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Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation
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Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A5: Hydrogen Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 September 2024) | Viewed by 19499

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Matteo Genovese

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Cosenza, Italy
Interests: hydrogen refueling infrastructure; hydrogen station; fuel cell-based systems
Dr. Francesco Piraino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Cosenza, Italy
Interests: innovative fuel cell-based powertrains; heavy-duty mobility; control systems
Prof. Dr. Petronilla Fragiacomo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Cosenza, Italy
Interests: hydrogen-based energy systems; fuel cell systems for polygeneration and sustainable mobility; alternative fuel energy systems; biomass valorization; co- and tri-generative power systems; renewable energy sources; hydrogen station; hydrogen valleys

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Concerns about climate change, the need to innovate and integrate various energy sectors, and energy dependency, are driving the worldwide momentum for hydrogen-based technologies.

By examining novel concepts and designs or by presenting engaging case studies with an industrial focus, researchers can add value to the needs of industry when it comes to light- and heavy-duty fuel cell-based mobility, road/rail or maritime vehicles. Hydrogen refueling stations play a crucial role as essential infrastructures that must ensure a secure and effective refueling process. This is directly related to the deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles. The number of hydrogen refueling stations around the world can be increased through research and innovation efforts, as well as by analyzing the profitability of running hydrogen stations and participating in test operations.

This Special Issue's objective is to present and disseminate the most recent advances in the theory, design, modeling, application and control of fuel cell-based vehicles, including both low-temperature and high-temperature fuel cells, as well as hydrogen stations and the associated refueling processes.

Publication-worthy subjects can include, but are not restricted to:

  • All aspects of hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs), including on-site HRSs and off-site HRSs.
  • Modeling or experimental activities on HRSs.
  • Thermodynamic investigation of the hydrogen refueling process and current procedures.
  • Innovative applications of HRSs or case studies of industrial relevance.
  • Applications of low- and high-temperature fuel cells in electric powertrains.
  • Sustainable mobility with fuel cell-based systems for road, rail and maritime applications.
  • Control strategies for fuel cell-based powertrains.
  • Techno-economic analyses of sustainable mobility scenarios, of hydrogen refueling stations and related hydrogen valleys.

Dr. Matteo Genovese
Dr. Francesco Piraino
Prof. Dr. Petronilla Fragiacomo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fuel cell-based systems
  • sustainable transportation
  • hydrogen refueling stations
  • hydrogen refueling process
  • light- and heavy-duty vehicles
  • techno-economic analyses
  • modelling and/or experimental analyses
  • new and innovative applications

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review, Other

3 pages, 132 KiB  
Editorial
Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation
by Matteo Genovese, Francesco Piraino and Petronilla Fragiacomo
Energies 2025, 18(1), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18010143 - 2 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 634
Abstract
Rising concerns about climate change, the need to innovate and connect diverse energy sectors, and the challenge of energy dependency are boosting global interest in hydrogen-based technologies [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review, Other

16 pages, 3686 KiB  
Article
Hydrogen, E-Fuels, Biofuels: What Is the Most Viable Alternative to Diesel for Heavy-Duty Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles?
by Arianna Baldinelli, Marco Francesconi and Marco Antonelli
Energies 2024, 17(18), 4728; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17184728 - 23 Sep 2024
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3071
Abstract
Hydrogen mobility embodies a promising solution to address the challenges posed by traditional fossil fuel-based vehicles. The use of hydrogen in small heavy-duty road vehicles based on internal combustion engines (ICEs) may be appealing for two fundamental reasons: Direct electrification seems less promising [...] Read more.
Hydrogen mobility embodies a promising solution to address the challenges posed by traditional fossil fuel-based vehicles. The use of hydrogen in small heavy-duty road vehicles based on internal combustion engines (ICEs) may be appealing for two fundamental reasons: Direct electrification seems less promising in heavy-duty transport systems, and fuel cell-based hydrogen vehicle implementation may not proceed at the expected pace due to higher investment costs compared to ICEs. On the other hand, hydrogen combustion is gaining attractiveness and relies on robust and cheap technologies, but it is not the only renewable solution. In this framework, this work presents a methodology to assess the Well-to-Wheel primary energy consumption and CO2 emissions of small heavy-duty vehicles. The methodology is applied in a real case study, namely a passenger coach traveling on a 100 km mission in non-optimized conditions. Therefore, the suitability of hydrogen is compared with standard diesel and other alternative diesel-type fuels (biodiesel and synthetic diesel types). Hydrogen shows competitivity with standard diesel from the point of view of CO2 emission reduction (−29%) while it hides a higher primary energy consumption (+40%) based on the current power-to-hydrogen efficiency declared by electrolyzer manufacturers. Nonetheless, HVO brings the highest benefits both from the point of view of primary energy consumption and emission reduction, namely −35% and 464–634 kgCO2/100km avoided compared to hydrogen. Moreover, the availability of HVO—like other biofuels—does not depend on carbon from CO2 capture and sequestration systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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17 pages, 4125 KiB  
Article
High Current Density Operation of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell with Varying Inlet Relative Humidity—A Modeling Study
by Wei Liu, Anders Christian Olesen, Vincenzo Liso and Torsten Berning
Energies 2024, 17(16), 4077; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17164077 - 16 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2094
Abstract
This paper focuses on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) operation at current densities in the order of 6 A/cm2. Such high current densities are conceivable when the traditional carbon fiber papers are replaced with perforated metal plates as the gas [...] Read more.
This paper focuses on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) operation at current densities in the order of 6 A/cm2. Such high current densities are conceivable when the traditional carbon fiber papers are replaced with perforated metal plates as the gas diffusion layer to enhance waste heat removal, and at the same time the relative humidity inside the fuel cell is kept below 100% by applying appropriate operating conditions as was found in previous one-dimensional modeling work. In the current paper, we applied a three-dimensional, multi-phase computational fluid dynamics model based on Ansys-CFX to obtain additional insight into the underlying physics. The calculated pressure drops are in very good agreement with previous one-dimensional modeling work, and the current densities in all case studies are in the order of 5–6 A/cm2, but different from the previous one-dimensional study, the results suggest that the relative humidity is very close to 100% throughout the entire channel length when the inlet relative humidity is 100%, ensuring best hydration cell conditions and hence best performance. Importantly, the model results suggest that fuel cell performance at a high current density in conjunction with relatively low stoichiometric flow ratios around 1.5–2 is possible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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15 pages, 908 KiB  
Article
Enhancing a Deep Learning Model for the Steam Reforming Process Using Data Augmentation Techniques
by Zofia Pizoń, Shinji Kimijima and Grzegorz Brus
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2413; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102413 - 17 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1692
Abstract
Methane steam reforming is the foremost method for hydrogen production, and it has been studied through experiments and diverse computational models to enhance its energy efficiency. This study focuses on employing an artificial neural network as a model of the methane steam reforming [...] Read more.
Methane steam reforming is the foremost method for hydrogen production, and it has been studied through experiments and diverse computational models to enhance its energy efficiency. This study focuses on employing an artificial neural network as a model of the methane steam reforming process. The proposed data-driven model predicts the output mixture’s composition based on reactor operating conditions, such as the temperature, steam-to-methane ratio, nitrogen-to-methane ratio, methane flow, and nickel catalyst mass. The network, a feedforward type, underwent training with a comprehensive dataset augmentation strategy that augments the primary experimental dataset through interpolation and theoretical simulations of the process, ensuring a robust model training phase. Additionally, it introduces weights to evaluate the relative significance of different data categories (experimental, interpolated, and theoretical) within the dataset. The optimal artificial neural network architecture was determined by evaluating various configurations, with the aim of minimizing the mean squared error (0.00022) and maximizing the Pearson correlation coefficient (0.97) and Spearman correlation coefficient (1.00). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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11 pages, 1502 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Water Retention, Transport, and Conductivity Performance in Fuel Cell Applications: Nafion-Based Nanocomposite Membranes with Organomodified Graphene Oxide Nanoplatelets
by Muhammad Habib Ur Rehman, Luigi Coppola, Ernestino Lufrano, Isabella Nicotera and Cataldo Simari
Energies 2023, 16(23), 7759; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237759 - 24 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1590
Abstract
The synergistic combination of Nafion and sulfonated graphene oxide (GOsulf) in nanocomposite membranes emerged as a promising strategy for advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology. In the pursuit of elucidating the effect of GOsulf introduction on transport properties and electrochemical performance [...] Read more.
The synergistic combination of Nafion and sulfonated graphene oxide (GOsulf) in nanocomposite membranes emerged as a promising strategy for advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology. In the pursuit of elucidating the effect of GOsulf introduction on transport properties and electrochemical performance of Nafion, this work provides a systematic study combining swelling tests, water release tests, 1H NMR characterization, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) investigation. The incorporation of organomodified GO nanolayers alters the distribution of water molecules within the hydrophilic domains of Nafion and produces a considerable increase in the “bound-water” fraction. This increases its water retention capability while ensuring very high diffusivity even under high temperatures, i.e., 1.5 × 10−5 cm2 s−1 at 130 °C. These peculiar features enable Naf-GOsulf to successfully operate under a dehydrating environment, yielding a proton conductivity of 44.9 mS cm−1 at 30% RH. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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25 pages, 4329 KiB  
Article
Experimental Activities on a Hydrogen-Powered Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System and Guidelines for Its Implementation in Aviation and Maritime Sectors
by Petronilla Fragiacomo, Francesco Piraino, Matteo Genovese, Orlando Corigliano and Giuseppe De Lorenzo
Energies 2023, 16(15), 5671; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16155671 - 28 Jul 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4254
Abstract
Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems are spreading worldwide and, for limited applications, also in the transport sector where high power rates are required. In this context, this paper investigates the performance of a six-cell SOFC stack by means of experimental tests at [...] Read more.
Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems are spreading worldwide and, for limited applications, also in the transport sector where high power rates are required. In this context, this paper investigates the performance of a six-cell SOFC stack by means of experimental tests at different power levels. The experimental campaign is based on two different stages: the heating phase, useful for leading the system temperature to approximately 750 °C, and the test stage, in which the experimental activities are properly carried out with varying input parameters, such as the DC current load. In addition, a detailed post-processing activity is conducted to investigate the main performance that could be used in the scale-up processes to design and size a SOFC-based system for transportation. The experimental results concern the electrical power, which reaches 165 W, roughly 27 W for each cell and with 52% electrical efficiency, as well as the theoretical thermal power and efficiency, useful for cogeneration processes, with maximum values of 80 W and 25%, respectively, achieved at maximum load. This discussion then shifts to an in-depth analysis of the possible applications of SOFCs in sustainable mobility, particularly in the maritime and aviation industries. The complexities of the issues presented underscore the field’s multidisciplinary nature, ranging from materials science to system integration, and environmental science to regulatory standards. The findings presented could be useful to scientists, engineers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders working on the development and commercialization of SOFC systems in the sustainable transportation sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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Review

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24 pages, 2963 KiB  
Review
Permeability: The Driving Force That Influences the Mechanical Behavior of Polymers Used for Hydrogen Storage and Delivery
by Emanuele Sgambitterra and Leonardo Pagnotta
Energies 2024, 17(9), 2216; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17092216 - 4 May 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
This article explores the main mechanisms that can generate damage in polymers and polymer-based materials used for hydrogen storage and distribution infrastructures. All of these mechanisms are driven by the permeability process that is enhanced by the operating temperature and pressure conditions. Hydrogen [...] Read more.
This article explores the main mechanisms that can generate damage in polymers and polymer-based materials used for hydrogen storage and distribution infrastructures. All of these mechanisms are driven by the permeability process that is enhanced by the operating temperature and pressure conditions. Hydrogen storage and delivery systems typically work under high pressure and a relatively wide range of temperatures, especially during the filling and emptying processes. Therefore, it is of great interest to better understand how this phenomenon can influence the integrity of polymer-based hydrogen infrastructures in order to avoid catastrophic events and to better design/investigate new optimized solutions. The first part of this paper discusses the main storage and delivery solutions for gas and liquid hydrogen. Then, the physics of the permeability is investigated with a focus on the effect of pressure and temperature on the integrity of polymers working in a hydrogen environment. Finally, the main mechanisms that mostly induce damage in polymers operating in a hydrogen environment and that influence their mechanical properties are explored and discussed. Particular focus was placed on the rapid gas decompression and aging phenomena. In addition, some of the limits that still exist for a reliable design of polymer-based storage and delivery systems for hydrogen are pointed out. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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Other

14 pages, 2332 KiB  
Perspective
Mapping Hydrogen Initiatives in Italy: An Overview of Funding and Projects
by Marta Gandiglio and Paolo Marocco
Energies 2024, 17(11), 2614; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17112614 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2663
Abstract
The global momentum towards hydrogen has led to various initiatives aimed at harnessing hydrogen’s potential. In particular, low-carbon hydrogen is recognized for its crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement and heavy-duty transport. This study focuses [...] Read more.
The global momentum towards hydrogen has led to various initiatives aimed at harnessing hydrogen’s potential. In particular, low-carbon hydrogen is recognized for its crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement and heavy-duty transport. This study focuses on the presentation of all hydrogen-related financing initiatives in Italy, providing a comprehensive overview of the various activities and their geographical locations. The examined funding comes from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), from projects directly funded through the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and from several initiatives supported by private companies or other funding sources (hydrogen valleys). Specific calls for proposals within the PNRR initiative outline the allocation of funds, focusing on hydrogen production in brownfield areas (52 expected hydrogen production plants by 2026), hydrogen use in hard-to-abate sectors and the establishment of hydrogen refuelling stations for both road (48 refuelling stations by 2026) and railway transport (10 hydrogen-based railway lines). A detailed description of the funded initiatives (150 in total) is presented, encompassing their geographical location, typology and size (when available), as well as the funding they have received. This overview sheds light on regions prioritising decarbonisation efforts in heavy-duty transport, especially along cross-border commercial routes, as evident in northern Italy. Conversely, some regions concentrate more on local transport, typically buses, or on the industrial sector, primarily steel and chemical industries. Additionally, the study presents initiatives aimed at strengthening the national manufacturing capacity for hydrogen-related technologies, alongside new regulatory and incentive schemes for hydrogen. The ultimate goal of this analysis is to foster connections among existing and planned projects, stimulate new initiatives along the entire hydrogen value chain, raise an awareness of hydrogen among stakeholders and promote cooperation and international competitiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogen-Based Energy Systems for Sustainable Transportation)
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