Hydrogen Storage Technologies

In order to achieve the globally agreed carbon dioxide reductions for a heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) several technologies are currently pursued, battery electrical vehicles (BEV), fuel cell electrical vehicles (FCEV), hydrogen-internal combustion engines (H₂-ICE) and e-fuels. The total cost of ownership (TCO) is a very important aspect in the transportation sector. The fuel cell electrical vehicle (FCEV) is a very interesting alternative powertrain technology especially for long haul applications. The hydrogen storage technology is a key success factor to achieve the overall TCO requirements. The paper describes the specific requirements and challenges for a hydrogen storage system in a HDV application and compares the three different hydrogen storage technologies, such as compressed gaseous hydrogen (CGH₂), liquid hydrogen (LH₂) and cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH₂).