Search Results (33)

Hydrogen offers an effective pathway for the large-scale storage of renewable energy. For a tourist city located in a plateau region rich in renewable energy, hydrogen shows great potential for reducing carbon emissions and utilizing uncertain renewable energy. Herein, the wind–solar–hydrogen stand-alone and grid-connected systems in the plateau tourist city of Lijiang City in Yunnan Province are modeled and techno-economically evaluated by using the HOMER Pro software (version 3.14.2) with the multi-criteria decision analysis models. The system is composed of 5588 kW solar photovoltaic panels, an 800 kW wind turbine, a 1600 kW electrolyzer, a 421 kWh battery, and a 50 kW fuel cell. In addition to meeting the power requirements for system operation, the system has the capacity to provide daily electricity for 200 households in a neighborhood and supply 240 kg of hydrogen per day to local hydrogen-fueled buses. The stand-alone system can produce 10.15 × 10⁶ kWh of electricity and 93.44 t of hydrogen per year, with an NPC of USD 8.15 million, an LCOE of USD 0.43/kWh, and an LCOH of USD 5.26/kg. The grid-connected system can generate 10.10 × 10⁶ kWh of electricity and 103.01 ton of hydrogen annually. Its NPC is USD 7.34 million, its LCOE is USD 0.11/kWh, and its LCOH is USD 3.42/kg. This study provides a new solution for optimizing the configuration of hybrid renewable energy systems, which will develop the hydrogen economy and create low-carbon-emission energy systems. Full article

Public transportation in cities is negatively affected by reliance on petroleum-based fuels, leading to emissions and poor air quality. Although the environmental evaluation of alternative buses in terms of sustainability has been extensively studied, the social dimensions have not received as much attention. In this regard, this research examines the social implications of alternative urban buses through life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods, including Eco-Indicator 99, Impact 2002+, and ReCiPe Endpoint. The results indicate that diesel buses significantly impact health, while hybrid, fuel cell, and electric buses can decrease emissions by 50%. These results underscore the necessity of zero-emission technologies to enhance urban air quality and promote better public health. Full article

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions depends mostly on urban transport electrification. However, the role of trolleybus systems in this process is still under discussion. The objective of this study was to analyze the viability of trolleybus buses in relation to diesel buses regarding environmental and economic aspects. The research was conducted in Vilnius, Lithuania using an extended CO₂ emission methodology incorporating physicochemical fuel properties and real-world operational data that allowed us to estimate CO₂ emissions and economic impacts. The findings indicate that the Vilnius trolleybus system prevents 84,996.32 kg of CO₂ emissions monthly compared to diesel buses (gross avoided emissions). After accounting for emissions from electricity generation (based on Lithuania’s 2023 grid mix), the net avoided emissions are approximately 61,569 kg of CO₂ per month, equivalent to EUR 4284 in carbon credits. The system also significantly reduces local air pollutants. Moreover, the new In-Motion Charging (IMC) technology improves system flexibility by decreasing dependence on overhead wires and maintaining low emission levels. IMC trolleybuses represent a cost-efficient option compared to battery-electric buses (BEBs) and hydrogen fuel cell buses (FCEBs). Our findings support the European Union’s decarbonization goals and provide essential insights for policymakers considering public transportation electrification efforts. Full article

This study evaluates four hybrid infrastructure scenarios for supporting battery electric buses (BEBs) and fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), analyzing different combinations of grid power, solar energy, battery storage, and fuel cell systems. A multi-stage framework—comprising energy demand forecasting, infrastructure capacity planning, and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) evaluation incorporating total cost of ownership (TCO), carbon emissions, and energy resilience—was developed and applied to a real-world transit depot. The results highlight critical trade-offs between financial, environmental, and operational objectives. The limited rooftop solar configuration, integrating solar energy through a Solar Power Purchase Agreement (SPPA), emerges as the most cost-effective near-term solution. Offsite solar with onsite large-scale battery storage and offsite solar with fuel cell integration achieve greater sustainability and resilience, but they face substantial cost barriers. The analysis underscores the importance of balancing investment, emissions reduction, and resilience in planning zero-emission bus fleets. Full article

To combat global warming, many industrialized countries have announced plans to ban vehicles powered by fossil fuel in the near future. In alignment with this global initiative, many countries across the globe are committed to decarbonizing their public transportation sector, which significantly contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions. A promising strategy to achieve this goal is the adoption of electric buses, specifically battery electric buses and fuel cell electric buses. Each technology offers distinct advantages and drawbacks, making the decision-making process complex. This research aims to answer two critical questions: What is the optimal choice for decarbonizing the bus transportation sector—electric battery buses or fuel cell electric buses? And what are the best energy carrier pathways for charging or refueling these buses? We propose a methodological framework based on multi-criteria decision-making to address these questions comprehensively. This framework utilizes the entropy weighting and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methodologies to rank alternative bus technologies along with energy carrier pathways. The framework evaluates a range of criteria, including economic viability, energy demand, and environmental aspects. To illustrate the framework, we considered Qatar as a case study. Our results indicate that, with respect to economic viability and energy consumption, the operation of battery electric buses is favored over fuel cell electric buses, regardless of the energy pathway utilized during both the energy production and bus operation phases. However, from an environmental perspective, operating both bus alternatives using energy from green sources provides superior performance compared to when these buses are powered by natural gas sources. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive review of scientific papers and market reports analyzing the economic competitiveness of fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) with respect to their conventional alternatives via the total cost of ownership (TCO) methodology. We discussed the variables and data taken into account and compared the resulting outcomes by year and geographical areas. It emerged that FCBs are not currently cost competitive. The decreasing trend in acquisition and fuel costs, however, indicates potential for future competitiveness. We find that the current TCO literature on FCEBs presents several areas of uncertainty and weakness. Potential improvements can be achieved by: (i) extending the geographic coverage to Asian and African developing countries; (ii) making use of real-world data instead of simulated data, in particular, concerning acquisition costs, hydrogen costs under different pathways, fuel efficiency, and maintenance costs; (iii) clarifying the role of infrastructural costs; (iv) exploring the existence of economies of scale at fleet level; (v) distinguishing among different bus sizes. Full article

Addressing the pressing challenge of global warming, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector is a critical imperative. Battery and fuel cell electric vehicles have emerged as promising solutions for curbing emissions in this sector. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) for typical passenger vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, and city buses using either proton-exchange membrane fuel cells or Li-ion batteries with different cell chemistries. To ensure accuracy, we supplemented existing studies with data from the literature, particularly for the recycling phase, as database limitations were encountered. Our results highlight that fuel cell and battery systems exhibit large emissions in the production phase. Recycling can significantly offset some of these emissions, but a comparison of the technologies examined revealed considerable differences. Overall, battery electric vehicles consistently outperform fuel cell electric vehicles regarding absolute greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, we recommend prioritizing battery electric over fuel cell vehicles. However, deploying fuel cell electric vehicles could become attractive in a hydrogen economy scenario where other factors, e.g., the conversion and storage of surplus renewable electricity via electrolysis, become important. Full article

Modernizing public transportation is crucial, given the ongoing call for sustainable mobility. Growing concerns about climate change and the increasingly stringent emissions standards have compelled public transport operators to embrace alternative propulsion vehicles on a broader scale. For the past years, the Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) have been the vehicle of choice for public transportation. However, an emerging contender in this sector is the Fuel Cell Electric Bus (FCEB). This paper aims to evaluate the way one such vehicle would perform in terms of energy efficiency while being exploited in an urban scenario generated from collected data. Full article

In the transition to sustainable public transportation with zero-emission buses, hydrogen fuel cell electric buses have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional diesel buses. However, assessing their economic viability is crucial for widespread adoption. This study carries out a comprehensive examination, encompassing both sensitivity and probabilistic analyses, to assess the total cost of ownership (TCO) for the bus fleet and its corresponding infrastructure. It considers various hydrogen supply options, encompassing on-site electrolysis, on-site steam methane reforming, and off-site hydrogen procurement with both gaseous and liquid delivery methods. The analysis covers critical cost elements, encompassing bus acquisition costs, infrastructure capital expenses, and operational and maintenance costs for both buses and infrastructure. This paper conducted two distinct case studies: one involving a current small bus fleet of five buses and another focusing on a larger fleet set to launch in 2028. For the current small fleet, the off-site gray hydrogen purchase with a gaseous delivery option is the most cost-effective among hydrogen alternatives, but it still incurs a 26.97% higher TCO compared to diesel buses. However, in the case of the expanded 2028 fleet, the steam methane-reforming method without carbon capture emerges as the most likely option to attain the lowest TCO, with a high probability of 99.5%. Additionally, carbon emission costs were incorporated in response to the growing emphasis on environmental sustainability. The findings indicate that although diesel buses currently represent the most economical option in terms of TCO for the existing small fleet, steam methane reforming with carbon capture presents a 69.2% likelihood of being the most cost-effective solution, suggesting it is a strong candidate for cost efficiency for the expanded 2028 fleet. Notably, substantial investments are required to increase renewable energy integration in the power grid and to enhance electrolyzer efficiency. These improvements are essential to make the electrolyzer a more competitive alternative to steam methane reforming. Overall, the findings in this paper underscore the substantial impact of the hydrogen supply chain and carbon emission costs on the TCO of zero-emission buses. Full article

Nowadays, designing and adopting sustainable and greener transport systems is of upmost interest. The European Commission and different EU countries are developing plans and programs—but also delivering resources—aimed at the decarbonization of cities and transport by 2030. In this paper, the case study of the city of Brescia, a city of about 200,000 inhabitants located in northern Italy, is addressed. Specifically, a preliminary operational and financial feasibility study is performed assuming the replacement of the entire compressed natural gas (CNG) powered bus fleet of a specific line; the two alternatives considered are battery electric buses (BEBs) and fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs). For the comparison and evaluation of the two alternatives, specific economic parameters of the three alternatives (BEB, FCEB and the current solution CNGB) were considered: CAPEX (CAPital EXpenditure) and OPEX (OPerational EXpenditure). This allowed us to determine the TCO (total cost of ownership) and TCRO (total cost and revenues of ownership) along three annuities (2022, 2025 and 2030). For the BEB alternative, the TCO and TCRO values are between EUR 0.58/km and EUR 0.91/km. In the case of the FCEB solution, the values of TCO and TCRO are between EUR 1.75/km and EUR 2.15/km. Considering the current CNGB solution, the TCO and TCRO values range between EUR 1.43/km and EUR 1.51/km. Full article

This comprehensive review explores recent developments in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and evaluates their alignment with the ambitious targets established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Notable advancements have been made in developing catalysts, membrane technology advancements, gas diffusion layers (GDLs), and enhancements in bipolar plates. Notable findings include using carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide in membranes, leading to substantial performance enhancements. Innovative coatings and materials for bipolar plates have demonstrated improved corrosion resistance and reduced interfacial contact resistance, approaching DOE targets. Nevertheless, the persistent trade-off between durability and cost remains a formidable challenge. Extending fuel cell lifetimes to DOE standards often necessitates higher catalyst loadings, conflicting with cost reduction objectives. Despite substantial advancements, the ultimate DOE goals of USD 30/kW for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and USD 600,000 for fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) remain elusive. This review underscores the necessity for continuous research and innovation, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts among academia, industry, and government agencies to overcome the remaining technical barriers. Full article

A main restriction of renewables from intermittent sources is the mismatch between energy resource availability and energy requirements, especially when extensive power plants are producing at their highest potential causing huge energy surpluses. In these cases, excess power must be stored or curtailed. One alternative is increasing urban solar potential which could be integrated to feed electric buses directly or alternatively through hydrogen (H₂) as an energy vector. H₂ from renewable electricity can be stored and used directly or through fuel cells. This study aims to determine the H₂ capability that could be achieved when integrating large-scale photovoltaic (PV) generation in urban areas. This analysis was carried out by determining the PV energy potentially generated by installing PV in Cuenca City downtown (Ecuador). Cuenca is in the process of adopting renewal of the public transport vehicle fleet, introducing a new model with an electric tram main network combined with “clean type buses”. The conventional diesel urban transport could be replaced, establishing a required vehicle fleet of 475 buses spread over 29 routes, emitting 112 tons of CO2 and burning 11,175 gallons of diesel daily. Between the main findings, we concluded that the electricity that could be produced in the total roof area exceeds the actual demand in the study area by 5.5 times. Taking into account the energy surplus, it was determined that the available PV power will cover from 97% to 127% of the total demand necessary to mobilize the city bus fleet. The novelty of this work is the proposal of a combined methodology to find the potential to feed urban transport with urban solar power in cities, close to the equatorial line. Full article

The heavy reliance on petroleum-based fuels in the road transport industry, especially public transportation, results in substantial emissions of greenhouse gases. A significant obstacle on the path to a more sustainable public transportation sector is the employment of alternative fuels with lower environmental implications. Although there are several in-depth well-to-wheel studies for developed countries, extrapolating those results to gasoline markets in developing countries presents challenges because of significant differences in local fuel conditions and vehicle engine technologies. Notably, this study provides a national-level environmental life cycle assessment of alternative buses in Morocco and compares current diesel buses to potential hybrid diesel-electric buses, battery-electric buses, and fuel-cell buses from a well-to-wheel perspective. The model and approach used in this study applies to other countries with developing economies. Total energy consumption broken out by fuel type, greenhouse gas emissions, and criterion air pollutants is the primary outcome of this investigation. Findings highlight an energy cut of 44.7% from battery-electric buses, 36.3% from fuel-cell buses, and 31.7% from hybrid buses with regard to the current diesel buses. Additionally, alternative fuel buses proved to be less polluting in terms of greenhouse gas emissions with 50.8% less from battery-electric buses, 46.7% less from fuel-cell buses, and 26.8% less from hybrid buses; consequently, this would lead to reduced climate change, air pollution, acidification, and eutrophication, given the Egalitarian Environmental Impact Assessment. Ultimately, Morocco will have to tackle technological, financial, and institutional barriers to fully implement the change by 2030. Full article

Public bus decarbonization is increasingly important to address the global issue of climate change. There are several challenges associated with large-scale introduction of zero-emission technologies in public fleets. This is especially the case in an extra-urban context, of mountain regions with challenging weather conditions. In this work the analysis of the state-of-the-art ZEBs, local bus lines, and timetables was performed to understand the best fit of technology—battery electric buses (BEBs) or fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs)—for each line in such a region. Further, a simulation tool was developed to calculate the compatibility of zero-emission technologies with the current needs of the public transportation considering distance, altitude difference, and climate conditions. The results show that a complete switch of the fleet is possible with a slight increase in the number of buses and that there is no clear difference in the distance covered in mountainous areas by BEBs versus FCEBs, but that both technologies can cover similar distances. The tool developed is not limited to bus fleets but can be applied to all kinds of fleets that cover clearly defined daily routes. Full article

In a recent publication, the Hydrogen Council states that scaling up to greater production volumes leads to significant cost savings as a consequence of the industrialization of equipment manufacturing, increased utilization, standardization, and improvements in system efficiency and flexibility. In this study, a component-oriented techno-economic model is applied to five different European hydrogen refueling stations within the 3Emotion project, which is planned to ensure capacities sufficient for increasing a fleet to 100 fuel cell buses. The investigation of the various cases shows that the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) for large-scale applications will be in the range of about 4 €/kg to 7 €/kg within the boundaries analyzed. On-site production facilities were found to be the lower-cost design, benefiting from the high volumes at stake and the economy of scale with respect to decentralized production due to the significant costs associated with retail hydrogen and transport. This study also illustrates the effects on the LCOH of varying the hydrogen delivery and production prices using a sensitivity analysis. The results show that, by utilizing high-capacity trailers, the costs associated with delivery could be reduced by 30%. Furthermore, green hydrogen production could be a competitive solution if coupled with low electricity prices, resulting in an LCOH between 4.21 €/kg and 6.80 €/kg. Full article