Currently, hydrogen is distributed through three methods:
Creating an infrastructure for hydrogen distribution and delivery to thousands of individual fueling stations presents many challenges. Because hydrogen contains less energy per unit volume than gasoline, transporting, storing, and delivering it to the point of end-use is more expensive. Building a new hydrogen pipeline network involves high initial capital costs, and hydrogen's properties present unique challenges to pipeline materials and compressor design. However, because hydrogen can be produced from a wide variety of resources, regional or even local production of hydrogen can maximize use of local resources and minimize distribution challenges. There are tradeoffs between centralized and distributed production to consider. Producing hydrogen centrally in large plants cuts production costs but boosts distribution costs. Producing hydrogen at the point of end-use—at fueling stations, for example—cuts distribution costs but boosts production costs because of relatively low production volumes. Government and industry research and development projects are overcoming the barriers to efficient hydrogen distribution. Learn more about hydrogen distribution from the Fuel Cell Technologies Program. Source: US Dept of Energy |
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Honda’s Home Hydrogen Fueling Station2008 |
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