viable. According to Hydrogen Mobility Europe, if hydrogen remains at the current low levels of demand, the cost of producing and supplying hydrogen could be passed onto end users. This would mean that hydrogen vehicles would cost more to run than both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fossil-fuelled cars. As a result, any technology that can drive down cost is crucial to increasing uptake. Fuel cell electric vehicles constantly convert
hydrogen into electricity, which in turn charges the vehicle’s battery. In a process known as regenerative braking,most excess energy can be retained to help power the vehicle. However, if the battery is already fully charged or there is a failure in the system, theremust be amechanism in place to dissipate this surplus energy. One of the most efficient ways to safely
ccording to The Hydrogen Council and McKinsey’s Hydrogen Insights Reports 2021, Europe has one of the world’s
most developed hydrogen markets and is home to over half of all projects. In fact both the UK and the EU have plans to develop their hydrogen offering and have committed to reach a production capacity of five gigawatts (GW) and 40GW respectively by 2030. Despite thematurity of the sector, Europe’s
hydrogen still needs considerable development in order to reach net zero targets and to become a viable fuel source for automotive applications. Making usable, renewable, hydrogen is no easy feat – so where’s the best starting point?
First, we must consider how to make hydrogen green. Hydrogen can be produced in many ways, each corresponding to a different colour. Most hydrogen produced in Europe is currently grey, and is produced bymixing natural gas and steam to create hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a
process known as steammethane reformation. This production method, however, relies on
a fossil fuel, which conflicts with hydrogen's alleged sustainability superiority over petrol and diesel-powered vehicles. Ideally, we need to make green hydrogen,
using renewable electricity to separate the hydrogen and oxygen atoms that make up water in a process called electrolysis. This results in zero carbon emissions. Geographically, Europe is in an
advantageous position thanks to an abundance of renewable energy sources in the surrounding area. The EU's Hydrogen Strategy Report has already identified North Africa as a priority region for increasing hydrogen availability across Europe, thanks to a plentiful supply of sunlight and subsequent renewable energy.
The next thing to think about is how to make hydrogen-powered vehicles commercially
Cressall’s EV2 DBR water-cooled resistor
33
dissipate excess energy and ensure the system remains operational is through the use of a dynamic braking resistor (DBR). Cressall’s EV2 DBR is a water-cooled resistor, which allows for safe dissipation without the need for extra components, resulting in an 80%weight reduction when compared to a conventional air-cooled DBR. This will therefore lighten the load of the
vehicle itself, meaning that it can travel further on the same amount of energy. This is particularly advantageous for weight-sensitive freight vehicles, such as pulp and paper or iron and steel transport. In addition, the weight of a BEV’s battery or the additional components of an air-cooled DBR would reduce the potential load of the vehicle more than a FCEV would, which makes the EV2 and hydrogen a perfect combination for freight transport. Nikola’s European hydrogen pipeline and
fuel system is a landmark step in facilitating widespread uptake of FCEVs. However, if FCEVs are to overtake BEVs, then the refuelling system has to be accompanied by further developments in vehicle efficiency and hydrogen production to make the resource a completely sustainable, feasible, option.
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