Re: 3rd April 2021 letters p 24 “Why hydrogen cars are probably non-starters”
Peter Newbery asserts, “an electric vehicle getting renewable energy from the grid wins out”, based on comparing “wire-to-wheel” efficiencies of battery vs fuel cell.
His efficiencies for electrolysers (70%) and fuel cells (50%) are outdated. Typical current figures are 80% and 60% respectively, narrowing the gap; meanwhile, intense research is delivering further improvements.
As electrolysis efficiency isn’t scale-dependent, green hydrogen can be produced at wind or solar farms – even offshore, for marine energy sources. Thus, negligible cable losses compared to getting green electricity from say NW Scotland to a car on a drive in the Home Counties; also, distributed green hydrogen production means lower fuel delivery distances. The gap closes more.
Green hydrogen fuel can be generated whenever renewable generation exceeds grid demand; thus, quite the opposite of battery cars, it helps with grid stabilisation and does not require massive network reinforcement. Hydrogen can be stored seasonally, can refuel a vehicle fast, can replenish vehicles in remote locations including off-road, on farm, ditto vessels at sea.
As for battery cars in winter… Just when the grid is under most pressure, all-journey cabin heating reduces the range and lengthens the recharge!
Not such a cut-and-dried case.