6.1 Recommendations
Taiwan is an island located west of china with high energy demand. Over 90% of energy is imported making Taiwan vulnerable to world energy price fluctuation that leads to inflation. To mitigate the energy situation in Taiwan, Taiwan’s government should actively pursue alternative energy options such as hydrogen energy. Two advantages Taiwan has are renewable energy and small geographical location. Taiwan has abundant renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, ocean energy, and these renewable energies can be converted into hydrogen for transportation. Small land size allows Taiwan to quickly build up hydrogen infrastructure around the country.
In order to realize hydrogen as part of the Taiwan’s energy sector, Taiwan with the lead of government should actively pursue renewable energies to provide electricity around the island. When renewable energies are in excess supply, these can be converted to hydrogen for road vehicles and fishing boats. Taiwan government should form a special division for renewable energy with active policies to encourage and coordinate companies, research centers, and universities involvement. A platform should be available for exchanging information and data to avoid redundancy.
Renewable energy division should also inform the public about the possibilities of hydrogen energy and other alternative energy through internet, traditional media, schools, and brochures. Government should set up hydrogen and fuel cell demonstration projects to test the feasibility and allow more exposure to the public.
Fuel cell cars and buses can be obtained from major car companies while Chinese
Petroleum Company can develop hydrogen refueling station. Overall, Taiwan should consider hydrogen energy as one of the alternative energy possibilities for the next energy generation.
6.2 Conclusion
Energy and environment problems are gradually reveling consequences toward our society. Many warnings have been made through out the history. However, these problems are public interest that individuals might careless compare to other issues that directly impact them. Crude oil prices continue to reach historical record high, while demands from developing countries continue to rise. Carbon dioxide as a green house gas continues to contribute to global warming and climate changes.
North Pole ice cap melted at rates faster than expected, glaciers also experienced faster melting rate. Majority or all ice cap melted was predicted to happen in 2100, with dynamic conditions, years have been shorten to 2050 and then in year 2030. In 2007, North Pole experienced largest ice melt rate, about 60% of ice were melted.
2008 news reported a 50% chance of complete ice free environment for North Pole in summer suggested by scientist from National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado.
Although complete melt of ice have no immediate harm, the situation clearly gives a message to the society on the seriousness of climate changes (Duke, Alan, 2008).
Hydrogen as an energy carrier might not solve the problem completely, but sure serve as a resolution toward the energy and environment problems. Just like using electricity, hydrogen is a clean energy with many applications. However, it is a secondary energy manufactured from primary energy. So the overall energy system still emits carbon dioxide if hydrogen is produced from fossil fuel. An overall clean energy system can be achieve if hydrogen is produced from clean renewable energy
such as solar or wind power. These kinds of renewable energy fluctuate in providing energy supplies, so hydrogen can serve as a massive energy storage medium to handle the fluctuating energy supplies and demands. Combined with fuel cell technology, hydrogen can be used in many applications while currently transportation sector is the most aggressive developers.
Hydrogen energy and fuel cells face many difficulties, and many of them are problems associated with technologies. There are multiple ways to produce hydrogen, while the cheapest way is still from manufacturing natural gas or fossil fuel.
Researches on cost down of clean hydrogen production methods are needed.
Hydrogen storage and distribution still faces many technological challenges, so the hydrogen infrastructure based on centralized production, storage and distribution is currently not possible. Decentralized on site production and refueling stations are currently available, but the price tends to be higher with lesser hydrogen production choices. Fuel cells needs improvement in durability and other technological break through for better performance. In addition, dynamic public perceptions, policies, standards, and safety issues are also important for the success of hydrogen energy infrastructure.
Hydrogen was once used in early 20th century for street lamps, but later replaced by electricity and fossil fuel. In the future, as society largely uses hydrogen energy, hydrogen economy is formed. Hydrogen economy can ideally reach zero carbon emission and combined with renewable energy can assist sustainable development.
Many barriers existed in the pathway of hydrogen economy, but hydrogen energy has long term advantages worth the efforts in pursuing. Building a new energy infrastructure requires collaboration between government, research institutes, universities, private sectors, individuals, and international organizations. As one of the promising alternative energies, hydrogen economy is worthy for further explorations.
References:
Blanchette Jr., Stephan. A hydrogen Economy and its impact on the world as we know it. Energy Policy 36 (2008): 522-530.
California Fuel Cell Partnership. Retrieved June 2008
<http://www.cafcp.org/index.html>.
Hydrogen Fueling Stations. California Fuel Cell Partnership. Retrieved June 2008
<http://www.cafcp.org/fuel-vehl_map.html>. Opportunities, and Barriers. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 12 (2007): 325-241.
Duke, Alan. North Pole could be ice-free this summer, scientists say. June 27, 2008.
CNN. Retrieved June 28, 2008
<http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/06/27/north.pole.melting/index.ht ml>.
Fuel Cell 2000. Breakthrough Technologies Institute. Retrieved June 2008
< http://www.fuelcells.org.>
Fuel Cell Vehicles. Fuel Cell 2000. Retrieved June 2008
<http://www.fuelcells.org/info/charts/carchart.pdf>.
Heinz, Boris and Erdmann, Georg. Dynamic effects on the acceptance of hydrogen technologies: an international comparison. International Journal of Hydrogen 33.12 (2008): 3004-3008.
Hoffman, Peter. Tomorrow’s Energy: Hydrogen, Fuel Cell, and the Prospects for a cleaner planet. Cambridge. MA: MIT Press, 2001.
Honda Announces First FCX Clarity Customers and World First Fuel Cell Vehicle Dealership Network as Clarity Production Begins in Japan. June 16, 2008.
Honda News Release. Retrieved June 17, 2008.
<http://world.honda.com/news/2008/4080616First-FCX-Clarity/>.
Honda Celebrates Anniversary of World’s First Individual Retail Fuel Cell Vehicle Customer. June 29, 2006. Honda News Release. Retrieved June, 2008
< http://world.honda.com/news/2006/4060629FuelCellVehicle/>.
Honda Delivers FCX Fuel Cell Vehicle to World’s first Individual Customer. June 29, 2005. Honda News Release. Retrieved June 2008
<http://world.honda.com/news/2005/4050629.html>.
Honda FCX Clarity, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle. Retrieved June 2008
<http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/>.
Hydrogen Demonstration Project Atlas. International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy. Retrieved June 2008 <http://www.iphe.net/newatlas/atlas.htm>.
Hydrogen Distribution and Delivery Infrastructure. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program. Retrieved May 2008
<http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/doe_h2_delivery.pdf>
Honda Fuel Cell. Retrieved June 2008 < http://world.honda.com/FuelCell/>.
Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Retrieved May 2008 <http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/>.
Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Retrieved May, 2008 < http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/>
Hydrogen & Fuel Cell: Review of National R&D Program. France: OECD/IEA, 2004.
Hydrogen Implementing Agreement. International Energy Agency. Retrieved June 2008 <http://www.ieahia.org/>.
Hydrogen Production and Storage: R&D Priorities and Gap. France: OECD/IEA, 2006.
Hydrogen Safety. Schatz Energy Research Center. Retrieved June 2008
<http://www.schatzlab.org/h2safety.html>.
Hydrogen Safety Fact Sheet. National Hydrogen Association. Retrieved June 2008
<http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/general/factSheet_safety.pdf>.
International Energy Agency. Retrieved June 2008 <http://www.iea.org/>.
International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy. Retrieved June 2008
<http://www.iphe.net/>.
Icelandic New Energy Promoting Hydrogen in Iceland. Icelandic New Energy Ltd.
Retrieved June 2008. <http://www.ectos.is/en/>.
Ivy, Johanna. Summary of Electrolytic Hydrogen Production. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2004.
Japan Fuel Cell Demonstration Project: Moving our future forward. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Retrieved June 2008
< http://www.jhfc.jp/data/pamphlet/pdf/pamphlet.pdf>
JHFC Demonstration Project. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Retrieved June 2008 < http://www.jhfc.jp/>.
Kroposki, B. et al. Electrolysis: Information and Opportunities for Electric Power Utilities. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2006.
Rayment, Chris and Sherwin, Scott. Introduction to Fuel Cell Technology. 2003, University of Notre Dame, Retrieved May 2008,
<http://www.nd.edu/~msen/Teaching/DirStudies/FuelCells.pdf>.
Maack, Maria H. and Skulason, Jon Bjorn. Implementing the hydrogen economy.
Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (2006): 52-64.
Marban, Gregorio and Valdes-Solis, Teresa. Towards the hydrogen economy?.
International Journal of Hydrogen 32 (2007): 1625-1637.
Mason, James E. World energy analysis: H2 now or later?. Energy Policy 35 (2007):
1315-1329.
Mathis, David A. Hydrogen Technology for Energy. Park Ridge, N.J.: Noyes Data Corporation, 1976.
Merewether, E.A. Alternative Sources of Energy: An Introduction to Fuel Cells.
Virginia: USGS, 2003.
Mulder Grietus, et al. Towards a sustainable hydrogen economy: Hydrogen pathways and infrastructure. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 32 (2007):
1324-1311
O’Garra, Tanya, et al. Investigating attitudes to hydrogen refueling facilities and the social cost to local residents. Energy Policy 36 (2008): 2074-2085.
Padro Gregoire, Catherine E. and Lau, Francis, eds. Advances in Hydrogen Energy.
NY: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.
Pehnt, Martin and Ramesohl, Stephan. Fuel cells for Distributed Power: Benefits, Barriers and Perspectives. Retrieved May 2008, < http://assets.panda.org>.
Prospects for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells. France: OECD/IEA, 2005.
Romm, Joseph J. The Hype About Hydrogen: Fact and Fiction in the Race to Save the Climate. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004.
Shell Hydrogen. Retrieved July, 2008
<http://www.shell.com/home/content/hydrogen-en>
Steenberghen, Therese and Lopez, Elena. Overcoming barriers to the implementation of alternative fuels for road transport in Europe. Journal of Cleaner Production 16 (2008): 577-590
Sigfusson, Thorsteinn I. Hydrogen island: the story and motivations behind the Icelandic hydrogen society experiment. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 12 (2007): 407-418.
Stobart, Richard, ed. Fuel Cell Technology for Vehicles. PA: Society of Automotive Engineers, 2001.
The History of Hydrogen. National Hydrogen Association. Retrieved May 2008
<http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/general/factSheet_history.pdf>.
The Hydrogen Economy: A non-technical review. United National Environmental Programme, 2006.
The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers, and R&D Needs.
Washington, D.C: National Academies Press, 2004.
Toyota Develops Advanced Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle. June 6, 2008. Toyota News Release. Retrieved June 16, 2008
<http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/08/0606_2.html>
Toyota FCHV. Retrieved June 2008.
<http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environment/fchv/index.html>
Types of Fuel Cell. U.S. Department of Defense Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center.
Retrieved May 2008 <http://www.fctec.com/fctec_types.asp>.
Veziroglu, T. Nejat and Sahin, Sumer. 21st Century’s energy: Hydrogen energy system.
Energy Conversion and Management 49 (2008): 1820-1831.
Winter, Carl-Jochen and Nitsch, Joachim, eds. Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier:
Technologies, Systems, Economy. Germany: Springer-Verlag, 1988.
Zhou, Li. Progress and problems in hydrogen storage methods. Renewable &
Sustainable Energy Reviews 9 (2005) : 395-408.
Zuttel, Andreas. Hydrogen storage and distribution system. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 12 (2007): 343-365.