People are continually looking for greener forms of transportation, particularly regarding the world’s commercial trucks. Some individuals believe hydrogen fuel cell technology is the answer. In that scenario, tanks are filled with hydrogen rather than conventional gasoline, and fuel cells convert it into electricity.
Burning hydrogen generates heat energy, and water is the byproduct. However, people must also consider the energy required for hydrogen production. Here’s a look at how the future may shape up for fuel cell trucks.
Healthy Market Growth Expected
A Mordor Intelligence market research report examined the outlook for commercial fuel cell vehicles from 2020 through 2025. The company anticipates a compound annual growth rate of more than 45% for the industry during that period.
That coverage concerned commercial cars and trucks. However, there is ample evidence elsewhere that company decision-makers are increasingly willing to throw their support toward fuel cell trucks.
H2 Mobility Austria, a consortium of 11 Austrian businesses, aims to put 2,000 fuel cell trucks on the road by 2030. Some organizations are switching to hydrogen power for trucks used for specific purposes. In June 2021, the city of Gothenburg got Sweden’s first hydrogen-powered garbage truck.
Opportunities exist elsewhere, too. The United States generates 20 to 29 million tons of hazardous waste annually. A partnership between two companies aims to create 100 hubs for converting waste into hydrogen energy used by heavy-duty trucks. San Francisco was the chosen location for the facility, but the collaboration includes global plans.
Not a Perfect Option
Research indicates that hydrogen fuel cells offer up to triple the efficiency of gas-powered combustion engines. However, a recent analysis showed that vehicles operating with this power source are still not always better than purely electric trucks. As the author points out, EVs benefit from ongoing technological and infrastructure-based improvements. Many people still see hydrogen fuel cells as not yet feasible on a widespread scale.
Catharina Modahl-Nilsson is the chief technical officer of TRATON GROUP, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. She gave more details about vehicle efficiency, saying, “In truck traffic, especially on long-distance routes, pure e-trucks will in most cases be the cheaper and more environmentally friendly solution.”
She continued, “This is because hydrogen trucks have a decisive disadvantage: Only about a quarter of the output energy flows into the drive — three-quarters is lost through conversion losses. With the e-truck, the ratio is reversed.”
There’s also the issue that hydrogen energy is not always a more eco-friendly option. Researchers from Stanford University and Cornell measured the carbon footprint for making “blue” hydrogen from the methane in natural gas. The results showed it was 20% larger than heating with natural gas or coal. Moreover, blue hydrogen’s carbon footprint was 60% bigger than heating with diesel oil.
A Long Road Ahead
It will likely be quite a while before hydrogen trucks become mainstream. However, the limitations discussed here don’t mean the world should give up on its investments in fuel cell trucks. Most new technologies have unexpected pitfalls. However, the more people learn about hydrogen fuel for trucks, the easier it will be to overcome obstacles and mitigate unwanted consequences.
Jane Marsh, Contributor
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