Ballard Power Systems Inc (BLDP)

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With our LOHC infrastructure solution.

To solve the problems of current hydrogen storage solutions, we’ve developed a technology where hydrogen can be stored in a fluid, which is non-toxic, hardly flammable, and non-explosive. The LOHC can then be transported at ambient conditions without the need for extreme pressures and temperatures.

The liquid is used as a hydrogen carrier, and functions like a hydrogen sponge which can also be reused and recycled. This facilitates easy transport between the source and demand of hydrogen using standard oil infrastructure.

With this technology, hydrogen can be transported in the infrastructure that already exists for fossil fuels. Compared to high pressure or cryogenic hydrogen storage, this method makes it very easy to transport the fuel.

With five-fold high storage density and very easy handling compared to conventional hydrogen storage, this technology has distinct competitive advantages for large quantities of hydrogen and long transport distances.

This is why we are focusing on the hydrogen logistics market, where our customers need to transport hydrogen at high storage densities over long distances to their industrial consumers or to hydrogen fuelling stations. This plays a major role particularly in the roll-out of a global network of hydrogen refuelling stations.

How does the energy efficiency of hydrogen compare with fossil fuels?

When comparing hydrogen to fossil fuel or diesel, you have to consider the whole lifecycle.

For diesel or fossil fuel, you need hydrogen in refining to remove sulfur as well as massive amounts of energy to produce the fuels. We use this valuable hydrogen and energy to purify these fuels only to burn them again to generate CO2. This does not make a lot of sense!

Why aren’t we taking all the hydrogen and energy currently needed to refine our fossil fuels, and applying it to our mobility sector? Hydrogen can be generated from essentially any primary source of power and then stored, transported, and used as a fuel.

When looking at the whole lifecycle of fuel, you also need to consider the efficiency of the vehicle itself.

Existing gas and diesel heat engines used in traditional cars have an efficiency of approximately 16 percent. And well-to-wheels only about 14 percent.
Hydrogen powered cars have fuel cells, which are electrochemical devices and not heat engines and therefore much more efficient with more than 50 percent efficiency.
Today, hydrogen represents an excellent opportunity to combine the energy and mobility sector and enable true zero emission mobility. The efficiency of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles is already better than the efficiency you can achieve with gas or diesel.

This does not even take into account that dinosaurs had to die millions of years ago to create the crude oil in the first place. http://blog.ballard.com/hydrogen-economy