Hydrogen Storage Technologies

Long-term commercialization approach

with first products first

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies

Manufacturing R&D Workshop Washington, DC

Glenn Rambach August 11, 2011

Objective

• Perspective from providers of small, portable PEM fuel cell

power systems

• Relationship between successes in small fuel cell system

markets and the enhancement of future, more challenging

markets for larger systems.

• How this can be aided by DOE supported R&D in hydrogen

storage systems, combined with the market-driven maturation of

system components.

First-markets-first premise

• Hydrogen will be a key element in a long-term, secure, sustainable

energy economy.

• Small fuel cell systems can accelerate the commercialization of

component technologies that will be needed for automotive and

larger applications.

• Early revenue from selling products with 1cm2, 100 cm2, 1000cm2

of MEAs and bipolar plates will necessarily improve component

performance, cost and service life, in turn benefiting future

automotive and larger applications requiring 200,000cm2 each.

• Energy supply is critical to success of small fuel cell systems, and

as such any improvement in hydrogen storage technologies can

have a corresponding increase in market growth for the systems.

Early markets and startup companies

need to find lowest resistance paths to

profitability.

Lowering the difficulty in providing new

fuel cell products helps in defining early

products and applications.

Paths of least

Potential market area for fuel cells (or

other power plants).

Defined by peak power vs. cost per unit

power capacity (W vs. $/kW) for typical

applications currently satisfied by legacy

technologies.

Auto Transit

bus

2-cycle scooter Portable

generator

Wheelchair

Fork lift

Telecom backup

Strategic portable

Educational device

Retail A

Le

ss

dif

fic

ult

Less difficult

(sm

aller

un

its)

(cost tolerant market)

Auto Transit

bus

2-cycle scooter Portable

generator

Wheelchair

Fork lift

Telecom backup

Strategic portable

Educational device

Retail A

Range of all application sizes

and specific costs that can be

commercially satisfied with fuel

cells and hydrogen. Many

applications omitted for clarity.

Less d

iffi

cu

lt

Less difficult

(sm

aller

un

its)

(cost tolerant market)

Less difficult (cost tolerant market)

Power vs. cost per unit power helps

show the market space for fuel cell

power plants.

Propane in generator

Gas/diesel in generator

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

Power vs. cost per unit power helps

show the market space for fuel cell

power plants.

Energy vs. cost per unit energy can help

show the potential market space for

hydrogen storage/delivery systems.

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

Auto – energy at wheels $2.50 - $5.00/gal at pump 10 – 25 gal tank 2:1 efficiency ratio, FC:ICE

Less d

iffi

cu

lt (

sm

aller

un

its)

Less difficult (cost tolerant market)

Propane in generator

Gas/diesel in generator

Auto

Strategic portable

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

Strategic portable

Propane in generator

Gas/diesel in generator

Auto

Develop and commercialize

high-cost/low-power hydrogen

fuel cell systems early.

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

Strategic portable

Move up market by combining

commercial maturation with

government-funded development

Propane in generator

Gas/diesel in generator

Auto

Develop and commercialize

high-cost/low-power hydrogen

fuel cell systems early.

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

DOE R&D can help industry by

enabling new technology

choices and improving on

hydrogen sources for current,

revenue producing products. DOE R&D can develop technologies

that compete in the very challenging

areas of cost, density, service life,

codes and standards, temperature,

infrastructure, etc.

Auto

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

For applications below, there are

hydrogen storage technologies

with energy density, specific

energy, cost and availability good

enough for early markets. Auto

DOE R&D can help industry by

enabling new technology

choices and improving on

hydrogen sources for current,

revenue producing products. DOE R&D can develop technologies

that compete in the very challenging

areas of cost, density, service life,

codes and standards, temperature,

infrastructure, etc.

Propane in generator

Gas/diesel in generator

BA55 series batteries

Les

s d

iffi

cu

lt (

sm

aller

un

its)

Less difficult (cost tolerant market)

Strategic portable

Auto

Energy quantity and cost per kWh of electricity from:

• Generator – 20-25% efficient, $2.50 to $5.00/gallon

• Battery wholesale prices

• fuel cell system – 45% efficient, mfg cost + margin

AA battery

Auto

Strategic portable

Propane in generator

Gas/diesel in generator

BA55 series batteries

AA battery

Hydrogen mass and cost per kg to replace legacy uses:

• Generator – 20-25% efficient, $2.50 to $5.00/gallon

• Battery wholesale prices

• fuel cell system – 45% efficient, mfg cost + margin

Hydrogen storage that’s good enough for commercialization For small fuel cell systems

• Properties good enough

for commercial sales,

given the right market.

• Early revenue

• Packageable

• Supply chain

• Engineerable cartridge!

• Improveable

• Solid chemical hydride

• New, better technology

can expand market Chemical

hydride

DOE support needed for small fuel cell systems and hydrogen storage

• Resource SME and data bank for industry access to most

current and relevant C&S, safety practices, safety

technologies.

• Accelerate the availability of cost effective hydrogen safety

components.

Thank you.