Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Road Vehicles addresses the main issues related to the application of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the road transportation sector. A preliminary treatment is given on fuel resources and atmospheric pollution concerns which are closely related to the current technology (internal combustion engine) used for moving people and goods. The authors deal, in particular, with the problems that can hinder a widespread hydrogen market (production, storage and distribution), as well as giving an analysis of fuel cell technologies available for utilization of this energy carrier in the automotive field. Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Road Vehicles also examines the concerns faced during the design and realization of a PEM fuel cell system with optimal size and efficiency, evidencing the impact of the individual auxiliary components on energy losses and dynamic stack performance. The book ends with the analysis of two practical case studies on fuel cell propulsion systems. Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Road Vehicles is a useful text for researchers, professionals and advanced students in the fields of automotive and environmental engineering.

Lately it has become a matter of conventional wisdom that hydrogen will solve many of our energy and environmental problems. Nearly everyone -- environmentalists, mainstream media commentators, industry analysts, General Motors, and even President Bush -- seems to expect emission-free hydrogen fuel cells to ride to the rescue in a matter of years, or at most a decade or two. Not so fast, says Joseph Romm. In The Hype about Hydrogen, he explains why hydrogen isn't the quick technological fix it's cracked up to be, and why cheering for fuel cells to sweep the market is not a viable strategy for combating climate change. Buildings and factories powered by fuel cells may indeed become common after 2010, Joseph Romm argues, but when it comes to transportation, the biggest source of greenhouse-gas emissions, hydrogen is unlikely to have a significant impact before 2050. The Hype about Hydrogen offers a hype-free explanation of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, takes a hard look at the practical difficulties of transitioning to a hydrogen economy, and reveals why, given increasingly strong evidence of the gravity of climate change, neither government policy nor business investment should be based on the belief that hydrogen cars will have meaningful commercial success in the near or medium term. Romm, who helped run the federal government's program on hydrogen and fuel cells during the Clinton administration, provides a provocative primer on the politics, business, and technology of hydrogen and climate protection.

"Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications is a valuable addition to the literature available in this important field, where much current information is scattered through web sites, journal papers, and magazine articles. Chapters by experts in the field draws on both academic and industry-related research." "Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications will be welcomed by designers and manufacturers of fuel cell components, the designers of fuel cell systems, vehicle manufacturers, and anyone with an interest in the viability of this developing technology."--BOOK JACKET.

This volume of "Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Second Edition," covers the electrification of vehicles, which is key to a sustainable future of transportation in both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle sectors to address global concerns of climate change, air pollutant emissions, energy efficiency and energy security. Vehicle electrification includes several existing and emerging technologies and powertrain architectures such as conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrids with various electric driving range, short- and long-range battery electric vehicles, as well as hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Electrification will be key to connected autonomous vehicles, which are perceived to improve mobility, increase safety, reduce energy consumption and infrastructure costs, improve productivity, decrease traffic congestion and increase customer satisfaction. While electrification of vehicle technologies is relatively mature, technology improvement and economies of scale are needed to compete against incumbent technologies and to realize their benefits in the marketplace. Significant infrastructure development is needed in the case of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and to a lesser extent for plug-in electric vehicles. Vehicle efficiency improvement is sought through a combination of several approaches, including weight reduction, engine downsizing, increased engine compression ratio with high octane fuels, and the use of compression ignition engines with low octane fuels. Liquid hydrocarbon fuels are needed in applications where high storage energy density is required such as long-haul class-8 combination heavy-duty trucks. Shared mobility is another emerging concept that enables access to transportation services on an as-needed basis. This approach can enhance accessibility to transportation, decrease number of vehicles on the road, reduce energy use and impact on the environment, reduce cost of transportation and the need for parking, and reduce transportation time between origin and destination. In all, the reader will receive a comprehensive introduction to electric vehicles and technology trends, including energy storage, in light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors, as well as the infrastructure development that will be required to realize these benefits for society.

This book highlights the opportunities and the challenges of introducing hydrogen as alternative transport fuel from an economic, technical and environmental point of view. Through its multi-disciplinary approach the book provides researchers, decision makers and policy makers with a solid and wide-ranging knowledge base concerning the hydrogen economy.

The announcement of a hydrogen fuel initiative in the President's 2003 State of the Union speech substantially increased interest in the potential for hydrogen to play a major role in the nation's long-term energy future. Prior to that event, DOE asked the National Research Council to examine key technical issues about the hydrogen economy to assist in the development of its hydrogen R&D program. Included in the assessment were the current state of technology; future cost estimates; CO2 emissions; distribution, storage, and end use considerations; and the DOE RD&D program. The report provides an assessment of hydrogen as a fuel in the nation's future energy economy and describes a number of important challenges that must be overcome if it is to make a major energy contribution. Topics covered include the hydrogen end-use technologies, transportation, hydrogen production technologies, and transition issues for hydrogen in vehicles.