Promote Fuel Cell And Battery Vehicles Equally

2023 Author : Hannah Pearcy | [email protected] . Last modified: 2023-06-01 01:49

Electromobility makes an important contribution to achieving the environmental and climate policy goals of the Paris Agreement. From the point of view of the VDI and the VDE, however, the current discussion is concentrating too much on battery vehicles. These alone are not enough to achieve the federal government's energy and environmental goals.

Fuel cells for tomorrow's electromobility

The new VDI / VDE study "Fuel cell and battery vehicles" shows that fuel cell-based electromobility not only takes a significant step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but is also easier to implement. “Fuel cell vehicles are a necessary element for tomorrow's e-mobility. The fuel hydrogen can be flexibly produced, stored and transported from renewable energies,”says Martin Pokojski, chairman of the VDI / VDE committee“Hydrogen and Fuel Cells”. He is a co-author of the study, which evaluates the two technologies according to relevant technical, ecological and economic aspects. Instead of promoting just one technology, politics and business should rather rely on both systems.

SEMINAR TIP The seminar "Batteries - Basics and Applications" teaches the necessary technical and economic basics of available battery technologies.

Further information

Advantages of the fuel cell

Compared to battery vehicles (BEV), fuel cell vehicles (FCEV) should offer several advantages: According to the study, they achieve longer ranges more easily and cost-effectively, their refueling times are comparable to the current standard for petrol or diesel, and higher payloads are possible. "Another advantage of hydrogen technology is that it is easier to implement, since existing structures can be used and existing petrol stations can be expanded accordingly," explains Dr. Andreas Schamel, co-author of the study. Schamel continues: “The infrastructure investments for BEV with a low market penetration are lower than for FCEV. But the picture turns with greater market penetration. Therefore, a mixture of both systems - BEV for the shorter routes and FCEV for long routes - could result in an optimal cost.

fuel

Environmentally friendly fuel from wastewater and renewable energies

No reduction in CO ₂ without renewable energies

However, the desired reduction in CO ₂ emissions is only achieved if the electricity for charging the battery and producing the hydrogen comes from renewable sources. Prof. Angelika Heinzel from the Center for Fuel Cell Technology in Duisburg and also co-author of the study: “It is also relevant how the raw materials are obtained and the batteries and fuel cells are manufactured. Careful analysis of energy consumption and CO ₂ emissions throughout the life cycle and an increase in the recycling rate are also essential. Both technologies require raw materials that are not available indefinitely."

Fuel cell as an opportunity for German manufacturers

In addition to the energy efficiency of the drive train and the raw material requirements of the battery and the fuel cell, Heinzel has a particular focus on the consumption of resources and space for the required infrastructures - such as power lines and charging stations, gas pipelines and hydrogen filling stations.

“In the future, both technologies will be introduced in segments of the mobility sector: The fuel cell vehicles initially for fleet vehicles and vehicles with a long range. In contrast to battery production, the fuel cell still has to overcome the hurdle for series production, which can be a great opportunity for German manufacturers."

World record

Fuel cells have been supplying electricity for 11 years for the first time

Incentive systems and infrastructure building necessary

The authors of the study agree: The federal government must quickly create incentive systems for fuel cell and battery vehicles and set up infrastructures. This includes accelerating the market ramp-up of e-vehicles by converting vehicle fleets, expanding the hydrogen infrastructure by implementing the 400 hydrogen filling stations planned throughout Germany, and including hydrogen as an energy source in the cross-sector long-term strategy for a secure energy supply. “And last but not least, for our competitiveness, we need a timely establishment of production facilities for fuel cells and batteries in Germany. Politicians must create suitable framework conditions for this,”Pokojski is certain.