If every college student in the US donated $1.00, we could build enough hydrogen stations to reach across the entire country.*
This improved system is designed to be modular, flexible, and capable of supporting the needs of a changing world. Hydrogen doesn't only power cars, in fact a fuel cell can power many different things, from small electronics to large houses, and more. One of the greatest advantages of this new energy infrastructure is its interchangeability. Hydrogen is produced now primarily by the oil industry using hydrocarbons. That's not the cleanest way to get hydrogen, but it is likely to be the most cost-effective, for now. Our hydrogen stations will be fully capable of producing their own H2 on-site using clean energy, but if there is one day a scenario of greater demand than we can supply, hydrocarbon-derived H2 could also be distributed via these stations in much the same way as gasoline and diesel are distributed to various gas stations now. It's not our first choice, but it is always good to have a backup option. Even when derived from fossil fuels (hydrocarbons), hydrogen is still better for the environment than gasoline due to the relative efficiency of fuel cells. The cost of hydrogen will be far less volatile than that of oil because it is not geographically constrained, meaning it can be produced almost anywhere on Earth.
An important part of designing this new energy infrastructure is making it as future-proof as we possibly can. Many different sources of electricity can be used to power the electrolysis mentioned in the Tech section of this website, from coal and nuclear to solar and wind. Clean energy will always be our preference, but it's nice to have options. The main reason for explaining this difference in the sources of hydrogen is to provide a better picture of the costs. Most estimates put the cost of each station at around $1.25 million. Many factors will determine the final costs of construction, but this figure is a good starting point.
* The average cost to build a hydrogen station is $1.25 million. The hydrogen fuel cell Honda FCX Clarity (they do not sponsor or endorse us, it's just used here for example) has a range of approximately 240 miles per tank of hydrogen (EPA estimate). To be on the safe side, we will assume fill-ups at around 200 miles. To drive from Los Angeles to Atlanta is around 2,600 miles. Divide that by 200 miles per tank and you get 13. That's about how many stations we would need. Now, take $1.25 million x 13 = $16.25 million. There are an estimated 20-22 million college students in the United States, not to mention all the other people who are interested in building a better future. On the next page, Facts, you will see why the old saying "An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure" has never been more true than when it comes to energy and the environment.
Additional Resources:
- Detailed .pdf report about costs of hydrogen infrastructure from Energy.Gov
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/review12/an020_melaina_2012_o.pdf
-