Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership Second Report (2008) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 1-15
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The pathway starts with internal combustion engines (ICEs) more efficient than today's, proceeds through the increasing use of a variety of ICE hybrid electric vehicles, and then, by 2015, arrives at the point where the private sector can make a decision, based on information generated by the Partnership, about the commercialization of fuel-cell-powered vehicles fueled by economically competitive hydrogen produced from a variety of energy sources.
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There are 11 technical teams consisting of scientists and engineers from the USCAR member companies, energy partner companies, and national laboratories, as well as DOE managers of technology development: • Advanced combustion and emission control, • Fuel cells, • Onboard hydrogen storage, • Electrochemical energy storage, • Electrical and electronics, • Materials, • Hydrogen production, • Hydrogen delivery, • Fuel pathway integration, • Codes and standards (C&S) , and • Vehicle systems analysis.
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program is focused on fundamental work in areas such as hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, fuel cell membranes and electrodes, and catalysts.
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Furthermore, with increased national interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the research efforts of the Partnership are more needed than ever before. TECHNICAL AREAS Advanced Combustion Engines and Emission Controls Internal combustion engines (ICEs)
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Recommendation. The Partnership should formulate and implement a clear set of criteria to identify and provide support to ICE combustion and emission control projects that are precompetitive and show potential for improvements well beyond those currently being developed by industry. Fuel Cells The development of fuel cells for vehicles and of an infrastructure to deliver hydrogen fuel promises to be one of the most efficient and least polluting ways to power personal transportation vehicles while providing the potential for meeting the Partnership's major goals.
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The systems analysis techniques being developed should enable the allocation of these funds so that promising approaches are emphasized and progress speeded. Recommendation. The hydrogen storage program should continue to be supported by the Partnership at a high level since finding a suitable storage material is critical to fulfillment of the vision for the hydrogen economy.
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. Very significant progress has been made during the last 2 years, and lithium ion batteries have been developed that can meet several of the FreedomCAR 2010 goals, including weight, volume, and cycle life requirements, with good prospects for meeting the remaining goals as well as the calendar life requirements.
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Recommendation. The Partnership should conduct a meta-analysis and develop quantitative models to identify fundamental geometric limitations that ultimately set bounds on and lead to the realization of the size, mass, and cost of power converters and electric propulsion systems in relation to the physical properties of materials and processes such as dielectric strength, magnetic saturation, and thermal conductivity. This will allow the various ongoing and future efforts to be benchmarked against the theoretical boundaries of what is possible and enable the establishment of appropriate directions in research goals.
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Hydrogen Production, Delivery, and Dispensing Hydrogen Fuel Pathways The Partnership envisions a gradual transition from petroleum-based fuel to hydrogen as the main energy carrier for transportation vehicles. There are many pathways that such a transition might follow, and each needs to be analyzed and understood.
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However, this process will result in greenhouse gas emissions and increased imports of natural gas, and because its space requirements (and that of other distributed generation schemes) could limit its use, it will need further study.
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Recommendation. DOE should increase funding for the delivery and dispensing program to meet the market transition and sustained market penetration time frames. If DOE concludes that a funding increase is not feasible, the program should be focused on the pipeline, liquefaction, and compression programs, where a successful, if only incremental, short-term impact could be significant for the market transition period.
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This program collects data from fuel-cell-powered vehicles being driven on public highways and from hydrogen refueling stations located in a variety of environments around the country. The data collection process is well conceived and is establishing a credible metric for the state of the art for hydrogen supply and fuel cell vehicle systems.
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petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is ever more recognized, which makes a high-level review and assessment of this program and its effectiveness very timely. Recommendation. DOE should accelerate the development and validation of tools that can be used to model propulsion system and vehicle technologies and fuels and determine their potential impact on the overall Partnership goals of reducing petroleum use and air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions.
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The committee also has noted some specific areas that should be expanded (i.e., electrolysis; hydrogen delivery/distribution; forecourt designs with minimum space requirements; fuel cells; safety, codes and standards) and has indicated that the proposed reduction in FY08 funds for the technology validation program be
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energy security and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the ongoing NRC study on hydrogen resources will certainly provide useful information on priorities of the overall effort to develop a transportation system that includes hydrogen-powered vehicles.
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