Column: Going Green
solution; unfortunately, this will also drive up costs for adopting hydrogen. The alternative entails using surplus renewable electricity to extract hydrogen from water using a fuel cell, offering a cleaner but more expensive solution. In addition, the two main barriers to
hydrogen adoption remain – the entirely new charging infrastructure it requires and the current high prices of hydrogen vehicles. On the other hand, BEVs offer benefits
The true green- worthiness of hydrogen
By Simone Bruckner, Managing Director, Cressall Resistors
G
overnment investments in hydrogen technologies and a raſt of funding initiatives for energy efficiency and electric vehicles (EVs)
aim to revolutionise our roads and the environment. In fact, hydrogen vehicle developments have given hope to the idea that hydrogen will one day dominate the market. However, for now it seems that competing battery electric vehicle (BEV) technologies have taken pole position to remove fossil fuels from our roads, putting hydrogen at a serious disadvantage.
A clean solution? Hydrogen offers many benefits over BEV alternatives, including better range and consumer appeal, mainly because there are no major changes users would need to get accustomed to: vehicles can be refuelled like petrol cars but with a different kind of fuel. To power vehicles, energy-dense
hydrogen is stored in a fuel cell. Tere, it is combined with oxygen to create power, with water and heat as by-products; i.e., no other emissions, other than water vapour. Hydrogen’s water-only emissions
may seem like a green alternative, but sustainability still poses problems. Currently, almost all the hydrogen sold in the UK is produced by splitting it from natural gas, which is costly and emits carbon dioxide (CO2 that CO2
). Capturing during hydrogen production, then ‘burying’ it, is a potential 08 September 2021
www.electronicsworld.com
such as quicker starts (electric motors can deliver torque quickly, with almost instant acceleration), and a charging infrastructure far more established than hydrogen refuelling stations, with over 18,000 charging points available today, right across the UK. Tis in turn means that, with a robust
charging infrastructure already in place, it will be wise to continue investing in EV technologies whilst driving forward with hydrogen technology, if it were to succeed.
Supporting components In addition to battery technology, resistors also play an important role in EV efficiency. When an EV’s battery is full, the vehicle must rely on its mechanical braking system to slow down, and, at this point, it is beneficial to use a resistor to absorb the excess energy. Not only is the resistor useful in the event of an electrical fault, it also lowers maintenance costs due to reduced wear on the friction braking system. Te energy dissipated during dynamic
braking into the resistor can also be used to heat the vehicle’s cabin, reducing the overall load on the battery. Cressall produces a liquid-cooled modular resistor, the EV2, with a 25kW rating, that can be mounted outside or underneath the vehicle, making it ideal for both small electric cars and larger forms of transport.
Driving forward While the UK looks forward to the benefits of hydrogen, much has to be done to make it commercially viable. Meanwhile, competing technologies like BEVs can continue to drive the automotive industry’s green revolution forward.
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