Electromobility has an important place in the discussion about the future of transportation. Over the past decade, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have become increasingly popular as sustainable mobility is promoted around the world. However, BEVs suffer from a lack of renewable energy and strain on limited natural resources. These issues create a gap that can be filled by sustainable fuels.
Hydrogen, a clean fuel and abundant natural resource, offers great potential in this sector, which could be realised by fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). FCEVs use fuel cells to generate electricity from compressed gaseous or liquid hydrogen and do not emit harmful exhaust fumes. Various use cases for FCEVs are emerging across the globe, and it is necessary to explore the impact of this technology and the growth opportunities it presents for India.
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Hydrogen Advances in Electromobility
History and Journey of FCEVS Progress in achieving sustainability goals and the resulting demand for cleaner fuels have stimulated consumer interest in electromobility while garnering support from industry players and governments across the globe. Despite supply chain bottlenecks and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, global electric vehicle sales hit a record high in 2021.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), compared to 2020, sales have almost doubled to 6.6 million units (sales share of around 9%), resulting in a total of 16.
5 million electric vehicles on the roads worldwide. As the world transitions to electric vehicles, research continues into how to power them using hydrogen, the most abundant raw material in the universe.
Production of Hydrogen
On Earth, hydrogen is mainly available in molecular form and must be harnessed through industrial processes. Its sustainability is indicated by a kaleidoscope of colours. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis using clean energy from renewable sources. Blue hydrogen is produced by steam-reforming natural gas, and the resulting CO2 is captured and stored using carbon capture and storage technology.
The production of grey hydrogen is similar to blue hydrogen, but it is less environmentally friendly than blue hydrogen as it omits the carbon capture and storage step. Black or brown hydrogen is produced from coal and is an environmentally problematic form of hydrogen production. 48% of industrial hydrogen production is derived from natural gas and 18% from coal.
Future of Hydrogen Mobility in India
In 2017, India was ranked 22nd in the world in industrial hydrogen production. The country has 43 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, making hydrogen a relatively readily available fuel. Hydrogen can be used in electric mobility in a variety of ways, but here we focus on FCEVs, which are based on combining hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell to generate electricity, which powers an electric motor to move the vehicle.
FCEVs have emerged as an alternative to battery-powered electric vehicles because they can be quickly refuelled, have a long driving range (due to hydrogen’s high gravimetric energy density), and are not dependent on concentrated, scarce raw materials. In 2013, Hyundai Motor Group unveiled the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the ix35 FCEV.
Honda has a car called the Clarity, and Toyota launched the Mirai in 2014. Hyundai plans to offer hydrogen fuel cell versions of all its commercial vehicles by 2028.
Hydrogen Progessions in Electromobility
History and Journey of FCEVS Progress in achieving sustainability goals and the resulting demand for cleaner fuels have stimulated consumer interest in electromobility and garnered support from industry players and governments around the world. Despite supply chain bottlenecks and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, global electric vehicle sales reached a record high in 2021.
Compared to 2020, sales almost doubled to 6.6 million units (sales share of about 9%), putting a total of 16.5 million electric vehicles on the road worldwide, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). As the world transitions to electric vehicles, research continues into how to power them using hydrogen, the most abundant resource in the universe.
On Earth, hydrogen is mainly available in molecular form and must be harnessed through industrial processes. Its sustainability is indicated by a kaleidoscope of colours. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis using clean energy from renewable sources. Blue hydrogen is produced by steam-reforming natural gas, with the resulting CO2 being captured and stored using carbon capture and storage technology.
Grey hydrogen production is similar to blue hydrogen production but is less environmentally friendly than blue hydrogen because it omits the carbon capture and storage step. Black or brown hydrogen is produced from coal and is an environmentally problematic form of hydrogen production.
48% of industrial hydrogen production is derived from natural gas and 18% from coal. In 2017, India ranked 22nd in the world for industrial hydrogen production, with proven gas reserves of 43 trillion cubic feet, making hydrogen a relatively accessible fuel.
Hydrogen has many electric mobility use cases, but here we focus on FCEVs, which are based on a technology that combines hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell to generate electricity, which drives an electric motor to move the car.
FCEVs are establishing themselves as an alternative to battery-powered electric vehicles because they can be refuelled quickly, have a long-range (due to hydrogen’s high gravimetric energy density), and do not rely on concentrated, scarce feedstocks. In 2013, Hyundai Motor Group introduced the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the ix35 FCEV, to the world.
Honda has a car called the Clarity, and Toyota entered the market in 2014 with the launch of the Mirai. Hyundai plans to offer hydrogen fuel cell versions of all its commercial vehicles by 2028.
The story of hydrogen for mobility
The Story of Hydrogen for Mobility FCEVs are still in their infancy, but they are poised for growth. A breakthrough in sales volumes is not expected until the second half of this decade, led by Asia. A breakthrough in FCEVs will require significant government and private investment.
Global growth of hydrogen-powered vehicles
Global Position in Hydrogen Mobility Global Use Cases and Implementation Strategies for Material Mobility The global market for hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles is estimated at approximately $1 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach approximately $43.2 billion by 2031, with a significant compound annual growth rate of 45.5% from 2022 to 2031.
Asia-Pacific countries are the largest market for fuel cell technology, with Japan, China, and South Korea leading the way Europe and North America lag.
Growth in hydrogen mobility can help achieve sustainability goals Dependence on imports is a significant limitation for existing BEV models. FCEVs offer an opportunity to reduce this dependency and support the Indian Government’s Atmanirbhar initiative. Efforts in this direction will help achieve a key component of India Vision 2030 with the transportation ecosystem at its heart – a pollution-free India.
The entry of FCEVs into the rapidly evolving mobility sector is likely to create uncertainty in OEM strategies and the minds of customers. Governments therefore need to play a key role in enabling a smooth transition in the automotive sector and allowing the co-existence of these different technologies.
One possible strategy is to deploy FCEVs in buses, trucks, and other large vehicles, reserving BEVs for the passenger car category, which already dominates the EV race and will continue to thrive.
This approach may be viable as fewer stations and facilities are required compared to passenger cars and less time and investment are required to build infrastructure for FCEVs.
As mentioned earlier in this report, hydrogen’s high gravimetric energy density makes it suitable for long-distance travel and transportation, and heavy and auxiliary loads. Our TCO analysis also supports this hypothesis. Based on the above analysis and TCO calculations, hydrogen will enable a smooth transition to EVS.
There are numerous practical use cases for hydrogen; many are already being deployed around the world. Countries like Germany are primarily focused on FCEVs. But India is also pursuing alternatives that offer the opportunity for rapid hydrogen adoption and partial use of existing technologies.
Automakers could quickly adopt these to extend existing technologies with cleaner alternative fuels. End users will rely more on proven technologies to ease the transition, and alternatives will be better suited for heavier loads and other needs. These steps will require building a hydrogen ecosystem that can also be used for FCEVs.
Prominent examples of these alternatives include Hythane (H-CNG), which is hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (CNG). It is cleaner, more cost-effective and more fuel-efficient. With 70% lower carbon monoxide emissions compared to CNG, H-CNG could be a vital solution to meet future emission requirements.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) in collaboration with the Delhi Transport Department has set up a compact reforming plant capable of producing four tonnes of H-CNG per day.
Methanol (derived from H2) is added to gasoline.
Methanol can be used to produce dimethyl ether (DME), a clean alternative to diesel with only minor modifications to existing diesel engines.
According to a NITI Aayog report, India’s crude oil imports can be reduced by around 15% by blending 15% methanol with gasoline. This blend also helps improve air quality by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. IOCL has introduced M15 Petro, a 15 per cent blend of methanol and gasoline, in a pilot project in the Tinsukia district of Assam.
Ammonia (derived from H2) for marine applications.
Ammonia is another clean alternative that can be used in fuel cells and internal combustion engines. It can be made from renewable sources and is easy to store. Ammonia is a carbon-free alternative at a lower cost than comparable fuels. Its high energy density and scalability make it one of the best options for marine fuel.
German multinational MAN Energy Solutions has set a timetable to deliver a commercially viable ammonia engine by 2024. The goal is an economically feasible and scalable solution that can be implemented quickly.
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