Hydrogen and Fuel Cells 101

Updated on Jan 2022

1
 Overview
Key Hydrogen Facts:

Most abundant element in the universe

Present in common substances (water, sugar, methane)

Very high energy by weight (3x more than gasoline)

Can be used to make fertilizer, steel, as a fuel in trucks, trains, ships, and more

Can be used to store energy and make electricity, with only water as byproduct

Can be produced from multiple abundant fuel sources in the U.S.

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 Key Hydrogen Technologies: Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers
Fuel Cells: Use Hydrogen Electrolyzers: Make Hydrogen
• Hydrogen and Oxygen IN • Electricity and Water IN
• Electricity and Water OUT • Hydrogen and Oxygen OUT
• Makes electricity using hydrogen • Makes hydrogen using electricity
• No combustion involved • Operates like a fuel cell “in reverse”

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 3

 Hydrogen Challenges

Key Challenges:

High cost
Needs energy (like solar, wind, nuclear) or fuel to produce
Difficult to store and transport
Limited infrastructure to move and use hydrogen

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 4

 Hydrogen Sources
Clean and domestic energy sources can be used to produce hydrogen
Most of today’s hydrogen comes from natural gas

10 million
metric tons of
hydrogen
produced annually
in the United States,
mostly for oil
refining and fertilizer
production

Learn more at: http://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-resources

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 Hydrogen Production
Any of the previously mentioned energy sources
can produce hydrogen through these processes

Electricity Microbes or Energy from Steam and

separates water enzymes break direct sunlight hydrocarbons
into oxygen and down plants and and sun heat come together
hydrogen produce splits molecules under high
hydrogen temperature

Learn more at: http://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-production-processes

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 6

 Hydrogen Uses
Multiple industries
Multiple applications

HARD-TO-
TRANSPORTATION ENERGY STORAGE
DECARBONIZE
SECTORS

Including For heavy-duty Good for long- Electricity Largest use Second
steel, cement applications term energy production for of hydrogen largest use
ammonia including storage; cell phone produced of hydrogen
industries trucks, trains improved towers, data today produced
and at ports electric grid centers, today
efficiency hospitals and
supermarkets
Learn more at: https://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cell-technologies-educational-publications
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 Key Hydrogen Benefits

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions

Reduced oil consumption
Ability to store renewable power
Ability to use for industry and transportation

Reduced air pollution

Reliable grid support

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 8

 Key Fuel Cell Benefits

Quiet operation
Low-maintenance; no recharging required
High reliability

Can provide power from a variety of fuels

(not just hydrogen)
2-3x more efficient than internal combustion engines
Zero emissions at point of use

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 9

Hydrogen Production and Electrolyzers in the U.S.
Examples of Hydrogen Production Locations In the United States:
• 10 million metric tons (MMT) H2/yr
• Over 1,600 miles of H2 pipelines
• World’s largest H2 storage cavern

Examples of Electrolyzer Installations

Source: NREL

Current and under construction installations over 120 kW as of Jun. 2021

* Source: Arjona, et al, DOE HFTO Program Record, June 2021

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10

Examples of Real-World Hydrogen Applications in the U.S.
The Energy
Examples of Policy Act (2005) Title VIII and Increasing orders of fuel cell forklifts by
warehouses and stores in the U.S.
Energy
Applications Policy Act of 2020 provide key
in Use
authorization
>550MW
Stationary and
Backup Power

>50,000
Forklifts

>172 MW Photo Credit: UPS

Photo Credit: BMW Manufacturing

PEM* Electrolyzers Fuel cell delivery and parcel trucks World’s first fuel cell for
operating in CA and NY maritime ports in Hawaii
~70
Fuel Cell Buses

~50
H2 Retail Stations

>12,000
Fuel Cell Cars

PEM: Polymer electrolyte membrane Photo Credit: FedEx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 11

 Real
Examples World Applications
of Real-World – In the
Applications inU.S.
the U.S.
Fuel cells provided backup power Hydrogen fuel cell ferry set to operate Approximately 50 public hydrogen
during Hurricane Sandy in the U.S. in the West Coast stations open to refuel
Northeast cars and trucks

Increasing orders of fuel cell forklifts Over 550 MW of fuel cell stationary Approx. 70 hydrogen buses
by warehouses and stores in the U.S. power deployed and on order across operating for public transit
the country

Photo Credit: BMW Manufacturing Photo Credit: NREL

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 12

 Real
Examples World Applications
of Real-World – Abroad
Applications Abroad
World’s first 4-seater fuel cell plane takes Fuel cell cab fleet launched in Paris,
off at German Airport France

Photo Credit: Christoph Schmidt/dpa via AP and phys.org. Photo Credit: Hyundai

A town in in Fukuoka, Japan World’s first hydrogen fuel cell train

running on hydrogen in Germany

Photo Credit: Fukuoka Pref. Photo Credit: Hydrogenics and Alstom

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 13

 Watch
Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm Explains Clean Hydrogen

Including For heavy Second

steel, cement duty largest use
ammonia applications of hydrogen
industries including produced
trucks, trains today
and at ports

Watch Secretary Jennifer Granholm Explain Clean Hydrogen | Department of Energy

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