According to energy researchers, hydrogen fuel has the potential to be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline and diesel, and supplying hydrogen for transportation in the greater Houston area is already profitable.
As the world works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and find sustainable transportation solutions, University of Houston energy researchers suggest that hydrogen fuel could be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional liquid fuels and that supplying hydrogen for transportation in the greater Houston area could be profitable today.
A white paper titled “Competitive Pricing of Hydrogen as an Economic Alternative to Gasoline and Diesel for the Houston Transportation Sector” examines the promise of the potential of hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. More than 230 million metric tons of carbon dioxide gas are released each year by the transportation sector in Texas.
This research underscores the transformative potential of hydrogen in the transportation sector. Our findings indicate that hydrogen can be a cost-competitive and environmentally responsible choice for consumers, businesses, and policymakers in the greater Houston area.
Christine Ehlig-Economides
Because of their higher energy density, traditional liquid transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel are preferred. Unlike gasoline vehicles, which emit harmful carbon dioxide, and diesel vehicles, which contribute to harmful ground-level ozone, fuel cell electric vehicles refuel with hydrogen in five minutes and emit no emissions.
Houston had approximately 5.5 million registered vehicles in fiscal year 2022, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Imagine if all of these vehicles ran on hydrogen. According to the researchers, Houston, which is home to many hydrogen plants for industrial use, has several advantages.
“It has more than sufficient water and commercial filtering systems to support hydrogen generation,” the study states. “Add to that the existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure, which makes hydrogen production and supply more cost effective and makes Houston ideal for transitioning from traditional vehicles to hydrogen-powered ones.”
Co-authors of the paper are Christine Ehlig-Economides, professor and Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Chair at UH; Paulo Liu, research associate in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at UH; and Alexander Economides, a UH alumnus and co-founder and chief executive officer of Kiribex Inc., a global carbon-credit issuance service and marketplace that specializes in the monetization of carbon credits derived from industrial and agricultural carbon-dioxide capture, storage, and utilization-related efforts.
The study compares three hydrogen generation processes: steam methane reforming (SMR), SMR with carbon capture (SMRCC), and electrolysis using grid electricity and water. The researchers used the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)’s H2A tools to provide cost estimates for these pathways, and the Hydrogen Delivery Scenario Analysis Model (HDSAM) developed by Argonne National Laboratory to generate the delivery model and costs.
Furthermore, it compares the cost of grid hydrogen to SMRCC hydrogen, demonstrating that without the tax credit incentive, SMRCC hydrogen can be supplied at a lower cost of $6.10 per kg hydrogen at the pump, making it competitive.
“This research underscores the transformative potential of hydrogen in the transportation sector,” she said. “Our findings indicate that hydrogen can be a cost-competitive and environmentally responsible choice for consumers, businesses, and policymakers in the greater Houston area.”
