taking place in these conditions. The current work is therefore not intended to probe into the fundamental electrochemical mechanisms, but more to validate the window of viable operating conditions that can be expected in real applications. In particular, an experimental campaign was performed, feeding 2 ppm of SO 2 to the cathode of MCFC single-cells at different operating temperature and gas partial pressures (H 2 , CO 2 , O 2 ), taking into account possible chemical, electrochemical and physical poisoning mechanisms. The experimental tests were performed at the Fuel Cell Research Centre laboratories of KIST (South Korea) and a preliminary theoretical analysis was also proposed to suggest operating strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) durability of stationary systems should be improved for large scales development and commercialization. The aim of this work is to improve degradation understanding in order to propose operating strategies enhancing lifetime and to design specific accelerated tests experiments for micro-CHP application and reformate operation. This paper is focused on results obtained on performance and membrane electrodes assemblies (MEAs) degradation during ageing tests of PEM fuel cells stacks. Durability tests conducted on short stacks over hundreds of hours (up to 900 h) showed how the fuel composition, particularly carbon monoxide content, and the load cycles profiles are impacting on performance degradation rates. The analyses of each cell by electrochemical diagnostics show the modifications of MEAs properties caused by the degradation occurring in both cathode and anode catalyst layers. Results allowed proposing major accelerating features and subsequent relevant accelerated tests, enhancing particularly the ruthenium dissolution identified as the specific limiting mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stationary fuel cell systems have been under development for several decades and have been demonstrated for a number of years across Asia, Europe and North America. Commercialisation of these systems is now accelerating with small and large scale systems being installed worldwide. Successful commercialisation requires a dual approach to identifying both early adopters in specific market segments whilst also seeking to reduce costs on a year on year basis. This paper provides an oversight of the current status of commercialisation and explores the key cost and market segmentation challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High cost and lack of convenient supply infrastructure for hydrogen is believed to the major hurdle to the commercialization of hydrogen energy. Low cost compact onsite hydrogen generator is developed to produce three purity levels of hydrogen for use with high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HTPEM) or low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (LTPEM) fuel cell. The small modular reformer has process efficient higher or equal to large scale central production plant without the penalty of expensive distribution cost. The cost of hydrogen from primary reformate hydrogen to high purity hydrogen ranges from $3.16/kg to $5.84/kg and the corresponding power cost from FC system is $0.352 to $0.408/KWh. The hydrogen costs are much lower than one can obtain from an industrial gas company with central supply system and expensive cost in distribution. These direct power costs without depreciation cost are comparable or lower than the comparable size of diesel power cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive burning of fossil fuels is one of the main sources of emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) which causes the greenhouse effect. The effect could be resulted in climate changes and disorder of our ecosystem. Thus, bioenergy developments will play important roles to help decreasing CO 2 emission for better global environment in the future. In the domain of biohydrogen production, biomass including: cellulose, wastewater and agricultural waste are the main resources to maintain feedstock demand. Developing sustainable energy with sustainable feedstock sources like sugary wastewater by using two-stage biomass-derived gas production system might bring great economic profits to business. In this study, the system will be chosen to testify its sustainability when producing the sugary wastewater to renewable source energy. The commercial potential analysis is derived from the internal rate of return (IRR). The novelty finding of this study, as the result showed, found out that the energy recovery is 1.12 times higher than single stage. According to the IRR analysis with the calculated years of 15 years, the IRR is 32.47% that means the system can payback within 3.19 years. Therefore, the feasibility of commercialization potential of biomass-derived gas production system can be verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold start from subzero temperature is one of the key barriers, which prevents proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) from further commercialization. In this paper, we have applied the printed circuit board (PCB) technology to study the current density distributions of PEMFC and optimized the technology under rapid cold start. The results show that increasing the initial load, and the setup temperature can help to lower the cold start time and achieve rapid warm-up of PEMFC. The cell can be rapidly cold started for 10 s at −5 °C and 55 s at −10 °C under 0.2 V operation condition, but it failed at −15 °C and −20 °C. The inlet region and middle region produce half of the total current before the overall peak current density is reached, which is important for the successful cold start. Based on these characteristics, we optimized the rapid cold start strategy by co-operation of hot reactant gas and waste heat generation of PEMFC. It becomes possible to start up the PEMFC at temperatures down to −20 °C with about 20 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For decades, the issue of hydrogen quality specification has been a source of complexity and confusion in particular for end users, especially because of the jargon spoken by different providers and clients in varied and diverse areas of application. Virtually every requirement was established within the customer–supplier relationship. The rise of new hydrogen technologies, the emergence of new devices like fuel cells and the spread of knowledge, together with the growing need for uniformity has pushed the specialists to solve this problem. As a result, standardization seems to be the key to accomplish with quality goals at the lowest cost possible. This article discusses the traditional concepts used in the past, the current situation, the standards used today and future developments in hydrogen quality requirements to simplify and facilitate the use and the applications of hydrogen and blends with a careful respect for the quality of the product and safety. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The success of hydrogen vehicles will depend on consumer behavior as well as technology, energy prices and public policy. This study examines the sensitivity of the future market shares of hydrogen-powered vehicles to alternative assumptions about consumers' preferences. The Market Acceptance of Advanced Automotive Technologies model was used to project future market shares. The model has 1458 market segments, differentiated by travel behavior, geography, and tolerance to risk, among other factors, and it estimates market shares for twenty advanced power-train technologies. The market potential of hydrogen vehicles is most sensitive to the improvement of drive train technology, especially cost reduction. The long-run market success of hydrogen vehicles is less sensitive to the price elasticity of vehicle choice, how consumers evaluate future fuel costs, and the importance of fuel availability and limited driving range. The importance of these factors will likely be greater in the early years following initial commercialization of hydrogen vehicles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Focusing on the incompatible measurement of the environment property, resources property and economy property, the article aims to make a generalized environment-resource-economy analysis of the processes and to present an overview of different biohydrogen production technologies from the standpoint of the mass production and the whole commercialization chain. One part of the model is the emergy comprehensive efficiency index calculation model, the other is the ternary diagram of structure coefficient for emergy input. The model is used to the organic wastewater of the biohydrogen industrialization demonstration project, and then compared with other biohydrogen and typical renewable energy production technologies. The outputs indicate that the industrialization efficiency of biohydrogen production is available. After the application case of demonstration project, the exploratory work enlightens the similar literature from several aspects. Firstly, the efficiency evaluation model supplies a scientific judgment foundation stone for future laboratory research. Secondly, it provides an alternative theoretical logic to optimize the operation and decision-making of the industrialization and commercialization of the new technologies. Thirdly, it provides a new perspective and quantitative calculation method to effectively integrate that the components comprehensive efficiency of biohydrogen technology change with the different technology processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hydrogen vehicles (H2V), including H2 internal combustion engine, fuel cell and fuel cell plug-in hybrid, could greatly reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. The U.S. Department of Energy has adopted targets for vehicle component technologies to address key technical barriers to widespread commercialization of H2Vs. This study estimates the market acceptance of H2Vs and the resulting societal benefits and subsidy in 41 scenarios that reflect a wide range of progress in meeting these technical targets. Important results include: (1) H2Vs could reach 20–70% market shares by 2050, depending on progress in achieving the technical targets. With a basic hydrogen infrastructure (∼5% hydrogen availability), the H2V market share is estimated to be 2–8%. Fuel cell and hydrogen costs are the most important factors affecting the long-term market shares of H2Vs. (2) Meeting all technical targets on time could result in about an 80% cut in petroleum use and a 62% (or 72% with aggressive electricity de-carbonization) reduction in GHG in 2050. (3) The required hydrogen infrastructure subsidy is estimated to range from $22 to $47 billion and the vehicle subsidy from $4 to $17 billion. (4) Long-term H2V market shares, societal benefits and hydrogen subsidies appear to be highly robust against delay in one target, if all other targets are met on time. R&D diversification could provide insurance for greater societal benefits. (5) Both H2Vs and plug-in electric vehicles could exceed 50% market shares by 2050, if all targets are met on time. The overlapping technology, the fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, appears attractive both in the short and long runs, but for different reasons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study presents a holistic approach for the commercialisation of fuel cells for stationary applications. We focus our analyses on microCHP based on SOFC units fired with natural gas. We analyse the interaction of operational strategies under different ownership arrangements, required support levels and system integration aspects. The operational strategies, support mechanisms and ownership arrangements have been identified through actor analysis involving experts from Denmark, France and Portugal. With regard to operational strategies, the actor analyses led us to distinguishing between a heat-driven strategy, with and without time-differentiated tariffs, and an electricity price driven strategy for the operation as a virtual power plant. The corresponding support schemes identified cover feed-in tariffs, net metering and feed-in premiums. Additionally, the interplay of the microCHP units with the national energy systems has been analysed. Our main findings are that net metering would be an appropriate tool to support FC based microCHP in Denmark, whereas a price premium would be the preferable tool in France and Portugal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are considered as one of the most promising power-generation technologies. However, the current high operation temperature (800–1000 °C) of SOFCs impedes their commercialization significantly. A key requirement for reducing the operation temperature of SOFCs is to improve the performance of the electrolyte at such low temperature. Recently, ceria-based composite materials, especially ceria-carbonate composites (3C), have been developed as competitive electrolyte candidates for SOFCs operated below 600 °C, which resulted in an emerging R & D upsurge followed up by worldwide activities. This report gives a short review on current worldwide activities on 3C for advanced low temperature ceramic fuel cells (LTCFCs), which mainly based on recent more than 70 publications since 2010. It gives an overview of materials composition and microstructure, multi-ion conduction effects, durability of the 3C materials in the areas of LTCFC or joint SOFC/MCFC filed, as well as some other novel applications of the 3C materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In addition to producing hydrogen gas, biohydrogen production is also used to process wastewater. Therefore, this study specifically conducted value analyses of two different scenarios of fermentative hydrogen production from a biomass system: to increase the value of a wastewater treatment system and to specifically carry out hydrogen production. The analytical results showed that fermentative hydrogen production from a biomass system would increase the value of a wastewater treatment system and make its commercialization more feasible. In contrast, fermentative hydrogen production from a biomass system designed specifically for producing hydrogen gas would have a lower system value, which indicated that it is not yet ready for commercialization. The main obstacle to be overcome in promoting biohydrogen production technology and system application is the lack of sales channels for the system''s products such as hydrogen gas and electricity. Thus, in order to realize its commercialization, this paper suggests that governments provide investment subsidies for the use of biohydrogen production technology and establish a buy-back tariff system for fuel cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reliable hydrogen fueling stations will be required for the successful commercialization of fuel cell vehicles. An evolving hydrogen fueling station has been in operation in Irvine, California since 2003, with nearly five years of operation in its current form. The usage of the station has increased from just 1000 kg dispensed in 2007 to over 8000 kg dispensed in 2011 due to greater numbers of fuel cell vehicles in the area. The station regularly operates beyond its design capacity of 25 kg/day and enables fuel cell vehicles to exceed future carbon reduction goals today. Current limitations include a cost of hydrogen of $15 per kg, net electrical consumption of 5 kWh per kg dispensed, and a need for faster back-to-back vehicle refueling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A streamlined life cycle assessment (LCA) is reported of a nuclear-based copper–chlorine (Cu–Cl) hydrogen production cycle, including estimates of fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Calculations revealed that the process requires 474 kJ of fossil fuel energy per MJ of hydrogen, which is less than for other hydrogen production processes. Moreover, GHG emissions are estimated to be 27 gCO2e per MJ of hydrogen, which is only slightly higher than the corresponding value for wind-based hydrogen production. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the performance of the system could be further improved at higher yields of hydrogen. Although the system significantly outperformed fossil-based gasoline and hydrogen production pathways, the integrated nuclear and thermochemical cycle still requires significant research and development before commercialization is possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fuel cells are in varying stages of commercialization for both automotive and non-automotive applications. The fuel cell industry has made substantial progress but still needs to reduce costs and improve performance to compete successfully with established technologies. In just 5 years, costs have been reduced by a factor of two while improving efficiency and durability. Based on interviews with fuel cell manufacturers in the U.S., Japan and the EU and information from published sources, a model of non-automotive fuel cell markets is constructed and used to estimate the impacts of government policies and to project the potential evolution of the industry to 2025. The model includes the effects of learning-by-doing, scale economies and exogenous technological progress on component and system costs, estimates customer choices between fuel cell and competing established technologies, and attempts to measure the impacts of government policies. With continued policy support it appears likely that the industry can become self-sustaining within the next decade. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to analyze the driving stability of a plug-in fuel cell vehicle (PFCV), a computer-aided simulator for PFCVs has been developed. PFCVs have been introduced around the world to achieve early commercialization of an eco-friendly and highly efficient fuel cell vehicle. The plug-in option, which allows the battery to be recharged from the electricity grid, enables a reduction in size of the fuel cell system (FCS) and an improvement of its durability. As such, the existing limitations of the fuel cell - such as its high cost, poor durability, and the insufficient hydrogen infrastructure – can be overcome. During the design phase of PFCV development, simulation-based driving stability test is necessary to determine the sizes of the electric engine of the FCS and the battery. The developed simulator is very useful for analyzing the driving stability of the PFCV with respect to the capacities of the FCS and battery. The simulation results are in fact very close to those obtained from a real system, since the estimation accuracy of PFCV component models used in this simulator, such as the fuel cell stack, battery, electric vehicle, and the other balance of plants (BOPs), are verified by the experiments, and the simulator uses the newly-proposed power distribution control logic and the pre-confirmed real driving schedule. Using these results, we can study which one will be the best in terms of driving stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the face of world-wide energy price fluctuation, energy supply security, and the energy crisis, it becomes an urgent issue to search for alternative methods for energy generation and to close the gap between the supply and demand of global energy. The current method of energy supply in Taiwan is through a centralized electronic power system, which is generated by a few large electronic power plants. Hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) has a characteristic of de-centralized electronic power supply system, which provides electronic power more reliably, efficiently and economically. Based on the output of Taiwan’s sewage, sludge, kitchen waste and biohydrogen technology, the preliminary market for biohydrogen fuel cell (BHFC) is positioning itself toward the supply of public electronic power within the housing communities. Based on the patent analysis of BHFC, this study finds that Taiwan pays more attention to the front-end manufacturing of raw materials and emphasizes the development of biohydrogen technology, while America and Japan mainly pay more attentions to rear-end product application and emphasize the application of hydrogen and fuel cells by integrating industrial opinions. Based on the market analysis of BHFC, this study finds that the product attributes, consumers’ characteristics and external variables strongly influence consumer’s purchase intention of biohydrogen technology products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]