Hydrogen fuel may prevent looming energy crisis

Batteries are a clear winner in the grid-to-wheels efficiency battle. Conventional Lithium-ion batteries charge at about 93% efficiency and operate at about the same efficiency, leading to an overall efficiency of over 85%. For the same energy input, you'll get three times the power out of a battery than out of a fuel cell.

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3. Safety

High pressure storage, flammability, toxicity and explosive potential all represent safety hazards. Fuel cells either contain compressed gas at up to 35MPa or liquid hydrogen which needs to be kept under -253 degrees Celsius, so there's clearly the chance for it to cause plenty of mischief in case of an accident. Batteries, however, also have their drawbacks here, introducing the risk of electrical hazards, toxic chemicals, electrical fires and fumes. The jury's still out on this one.

4. Economics

Both fuel cells and high-output battery cells are currently quite expensive, although this is forecast to become less of a factor with the advent of volume production. Of greater concern are the economics of building a delivery network. The current electricity grid system is well established in most countries, and with some modification and reinforcement could be upgraded to handle the strain of fulfilling the shortage of energy left if gasoline is removed from the passenger transport equation.

Hydrogen is more problematic. To derive its main benefit -- the ability to fill a car quickly with fluid energy -- a hydrogen distribution network similar to that used to distribute gasoline would need to be built. Hydrogen atoms are so small that they can sneak out through the molecular structure of many containers and pipes, meaning that it's expensive and problematic to transport in great quantities. Generating the hydrogen on-site at filling stations is a potential solution, but at the end of the day, a fully functioning hydrogen economy capable of replacing the petroleum economy will cost trillions of dollars in America alone. Battery-electrics are a clear winner in this context.

Source: BusinessWeek

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