Applications & Pathways
Performance Evaluation of Renewable Energy Systems: Photovoltaic, Wind Turbine, Battery Bank, and Hydrogen Storage
Sep 2023
Publication
The analysis aims to determine the most efficient and cost-effective way of providing power to a remote site. The two primary sources of power being considered are photovoltaics and small wind turbines while the two potential storage media are a battery bank and a hydrogen storage fuel cell system. Subsequently the hydrogen is stored within a reservoir and employed as required by the fuel cell. This strategy offers a solution for retaining surplus power generated during peak production phases subsequently utilizing it during periods when the renewable power sources are generating less power. To evaluate the performance of the hydrogen storage system the analysis included a sensitivity analysis of the wind speed and the cost of the hydrogen subsystem. In this analysis the capital and replacement costs of the electrolyzer and hydrogen storage tank were linked to the fuel cell capital cost. As the fuel cell cost decreases the cost of the electrolyzer and hydrogen tank also decreases. The optimal system type graph showed that the hydrogen subsystem must significantly decrease in price to become competitive with the battery bank.
Assessment of Fuel Switching as a Decarbonization Strategy in the Cement Sector
May 2024
Publication
Limiting global warming and the pursuit of a net-zero global society by 2050 emphasizes the need to transform the hard-to-abate industrial sectors. The cement sector is the second-largest source of global industrial emissions accounting for 8% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Fuel switching in the cement sector is a decarbonization pathway that has not been explored in detail; previous studies involving fuel switching in the sector either view it from an energy efficiency lens or focus on a single technology. In this study a framework is developed to evaluate and directly compare six fuel switching options (including hydrogen biomass municipal solid waste and natural gas) from 2020 to 2050. Capital costs non-energy operating costs energy costs and carbon costs are used to calculate marginal abatement costs and emulate cost based-market decisions. The developed framework is used to conduct a case study for Canada using the LEAP-Canada model. This study shows that cumulative energy-related greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by up to 21% between 2020 and 2050 with negative marginal abatement costs. Multiple fuel switching decarbonization pathways were established reducing the likelihood that locality prevents meaningful emissions reduction and suggesting that with low-carbon fuel and electricity policies the sector can take significant steps towards emissions reduction. The developed framework can be applied to jurisdictions around the world for decision making as nations move towards eliminating emissions from cement production.
Enhanced Management of Unified Energy Systems Using Hydrogen Fuel Cell Combined Heat and Power with a Carbon Trading Scheme Incentivizing Emissions Reduction
Jun 2024
Publication
In the quest to achieve “double carbon” goals the urgency to develop an efficient Integrated Energy System (IES) is paramount. This study introduces a novel approach to IES by refining the conventional Power-to-Gas (P2G) system. The inability of current P2G systems to operate independently has led to the incorporation of hydrogen fuel cells and the detailed investigation of P2G’s dual-phase operation enhancing the integration of renewable energy sources. Additionally this paper introduces a carbon trading mechanism with a refined penalty–reward scale and a detailed pricing tier for carbon emissions compelling energy suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint thereby accelerating the reduction in system-wide emissions. Furthermore this research proposes a flexible adjustment mechanism for the heat-to-power ratio in cogeneration significantly enhancing energy utilization efficiency and further promoting conservation and emission reductions. The proposed optimization model in this study focuses on minimizing the total costs including those associated with carbon trading and renewable energy integration within the combined P2G-Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) cogeneration system. Employing a bacterial foraging optimization algorithm tailored to this model’s characteristics the study establishes six operational modes for comparative analysis and validation. The results demonstrate a 19.1% reduction in total operating costs and a 22.2% decrease in carbon emissions confirming the system’s efficacy low carbon footprint and economic viability.
Towards Enhanced Durability: A Review of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Development
Aug 2025
Publication
Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) provide a viable answer to transportation issues caused by fossil fuel limitations and environmental concerns. This review presents a thorough evaluation of the most recent advances in FCEV durability research. It addresses 4 major topics: component upgrades technical control techniques test optimization and durability prediction. Upgrades to components include improved catalysts bipolar plates gas diffusion layers proton exchange membranes and plant balancing. Technical control solutions include power energy temperature ventilation and control management. Stress acceleration and cold start tests are examples of test optimization whereas durability prediction requires parameter selection real-time monitoring dynamic modeling and lifespan prediction. This review also makes some novel recommendations targeted at improving the endurance of FCEVs. These include measures for raising public awareness lowering prices while increasing performance improving subsystems for greater durability updating health diagnostics to prevent performance deterioration and implementing supporting regulations to encourage industry upgrading. These findings are expected to accelerate the adoption of FCEVs and the transition to a more sustainable transportation system.
Coordinated Operation of Multi-energy Microgrids Considering Green Hydrogen and Congestion Management via a Safe Policy Learning Approach
Aug 2025
Publication
Multi-energy microgrids (MEMGs) with green hydrogen have attracted significant research attention for their benefits such as energy efficiency improvement carbon emission reduction as well as line congestion alleviation. However the complexities of multi-energy networks coupled with diverse uncertainties may threaten MEMG’s operation. In this paper a data-driven methodology is proposed to achieve effective MEMG operation considering the green hydrogen technique and congestion management. First a detailed MEMG modelling approach is developed coupling with electricity green hydrogen natural gas and thermal flows. Different from conventional MEMG models hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) models and weatherdependent power flow are thoroughly considered in the modelling. Meanwhile the power flow congestion problem is also formulated in the MEMG operation which could be mitigated through HCNG integration. Based on the proposed MEMG model a reinforcement learning-based method is designed to obtain the optimal solution of MEMG operation. To ensure the solution’s safety a soft actor-critic (SAC) algorithm is applied and modified by leveraging the Lagrangian relaxation and safety layer scheme. In the end case studies are conducted and presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Role of Hydrogen in the Ecological Benefits of Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel Production and Use: An LCA Benchmark
Apr 2019
Publication
Desulphurization of oil-based fuels is common practice to mitigate the ecological burden to ecosystems and human health of SOx emissions. In many countries fuels for vehicles are restricted to 10 ppm sulphur. For marine fuels low sulphur contents are under discussion. The environmental impact of desulphurization processes is however quite high: (1) The main current source for industrial hydrogen is Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) with a rather high level of CO2 emissions (2) the hydrotreating process especially below 150 ppm needs a lot of energy. These two issues lead to three research questions: (a) What is the overall net ecological benefit of the current desulphurization practice? (b) At which sulfphur ppm level in the fuel is the additional ecological burden of desulphurization higher than the additional ecological benefit of less SOx pollution from combustion? (c) To what extent can cleaner hydrogen processes improve the ecological benefit of diesel desulphurization? In this paper we use LCA to analyze the processes of hydrotreatment the recovery of sulphur via amine treating of H2S and three processes of hydrogen production: SMR without Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) SMR with 53% and 90% CCS and water electrolysis with two types of renewable energy. The prevention-based eco-costs system is used for the overall comparison of the ecological burden and the ecological benefit. The ReCiPe system was applied as well but appeared not suitable for such a comparison (other damage-based indicators cannot be applied either). The overall conclusion is that (1) the overall net ecological benefit of hydrogen-based Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel is dependent of local conditions but is remarkably high (2) desulphurization below 10 ppm is beneficial for big cities and (3) cleaner production of hydrogen reduces eco-cost by a factor 1.8–3.4.
Hydrogen and ICEs: Validation of a 3D-CFD Approach for In-cylinder Combustion Simulations of Ultra-lean Mixture with a focus on the combustion regime
Sep 2025
Publication
This paper proposes a numerical setup for 3D-CFD in-cylinder simulations of H2-fuelled internal combustion engines. The flamelet G-equation model based on Verhelst and Damkohler-like ¨ correlations for laminar and turbulent flame speeds respectively is used to reproduce the flame propagation. The validation against experimental data from a homogeneous-mixture port-injection engine enables a focus on combustion simulation by minimising stratification uncertainties. Accurate flame propagation modelling is identified as the main challenge. The results on different operating conditions confirm the predictive capabilities of the framework thanks to the agreement with the experimental pressure traces combustion indicators and flame imaging. Notably combustion rate predictions remain accurate even without considering the flame thermo-diffusive instability as the turbulence effect dominates at the investigated conditions. The combustion regime is analysed by a modified Borghi-Peters diagram and it ranges from flamelet to thin reaction zones. This highlights the numerical setup flexibility which accurately simulates combustion across different regimes.
Design and Evaluation of Operational Scheduling Approaches for HCNG Penetrated Integrated Energy System
Jul 2019
Publication
This paper proposes and assesses three different control approaches for the hydrocarbon natural gas (HCNG) penetrated integrated energy system (IES). The three control approaches adopt mixed integer linear programing conditional value at risk (CVaR) and robust optimization (RO) respectively aiming to mitigate the renewable generation uncertainties. By comparing the performance and efficiency the most appropriate control approach for the HCNG penetrated IES is identified. The numerical analysis is conducted to evaluate the three control approaches in different scenarios where the uncertainty level of renewable energy (within the HCNG penetrated IES) varies. The numerical results show that the CVaR-based approach outperforms the other two approaches when renewable uncertainty is high (approximately 30%). In terms of the cost to satisfy the energy demand the operational cost of the CVaR-based method is 8.29% lower than the RO one while the RO-based approach has a better performance when the renewable uncertainty is medium (approximately 5%) and it is operational is 0.62% lower than that of the CVaR model. In both evaluation cases mixed integer linear programing approach cannot meet the energy demand. This paper also compares the operational performance of the IES with and without HCNG. It is shown that the IES with HCNG can significantly improve the capability to accommodate renewable energy with low upgrading cost.
Techno-economic Analysis of a Renewable-based Hybrid Energy system for Utility and Transportation Facilities in a Remote Community of Northern Alberta
Jun 2023
Publication
Many off-grid communities in Canada are dependent on diesel generators to fulfill their utility and transportation needs causing destructive environmental impact. This study aims to optimize and investigate the technoeconomic feasibility of a hybrid renewable energy system to satisfy the 1.6 MWh/day electricity 184.2 kWh/day thermal and 428.38 kg/year hydrogen demand simultaneously Trout Lake a remote community of Northern Alberta. A novel hybrid energy system consisting of solar PV wind turbine electrolyzer hydrogen tank battery fuel cell hydrogen boiler and thermal load controller has been proposed to generate electricity heat and hydrogen by renewables which reduce carbon emission utilizing the excess energy (EE). Five different scenarios were developed in HOMER Pro software and the results were compared to identify the best combination of hybrid renewable energy systems. The results indicate that the fifth scenario is the optimal renewable energy system that provides a lower cost of energy (COE) at $0.675/kWh and can reduce 99.99% carbon emission compared to the diesel-based system. Additionally the utilization of thermal load controller battery and fuel cell improved the system’s reliability increasing renewable fraction (RF) (93.5%) and reducing EE (58.3%) significantly. In comparison to the diesel-based systems it is also discovered that battery energy storage is the most affordable option while fuel cells are the more expensive choice for remote community. Sensitivity analyses are performed to measure the impact of different dominating factors on COE EE and RF.
Optimal Design of Electrolysis-based Hydrogen Hubs: Impact of Different Hydrogen Demand Profile Assumptions on System Flexibility and Investment Portfolios
Jul 2025
Publication
Green hydrogen (H2) produced from renewable energy sources (RES) through electrolysis offers a promising solution to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors paving the way for H2 hubs. The agility of electrolyzers especially proton-exchange membrane (PEM) technology can be leveraged to provide flexibility to future integrated electricity and H2 systems. More flexibility can be unlocked by optimizing the designs of H2 hubs which generally consist of electrolyzers H2 storage tanks H2 liquefiers and battery energy storage systems (BESSs). This paper introduces a generic optimization framework for finding the least-cost designs of H2 hubs that also minimizes system operating costs under arbitrary H2 demand profiles. The proposed electrolyzer model incorporates a variable efficiency to avoid overestimating the power consumption and the true size of electrolyzers. In RES-rich countries like Australia envisaged H2 export demand may constitute a significant source of demand flexibility. The proposed framework is therefore demonstrated on a case study involving the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM) under a future large-scale green H2 export scenario assessing the impact of three different H2 export profile assumptions on H2 hub investment costs system operating costs and system flexibility. These profiles include: (a) a realistic one based on historical liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship schedules and a pilot H2 export project (b) an inflexible constant demand across the year and (c) a flexible monthly target without intraday and interday restrictions. Numerical analysis demonstrates that the optimal H2 hub designs obtained under the more realistic H2 export profile assumptions enjoy the lowest system operating costs and the highest flexibility the latter of which is evidenced by a substantial increase in availability of reserves.
Alternative Fuels for General Aviation Piston Engines: A Comprehensive Review
Oct 2025
Publication
This review synthesizes recent research on alternative fuels for piston-engine aircraft and related propulsion technologies. Biofuels show substantial promise but face technological economic and regulatory barriers to widespread adoption. Among liquid options biodiesel offers a high cetane number and strong lubricity yet suffers from poor low-temperature flow and reduced combustion efficiency. Alcohol fuels (bioethanol biomethanol) provide high octane numbers suited to high-compression engines but are limited by hygroscopicity and phase-separation risks. Higher-alcohols (biobutanol biopropanol) combine favorable heating values with stable combustion and emerge as particularly promising candidates. Biokerosene closely matches conventional aviation kerosene and can function as a drop-in fuel with minimal engine modifications. Emissions outcomes are mixed across studies: certain biofuels reduce NOx or CO while others elevate CO2 and HC underscoring the need to optimize combustion and advance second- to fourth-generation biofuel production pathways. Beyond biofuels hydrogen engines and hybrid-electric systems offer compelling routes to lower emissions and improved efficiency though they require new infrastructure certification frameworks and cost reductions. Demonstrated test flights with biofuels synthetic fuels and hydrogen confirm technical feasibility. Overall no single option fully replaces aviation gasoline today; instead a combined trajectory—biofuels alongside hydrogen and hybrid-electric propulsion—defines a pragmatic medium- to long-term pathway for decarbonizing general aviation.
CFD Study of Flameless Combustion in a Real Industrial Reheating Furnace Considering Different H2/NG Blends as Fuels
Nov 2023
Publication
On the path towards decarbonisation of the steel industry the use of H2 /NG blends in furnaces where high temperatures are needed is one of the alternatives that needs to be carefully studied. The present paper shows the CFD study carried out for a full-scale reheating furnace burner case. The real operating conditions as well as experimental measurements provided by the furnace operator were used to validate the results and reduce simulation uncertainties. The burner under consideration (2.5 MW) works in flameless mode with natural gas and preheated air (813 K). Starting from this point another three fuel blends with volumetric percentages of 23% (also known as G222) 50% and 75% of H2 in natural gas were considered. For this purpose the open source CFD code OpenFOAM was used where the novel NE-EDC turbulence-chemistry interaction model was implemented which has already been successfully validated specifically for flameless combustion in a furnace. The implementation incorporated an enhanced approach for calculating the chemical time-scale coupled with a specific post-processing solver to predict NO emissions. The study analyses the relative impact of the considered fuel blends on NO formation and flameless regime. The modelling results demonstrated the burner’s capability to operate efficiently with high concentrations of hydrogen maintaining flameless regime in all cases. This condition ensured uniform temperature distributions and low levels of NO emissions reaching a maximum value of 86 mg/m3 . These results indicated the proper functionality of the existing natural gas-based burner with H2 /NG blends which was the primary requirement for the conversion process.
An Experimentally Validated Curve-fit Model of a Hydrogen-fueled Internal Combustion Engine for Use in Techno-economic Analyses
Oct 2025
Publication
The growing share of renewables in power grids increases the need for backup generators able to compensate production profiles whenever needed. Hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2 ICEs) offer a promising solution in terms of flexibility reduced capital cost and looser requirements on hydrogen purity. These systems are however still not well characterized. This study introduces a zero-dimensional (0D) model for a 100 % hydrogen engine calibrated using experimental data under varying loads and air-fuel ratios. Unlike existing models it proposes validated electrical efficiency data across multiple operating points. Efficiency curves are provided in quadratic and linear forms allowing integration into diverse energy system simulations including linear programming. The model performance is evaluated in a peak-shaving case study using real data from a remote site with limited grid supply. Three engine-generators are used to match single-minute resolution load demand. Compared to typical models that lack validation and ignore part-load efficiency losses the proposed model highlights differences in hydrogen consumption estimation up to 13.4 % thus offering improved accuracy for techno-economic analyses of hydrogen-based systems.
Analysis of Infrastructure Requirements for Sustainable Transportation Technologies
Jul 2025
Publication
At present transportation energy comes primarily from fossil fuels. In order to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions it is necessary to transition to low-carbon transportation technologies. These technologies can include battery electric vehicles fuel cell vehicles and biofuel vehicles. This transition includes not only the development and production of suitable vehicles but also the development of appropriate infrastructure. For example in the case of battery electric vehicles this infrastructure would include additional grid capacity for battery charging. For fuel cell vehicles infrastructure could include facilities for the production of suitable electrofuels which again would require additional grid capacity. In the present paper we look at some specific examples of infrastructure requirements for battery electric vehicles and vehicles using hydrogen and other electrofuels in either internal combustion engines or fuel cells. Analysis includes the necessary additional grid capacity energy storage requirements and land area associated with renewable energy generation by solar photovoltaics and wind. The present analysis shows that the best-case scenario corresponds to the use of battery electric vehicles powered by electricity from solar photovoltaics. This situation corresponds to a 47% increase in grid electricity generation and the utilization of 1.7% of current crop land.
Optimal Scheduling of Electricity-hydrogen-thermal Integrated Energy system with P2G for Source-load Coordination Under Carbon Market Environment
Feb 2025
Publication
In the context of energy interconnection and low-carbon power the power-to-gas (P2G) carbon trading mechanism is integrated into the integrated energy system (IES) model of multi-energy coupling units to achieve lowcarbon economic dispatch considering both the economic and environmental benefits of system operation. First the characteristics of each unit in the system are comprehensively considered and a joint dispatch structure for a regionally integrated energy system is developed including P2G equipment energy source equipment storage equipment and conversion equipment. The working mechanism of P2G is analyzed and its carbon trading model is established. Next a comprehensive energy system optimization model is formulated with the goal of maximizing system operating profit while accounting for carbon transaction costs. Finally Cplex and Yalmip software are used to perform simulation analysis in MATLAB to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model in reducing system carbon emissions through participation in the carbon trading market ensuring system economy and reducing the dependence of the integrated energy system on the external market.
Integration of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Internal Combustion Engine for Maritime Applications
Oct 2020
Publication
The current literature on solid oxide fuel cell and internal combustion engine (SOFC-ICE) integration is focused on the application of advanced combustion technologies operating as bottoming cycles to generate a small load share. This integration approach can pose challenges for ships such as restricted dynamic capabilities and large space and weight requirements. Furthermore the potential of SOFC-ICE integration for marine power generation has not been explored. Consequently the current work proposes a novel approach of SOFC-ICE integration for maritime applications which allows for high-efficiency power generation while the SOFC anode-off gas (AOG) is blended with natural gas (NG) and combusted in a marine spark-ignited (SI) engine for combined power generation. The objective of this paper is to investigate the potential of the proposed SOFC-ICE integration approach with respect to system efficiency emissions load sharing space and weight considerations and load response. In this work a verified zero-dimensional (0-D) SOFC model engine experiments and a validated AOG-NG mean value engine model is used. The study found that the SOFC-ICE integration with a 67–33 power split at 750 kWe power output yielded the highest efficiency improvement of 8.3% over a conventional marine natural gas engine. Simulation results showed that promising improvements in efficiency of 5.2% UHC and NOx reductions of about 30% and CO2 reductions of about 12% can be achieved from a 33–67 SOFC-ICE power split with comparatively much smaller increments in size and weight of 1.7 times. Furthermore the study concluded that in the proposed SOFC-ICE system for maritime applications a power split that favours the ICE would significantly improve the dynamic capabilities of the combined system and that the possible sudden and large load changes can be met by the ICE.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen Hybrid Vehicles
Jul 2025
Publication
Driven by carbon neutrality and peak carbon policies hydrogen energy due to its zeroemission and renewable properties is increasingly being used in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (H-FCVs). However the high cost and limited durability of H-FCVs hinder large-scale deployment. Hydrogen internal combustion engine hybrid electric vehicles (H-HEVs) are emerging as a viable alternative. Research on the techno-economics of H-HEVs remains limited particularly in systematic comparisons with H-FCVs. This paper provides a comprehensive comparison of H-FCVs and H-HEVs in terms of total cost of ownership (TCO) and hydrogen consumption while proposing a multi-objective powertrain parameter optimization model. First a quantitative model evaluates TCO from vehicle purchase to disposal. Second a global dynamic programming method optimizes hydrogen consumption by incorporating cumulative energy costs into the TCO model. Finally a genetic algorithm co-optimizes key design parameters to minimize TCO. Results show that with a battery capacity of 20.5 Ah and an H-FC peak power of 55 kW H-FCV can achieve optimal fuel economy and hydrogen consumption. However even with advanced technology their TCO remains higher than that of H-HEVs. H-FCVs can only become cost-competitive if the unit power price of the fuel cell system is less than 4.6 times that of the hydrogen engine system assuming negligible fuel cell degradation. In the short term H-HEVs should be prioritized. Their adoption can also support the long-term development of H-FCVs through a complementary relationship.
Operating Condition Recognition Based Fuzzy Power-Following Control Strategy for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (HFCVs)
Feb 2025
Publication
To reduce hydrogen consumption by hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) an adaptive power-following control strategy based on gated recurrent unit (GRU) neural network operating condition recognition was proposed. The future vehicle speed was predicted based on a GRU neural network and a driving cycle condition recognition model was established based on k-means cluster analysis. By predicting the speed over a specific time horizon feature parameters were extracted and compared with those of typical operating conditions to determine the categories of the parameters thus the adjustment of the power-following control strategy was realized. The simulation results indicate that the proposed control strategy reduces hydrogen consumption by hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) by 16.6% with the CLTC-P driving cycle and by 4.7% with the NEDC driving cycle compared to the conventional power-following control strategy. Additionally the proposed strategy effectively stabilizes the battery’s state of charge (SOC).
Hydrogen Doping Control Method for Gasoline Engine Acceleration Transient Air-fuel Ratio
May 2024
Publication
One of the primary contributors to automobile exhaust pollution is the significant deviation be tween the actual and theoretical air-fuel ratios during transient conditions leading to a decrease in the conversion efficiency of three-way catalytic converters. Therefore it becomes imperative to enhance fuel economy reduce pollutant emissions and improve the accuracy of transient control over air-fuel ratio (AFR) in order to mitigate automobile exhaust pollution. In this study we propose a Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control (LADRC) Hydrogen Doping Compensation Controller (HDC) to achieve precise control over the acceleration transient AFR of gasoline en gines. By analyzing the dynamic effects of oil film and its impact on AFR we establish a dynamic effect model for oil film and utilize hydrogen’s exceptional auxiliary combustion characteristics as compensation for fuel loss. Comparative experimental results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm can rapidly regulate the AFR close to its ideal value under three different transient conditions while exhibiting superior anti-interference capability and effectively enhancing fuel economy.
Operating Principles, Performance and Technology Readiness Level of Reversible Solid Oxide Cells
Apr 2021
Publication
The continuous increase of energy demand with the subsequent huge fossil fuel consumption is provoking dramatic environmental consequences. The main challenge of this century is to develop and promote alternative more eco-friendly energy production routes. In this framework Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs) are a quite attractive technology which could satisfy the users’ energy request working in reversible operation. Two operating modes are alternated: from “Gas to Power” when SOCs work as fuel cells fed with hydrogen-rich mixture to provide both electricity and heat to “Power to Gas” when SOCs work as electrolysers and energy is supplied to produce hydrogen. If solid oxide fuel cells are an already mature technology with several stationary and mobile applications the use of solid oxide electrolyser cells and even more reversible cells are still under investigation due to their insufficient lifetime. Aiming at providing a better understanding of this new technological approach the study presents a detailed description of cell operation in terms of electrochemical behaviour and possible degradation highlighting which are the most commonly used performance indicators. A thermodynamic analysis of system efficiency is proposed followed by a comparison with other available electrochemical devices in order to underline specific solid oxide cell advantages and limitations.
Experimental Investigation for Enhancing the Performance of Hydrogen Direct Injection Comparied to Gasoline in Spark Ignition Engine through Valve Timings and Overlap Optimization
Jun 2024
Publication
Recent advances in hydrogen internal combustion technologies highlight its potential for high efficiency and zero carbon emissions offering a promising alternative to fossil fuels. This paper investigates the effects of valve timings and overlaps on engine performance combustion characteristics and emissions in a boosted directinjection single-cylinder spark ignition engine using both gasoline and hydrogen. Optimized direct hydrogen injection effectively eliminates backfires and hydrogen slip during positive cam overlaps significantly reducing the pumping mean effective pressure. The study’s primary finding demonstrates the potential of hydrogen to operate as a direct substitute for a gasoline engine without necessitating changes to the cam profiles at the high load operation. Furthermore the study demonstrates that hydrogen leads to much higher thermal efficiencies across a wider range of engine loads when operated at a lean air-to-fuel ratio of 2.75. The engine operating with such a lean-burn hydrogen mixture keeps the engine-out NOx emission at ultra-low levels. Compared to gasoline hydrogen exhibits greater stability and a reduced reliance on camshaft timing during engine operation.
Experiments on Maximizing Hydrogen Utilization and Efficiency in a PEM Fuel Cell System
Feb 2025
Publication
Maximizing hydrogen utilization is crucial for improving the efficiency of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems. Ideally all supplied hydrogen reacts within the fuel cell. However nitrogen and water backdiffusion necessitate periodic purging of the anode recirculation path. Excessive purging leads to hydrogen losses while insufficient purging increases side reactions lowering fuel cell voltage and directly reducing effi ciency. This study investigates optimizing both hydrogen utilization and stack efficiency by adjusting purge valve actuation in a PEM fuel cell system. Results show that reducing purging from the reference increases hydrogen utilization by 0.79% points to 98.2% resulting in efficiency improvement of 0.72% points to 47.21% based on higher heating value. Moreover adjusting the purge valve actuation is the sole method for controlling the hydrogen stoichiometric ratio in ejector-based anode recirculation systems. Therefore precise purge valve operation is critical for maximizing both hydrogen utilization and PEM fuel cell efficiency.
HYDRIDE4MOBILITY: An EU Project on Hydrogen Powered Forklift using Metal Hydrides for Hydrogen Storage and H2 Compression
Jan 2025
Publication
Volodymyr A. Yartys,
Mykhaylo V. Lototskyy,
Ivan Tolj,
José Bellosta von Colbe,
Roman V. Denys,
Moegamat Wafeeq Davids,
S. Nyallang Nyamsi,
Dana Swanepoel,
V.V. Berezovets,
I.Yu. Zavaliy,
Suwarno Suwarno,
I.J. Puszkiel,
Julian Jepsen,
Inês Abreu Ferreira,
Claudio Pistidda,
Yuanyuan Shang,
Sivakumar Pasupathi and
Vladimir Linkov
The EU Horizon2020 RISE project 778307 “Hydrogen fuelled utility and their support systems utilising metal hydrides” (HYDRIDE4MOBILITY) worked on the commercialization of hydrogen powered forklifts using metal hydride (MH) based hydrogen stores. The project consortium joined forces of 9 academic and industrial partners from 4 countries. The work program included a) Development of the materials for hydrogen storage and compression; b) Theoretical modelling and optimisation of the materials performance and system integration; c) Advanced fibre reinforced composite cylinder systems for H2 storage and compression; d) System validation. Materials development was focused on i) Zr/Ti-based Laves type high entropy alloys; ii) Mg-rich composite materials; iii) REMNiSn intermetallics; iv) Mg based materials for the hydrolysis process; v) Cost-efficient alloys. For the optimized AB2±x alloys the Zr/Ti content was optimized at A = Zr78-88Ti12–22 while B=Ni10Mn5.83VFe. These alloys provided a) Low hysteresis of hydrogen absorption-desorption; b) Excellent kinetics of charge and discharge; c) Tailored thermodynamics; d) Long cycle life. Zr0.85Ti0.15TM2 alloy provided a reversible H storage and electrochemical capacity of 1.6 wt% H and 450 mAh/g. The tanks development targeted: i) High efficiency of heat and hydrogen exchange; ii) Reduction of the weight and increasing the working H2 pressure; iii) Modelling testing and optimizing the H2 stores with fast performance. The system for power generation was validated at the Implats plant in a fuel cell powered forklift with on-board MH hydrogen storage and on-site H2 refuelling. The outcome on the HYDRIDE4MOBILITY project (2017–2024) (http://hydride4mobility.fesb.unist. hr) was presented in 58 publications.
Hydrogen Supply Design for the Decarbonization of Energy-intensive Industries Addressing Cost, Inherent Safety and Environmental Performance
Sep 2025
Publication
Through mathematical modeling this paper integrates economic safety and environmental assessments to evaluate alternative hydrogen supply options (on-site production and external supply) and various hydrogenbased system configurations for decarbonizing energy-intensive industries. The model is applied to a case study in the glass sector. While reliance on natural gas remains the most cost-effective and safest solution it does not align with decarbonization objectives. Assuming a complete hydrogen transition on-site production reduces emissions by 85 % compared to current levels and improves safety performance over external supply. External supply of grey hydrogen becomes counterproductive increasing emissions by 68 % compared to natural gas operations. Nevertheless hydrogen cost rises from 3.6 €/kg with external supply to 4.2 €/kg with on-site production doubling the fuel cost relative to natural gas. To address the trade-offs the paper explores how specific constraints influence system design. A sensitivity analysis on key factors affecting hydrogen-related decisions provides additional support for strategic decision-making.
Development of a PEM Fuel Cell City Bus with a Hierarchical Control System
May 2016
Publication
The polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell system is considered to be an ideal alternative for the internal combustion engine especially when used on a city bus. Hybrid buses with fuel cell systems and energy storage systems are now undergoing transit service demonstrations worldwide. A hybrid PEM fuel cell city bus with a hierarchical control system is studied in this paper. Firstly the powertrain and hierarchical control structure is introduced. Secondly the vehicle control strategy including start-stop strategy energy management strategy and fuel cell control strategy including the hydrogen system and air system control strategies are described in detail. Finally the performance of the fuel cell was analyzed based on road test data. Results showed that the different subsystems were well-coordinated. Each component functioned in concert in order to ensure that both safety and speed requirements were satisfied. The output current of the fuel cell system changed slowly and the output voltage was limited to a certain range thereby enhancing durability of the fuel cell. Furthermore the economic performance was optimized by avoiding low load conditions.
Low-Emission Hydrogen for Transport—A Technology Overview from Hydrogen Production to Its Use to Power Vehicles
Aug 2025
Publication
This article provides an overview of current hydrogen technologies used in road transport with particular emphasis on their potential for decarbonizing the mobility sector. The author analyzes both fuel cells and hydrogen combustion in internal combustion engines as two competing approaches to using hydrogen as a fuel. He points out that although fuel cells offer higher efficiency hydrogen combustion technologies can be implemented more quickly because of their compatibility with existing drive systems. The article emphasizes the importance of hydrogen’s source—so-called green hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources has the greatest ecological potential. Issues related to the storage distribution and safety of hydrogen use in transport are also analyzed. The author also presents the current state of refueling infrastructure and forecasts for its development in selected countries until 2030. He points to the need to harmonize legal regulations and to support the development of hydrogen technologies at the national and international levels. He also highlights the need to integrate the energy and transport sectors to effectively utilize hydrogen as an energy carrier. The article presents a comprehensive analysis of technologies policies and markets identifying hydrogen as a key link in the energy transition. In conclusion the author emphasizes that the future of hydrogen transport depends not only on technical innovations but above all on coherent strategic actions and infrastructure investments.
Technical Review of Commercial LT-PEMFC Technologies: Performance, Applications and Challenges
Sep 2025
Publication
This manuscript presents a comprehensive technical review of low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (LT-PEMFCs) focusing on their performance applications and current challenges within commercial contexts. LT-PEMFCs have reached commercial deployment in light-duty vehicles buses trains heavy-duty trucks stationary combined heat and power units and early maritime platforms. This review consolidates datasheetbased specifications and reconstructed performance parameters from leading manufacturers complemented by qualitative evidence from large-scale deployments in Japan and China to provide the first cross-sectoral benchmarking of LT-PEMFC systems. The analysis is structured around the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the U.S. Department of Energy which define quantitative targets for 2024 and 2030. Results show that while several light-duty and bus platforms already meet or approach KPI compliance for hydrogen consumption and efficiency other sectors such as heavy-duty stationary and maritime remain below target ranges due to integration constraints and limited transparency in datasheet reporting. The study further highlights divergences between laboratory-reported stack metrics and commercial module specifications demonstrating the need for harmonized definitions of volumetric power density efficiency at rated power and durability. By situating catalogue-only and prototype systems within the technological pipeline the review clarifies how near-term developments may close performance gaps and reduce platinum dependency while also acknowledging the economic and infrastructural dimensions that condition future adoption. This includes recent advances in PGM-free catalysts alloyed and core–shell architectures and ionomer-free electrodes which complement low-PGM approaches in reducing material cost and supply risk. The contribution lies in delivering a transparent and replicable framework that not only maps the current state of LT-PEMFC commercialization but also provides directionality for research policy and industrial innovation on the pathway to 2030 deployment objectives. This represents the first systematic cross-sectoral benchmarking of LTPEMFCs that integrates datasheet-derived and reconstructed specifications with DOE and CHJU KPI frameworks providing both quantitative visualizations and a replicable methodology that clarifies current achievements while indicating where targeted innovation is needed to reach 2030 objectives.
Energy Scheduling of Hydrogen Hybrid UAV Based on Model Predictive Control and Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient Algorithm
Feb 2025
Publication
Energy scheduling for hybrid unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is of critical importance to their safe and stable operation. However traditional approaches predominantly rule-based often lack the dynamic adaptability and stability necessary to address the complexities of changing operational environments. To overcome these limitations this paper proposes a novel energy scheduling framework that integrates the Model Predictive Control (MPC) with a Deep Reinforcement Learning algorithm specifically the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG). The proposed method is designed to optimize energy management in hydrogen-powered UAVs across diverse flight missions. The energy system comprises a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) a lithium-ion battery and a hydrogen storage tank enabling robust optimization through the synergistic application of MPC and DDPG. The simulation results demonstrate that the MPC effectively minimizes electric power consumption under various flight conditions while the DDPG achieves convergence and facilitates efficient scheduling. By leveraging advanced mechanisms including continuous action space representation efficient policy learning experience replay and target networks the proposed approach significantly enhances optimization performance and system stability in complex continuous decision-making scenarios.
Robust Operation of Electric–Heat–Gas Integrated Energy Systems Considering Multiple Uncertainties and Hydrogen Energy System Heat Recovery
Aug 2025
Publication
Due to the high cost of hydrogen utilization and the uncertainties in renewable energy generation and load demand significant challenges are posed for the operation optimization of hydrogen-containing integrated energy systems (IESs). In this study a robust operational model for an electric–heat–gas IES (EHG-IES) is proposed considering the hydrogen energy system heat recovery (HESHR) and multiple uncertainties. Firstly a heat recovery model for the hydrogen system is established based on thermodynamic equations and reaction principles; secondly through the constructed adjustable robust optimization (ARO) model the optimal solution of the system under the worst-case scenario is obtained; lastly the original problem is decomposed based on the column and constraint generation method and strong duality theory resulting in the formulation of a master problem and subproblem with mixed-integer linear characteristics. These problems are solved through alternating iterations ultimately obtaining the corresponding optimal scheduling scheme. The simulation results demonstrate that our model and method can effectively reduce the operation and maintenance costs of HESHR-EHG-IES while being resilient to uncertainties on both the supply and demand sides. In summary this study provides a novel approach for the diversified utilization and flexible operation of energy in HESHR-EHG-IES contributing to the safe controllable and economically efficient development of the energy market. It holds significant value for engineering practice.
Research on Coordinated Control of Power Distribution in Hydrogen-Containing Energy Storage Microgrids
Feb 2025
Publication
The integration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power at high proportions has become an inevitable trend in the development of power systems under the new power system framework. The construction of a microgrid system incorporating hydrogen energy storage and battery energy storage can leverage the complementary advantages of long-term and short-term hybrid storage achieving power and energy balance across multiple time scales in the power system. To prevent frequent startstop cycles of hydrogen storage devices and lithium battery storage under overcharge and overdischarge conditions a coordinated control strategy for power distribution in a microgrid with hydrogen storage is proposed. First a fuzzy control algorithm is used for power distribution between hydrogen storage and lithium battery storage. Then the hydrogen storage tank’s state of health (SOH) and the lithium battery’s state of charge (SOC) are compared with the goal of selecting a multi-stack fuel cell system operating at its optimal efficiency point where each fuel cell stack outputs 10 kW. This further ensures that the SOC and SOH remain within reasonable ranges. Finally simulations are conducted in MATLAB/Simulink R2018b to verify that the proposed strategy maintains stability in the DC bus and alleviates issues of overcharge and overdischarge ensuring that both the system’s SOC and SOH remain within a reasonable range thereby enhancing equipment lifespan and system stability
Probabilistic Analysis of Electricity Production from a Photovoltaic–Wind Energy Mix for Sustainable Transport Needs
Nov 2024
Publication
Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) are characterized by high unevenness cyclicality and seasonality of energy production. Due to the trends in the production of electricity itself and the utilization of hydrogen distributed generation systems are preferred. They can be connected to the energy distribution network or operate without its participation (off-grid). However in both cases such distributed energy sources should be balanced in terms of power generation. According to the authors it is worth combining different RESs to ensure the stability of energy production from such a mix. Within the mix the sources can complement and replace each other. According to the authors an effective system for generating energy from RESs should contain at least two different sources and energy storage. The purpose of the analyses and calculations performed is to determine the characteristics of energy generation from a photovoltaic system and a wind turbine with a specific power and geographical location in the Lublin region in Poland. Another important goal is to determine the substitutability of the sources studied. Probabilistic analysis will be used to determine the share of given energy sources in the energy mix and will allow us to estimate the size of the stationary energy storage. The objective of these procedures is to strive for the highest possible share of renewable energy in the total energy required to charge electric vehicle fleets and to produce low-emission hydrogen for transportation. The article proves that the appropriately selected components of the photovoltaic and wind energy mix located in the right place lead to the self-balancing of the local energy network using a small energy storage. The conclusions drawn from the conducted research can be used by RES developers who intend to invest in new sources of power generation to produce low-emission hydrogen. This is in line with the current policy of the European Union aimed at climate and energy transformation of many companies using green hydrogen.
From LNG to LH2 in Maritime Transport: A Review of Technology, Materials, and Safety Challenges
Sep 2025
Publication
The adoption of low-carbon fuels in maritime propulsion requires operational autonomy material suitability and compliance with safety standards making liquid fuels like LNG and LH2 the most viable options. LNG is widely used for reducing GHG NOx and SOx emissions while LH2 though new to the maritime sector leverages aerospace experience. This paper explores the operational requirements and challenges of LH2 cryogenic handling systems using LNG practices as a reference. Key comparisons are made between LNG and LH2 supply systems focusing on cryogenic materials hydrogen embrittlement and structural integrity under maritime conditions. Most maritime-approved materials are suitable for cryogenic use and hydrogen embrittlement is less critical at cryogenic temperatures due to reduced atomic mobility. Risk assessments suggest LH2’s safety record stems from limited operational data rather than superior inherent safety. The paper also addresses crucial safety and regulatory considerations for both fuels underscoring the need for strict adherence to standards to ensure the safe and compliant integration of LH2 in the maritime industry.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells for Marine Applications
May 2023
Publication
The marine industry must reduce emissions to comply with recent and future regulations. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are seenas a promising option for efficient power generation on ships with reduced emissions. However it is unclear how the devices canbe integrated and how this affects the operation of the ship economically and environmentally. This paper reviews studies thatconsider SOFC for marine applications. First this article discusses noteworthy developments in SOFC systems includingpower plant options and fuel possibilities. Next it presents the design drivers for a marine power plant and explores how anSOFC system performs. Hereafter the possibilities for integrating the SOFC system with the ship are examined alsoconsidering economic and environmental impact. The review shows unexplored potential to successfully integrate SOFC withthermal and electrical systems in marine vessels. Additionally it is identified that there are still possibilities to improve marineSOFC systems for which a holistic approach is needed for design at cell stack module and system level. Nevertheless it isexpected that hybridisation is needed for a technically and economically feasible ship. Despite its high cost SOFC systemscould significantly reduce GHG NO X SO X PM and noise emissions in shipping
Conceptual Design and Comprehensive Study of a Dual-mode Engine Intgrated with Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Gas Turbines for Wide-body Aircraft
Sep 2025
Publication
This paper proposes a novel dual-fuel dual-mode dual-thermodynamic cycle aviation propulsion system for the first time and conducts theoretical research on it based on a moderately simplified mathematical model. It is specifically designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions for wide-body aircraft. A comprehensive thermodynamic model is developed for this hybrid power system which integrates a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell with a dual-rotor turbofan engine. The matching characteristics between aircraft and engine performance are analyzed by systematically varying the fuselage length of the dual-fuel aircraft configuration. Results show that the specific fuel consumption of the proposed engine is decreased by 12.6% compared with that of the traditional turbofan engine as the Mach number increases. Conversely as the relative physical rotational speed decreases the thrust of the novel engine is increased by 10%. With a 20 % extension in fuselage length the dual-fuel aircraft operating on 100 % hydrogen fuel can achieve an endurance exceeding 17 h representing a 20 % endurance improvement over conventional aviation kerosene-powered aircraft. In this case the aircraft weight can be reduced by 96.79 tons and CO2 emissions can be decreased by 301.65 tons.
Thermodynamic Analysis of Gas Turbine Systems Fueled by a CH4/H2 Mixture
Jan 2025
Publication
In the coming years as a result of changing climate policies and finite fossil fuel resources energy producers will be compelled to introduce new fuels with lower carbon footprints. One of the solutions is hydrogen which can be burned or co-fired with methane in energy generation systems. Therefore this study presents a thermodynamic and emission analysis of a gas turbine fueled by a mixture of CH4 and H2 as well as pure hydrogen. Numerical studies were conducted for the actual operating parameters of the LM6000 gas turbine in both simple and combined cycles. Aspen Hysys and Chemkin-Pro 2023R1 commercial software were used for the calculations. It was demonstrated that with a constant turbine inlet temperature set at 1723 K the thermal efficiency increased from 39.4% to 40.2% for the gas turbine cycle and from 49% to 49.4% for the combined cycle gas turbine. Nitrogen oxides emissions were calculated using the reactor network revealing that an increase in H2 content above 20%vol. in the fuel leads to a significant rise in nitric oxides emissions. In the case of pure H2 emissions are more than three times higher than for CH4 . The main reason for this increase in emissions was identified as the greater presence of H O and OH radicals in the reaction zone causing an acceleration in the formation of nitric oxides.
Investigating the Investments Required to Transition New Zealand’s Heavy-Duty Vehicles to Hydrogen
Mar 2021
Publication
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector is known to be an important contribution to climate change mitigation. Some parts of the transport sector are particularly difficult to decarbonize; this includes the heavy-duty vehicle sector which is considered one of the “hardto-abate” sectors of the economy. Transitioning from diesel trucks to hydrogen fuel cell trucks has been identified as a potential way to decarbonize the sector. However the current and future costs and efficiencies of the enabling technologies remain unclear. In light of these uncertainties this paper investigates the investments required to decarbonize New Zealand’s heavy-duty vehicle sector with green hydrogen. By combining system dynamics modelling literature and hydrogen transition modelling literature a customized methodology is developed for modelling hydrogen transitions with system dynamics modelling. Results are presented in terms of the investments required to purchase the hydrogen production capacity and the investments required to supply electricity to the hydrogen production systems. Production capacity investments are found to range between 1.59 and 2.58 billion New Zealand Dollars and marginal electricity investments are found to range between 4.14 and 7.65 billion New Zealand Dollars. These investments represent scenarios in which 71% to 90% of the heavy-duty vehicle fleet are replaced with fuel cell trucks by 2050. The wide range of these findings reflects the large uncertainties in estimates of how hydrogen technologies will develop over the course of the next thirty years. Policy recommendations are drawn from these results and a clear opportunity for future work is outlined. Most notably the results from this study should be compared with research investigating the investments required to decarbonize the heavy-duty vehicle sectors with alternative technologies such as battery-electric trucks biodiesel and catenary systems. Such a comparison would ensure that the most cost effective decarbonization strategy is employed.
Genetic Algorithm-Based Energy Management Strategy for Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Aug 2025
Publication
Enhancing system durability and fuel economy stands as a crucial factor in the energy management of fuel cell hybrid vehicles. This paper proposes an Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) based on the Genetic Algorithm (GA) aiming to minimize the overall operating cost of the system. First this study establishes a dynamic model of the hydrogen–electric hybrid vehicle a static input–output model of the hybrid power system and an aging model. Next a speed prediction method based on an Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model is designed. This method fits a predictive model by collecting historical speed data in real time ensuring the robustness of speed prediction. Finally based on the speed prediction results an adaptive Equivalence Factor (EF) method using a GA is proposed. This method comprehensively considers fuel consumption and the economic costs associated with the aging of the hydrogen–electric hybrid system forming a total operating cost function. The GA is then employed to dynamically search for the optimal EF within the cost function optimizing the system’s economic performance while ensuring real-time feasibility. Simulation outcomes demonstrate that the proposed energy management strategy significantly enhances both the durability and fuel economy of the fuel cell hybrid vehicle.
Optimization of Baseload Electricity and Hydrogen Services by Renewables for a Nuclear-sized District in South Italy
Nov 2024
Publication
We present an optimization model of an energy district in South Italy that supplies baseload electricity and hydrogen services. The district is sized such that a nuclear reactor could provide these services. We define scenarios for 2050 to explore the system effects of discount rate sensitivity vetoes on technologies and cost uncertainties. We address the following issues relevant to decarbonization in South Italy: land-based wind and solar vs. exclusive solar rooftop extra cost of a veto on nuclear conservative assumptions on future storage technology and the role of pumped hydro storage lack of low-cost geological storage of hydrogen and the industrial competitiveness of this carrier and the methanation synergy with the agroforestry sector. Our results quantify the high system cost of vetoes on land-based wind and solar. Nuclear may enter the optimal mix only with a veto against onshore wind and a hypothesis of equal project risk hence an equal discount rate with renewables. Scenarios with land-based wind and solar obtain low-cost hydrogen and thus allow industrial uses for this carrier. The methanation synergy with the agroforestry sector does not offer a system cost advantage but improves the district’s configuration. The extra cost of full decarbonization relative to unregulated fossil gas is small with land-based wind and solar and significant with vetoes to these technologies.
Spray Cooling for Enhancing Cooling Performance and Reducing Power Consumption of Radiator in Hydrogen Fuel Cell System
Feb 2025
Publication
During the development of hydrogen fuel cell systems with the augmentation of power conventional air-cooling systems which are frequently employed in portable scenarios encounter difficulties in maintaining the balance between radiator heat dissipation and power consumption. In contrast liquid-cooling systems are widely adopted in high-power applications. In this regard aiming to address the heat dissipation problem and make use of the wastewater from the stack tailpipe a novel spray cooling system integrated with the traditional air-cooling for the radiator of hydrogen fuel cell systems is put forward. Through experimental investigations based on heat transfer theory and the design principles of fuel cell systems it is discovered that under specific nozzle apertures and spray water pressures the heat dissipation rate can be enhanced by 40 % and 30 % respectively. With particular radiator internal water flow rates and fan speeds the heat dissipation rate can be increased by 30 % and 108 % respectively. And the spray angle of 60 ◦ is the best angle. In contrast to the conventional air-cooling system the spray-air cooling system exhibits a heat dissipation rate that is approximately 50 % higher. Exper imental analyses demonstrate that the new system effectively harnesses water resources and enhances the heat dissipation performance of the radiator thereby providing a technical reference for the application of spray cooling in the radiators of hydrogen fuel cell systems.
Cost-effect Scheduling of a Hydrogen-based Iron and Steel Plant Powered by a Grid-assisted Renewable Energy System
Feb 2025
Publication
The iron and steel industry contributes approximately 25% of global industrial CO2 emissions necessitating substantial decarbonisation efforts. Hydrogen-based iron and steel plants (HISPs) which utilise hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron ore followed by electric arc furnace steelmaking have attracted substantial research interest. However commercialisation of HISPs faces economic feasibility issues due to the high electricity costs of hydrogen production. To improve economic feasibility HISPs are jointly powered by local renewable generators and bulk power grid i.e. by a grid-assisted renewable energy system. Given the variability of renewable energy generation and time-dependent electricity prices flexible scheduling of HISP production tasks is essential to reduce electricity costs. However cost-effectively scheduling of HISP production tasks is non-trivial as it is subject to critical operational constraints arising from the tight coupling and distinct operational characteristics of HISPs sub-processes. To address the above issues this paper proposes an integrated resource-task network (RTN) to elaborately model the critical operational constraints such as resource balance task execution and transfer time. More specifically each sub-process is first modelled as an individual RTN which is then seamlessly integrated through boundary dependency constraints. By embedding the formulated operational constraints into optimisation a cost-effective scheduling model is developed for HISPs powered by the grid-assisted renewable energy system. Numerical results demonstrate that compared to conventional scheduling approaches the proposed method significantly reduces total operational costs across various production scales.
An Innovatively Designed Community-based Hybrid Energy System to Generate its Needs of Electricity, Heat, Hot Water and Hydrogen in a Sustainable Manner
Jun 2025
Publication
This study introduces an innovative nuclear-biomass integrated energy and cleaner production multigeneration system incorporating sonohydrogen technology and a desalination unit for the sustainable and efficient production of hydrogen electricity hot water and heat. A small modular nuclear reactor acts as the primary energy source ensuring stable and low-carbon power generation while enhancing hydrogen yield through sonochemical processes. Biomass-derived biogas is strategically utilized for both electricity generation and hydrogen production via steam methane reforming. The heat wasted in the system is efficiently utilized. A high-performance multistage flash desalination unit converts some of the waste heat into desalinated seawater. In addition a portion of the waste heat is utilized for heat production. The results of this study show that the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the integrated system are 82.7 % and 68.3 % respectively. Through detailed energy and exergy assessments the study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed system in enhancing energy conversion efficiency improving waste heat utilization and increasing sustainability. In addition the results of the cost assessment show that the integrated energy system is economically viable in the long term with hydrogen production driving substantial annual revenue and profitability projected within the first decade of operation. The findings highlight the system’s potential to contribute to cleaner energy production by reducing greenhouse gas emissions maximizing resource efficiency and advancing hydrogen and freshwater production technologies.
Roadmap for the Decarbonization of Domestic Passenger Ferries in the Republic of Korea
Feb 2025
Publication
This study examines the steps to lower air emissions in South Korea’s domestic shipping sector. It highlights the significant contributions of the sector to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions emphasizing its impact on environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation. By looking at the current shipping energy use and emissions the research identifies ways to reduce the environmental impact of domestic shipping. Data was collected from domestic ferry routes and the fuel use was reviewed with respect to existing global technologies for reducing emissions. The results show that operational changes and current energy-efficient technologies can quickly cut emissions. Furthermore a long-term plan is suggested involving the development of new ship designs and the use of net-zero fuels like biofuels methanol hydrogen and ammonia. These efforts aim to meet climate goals targeting a 40% reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2030 and a 70% reduction by 2050 making South Korea’s shipping industry more sustainable and resilient.
A Multi-agent Optimal Operation Methodology of Electric, Thermal, and Hydrogen Integrated Energy System based on ADMM Algorithm
Aug 2024
Publication
This article presents a study on the distributed optimization operation method for micro-energy grid clusters within an electric thermal and hydrogen integrated energy system. The research focuses on precisely modeling the Power-toHydrogen (P2H) conversion process in electrolytic cells by considering their startup characteristics. An optimization operation model is established with each micro-energy grid as the principal entity to cater to their individual interests and demands. The Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) algorithm is adopted for distributed solution. Case studies demonstrate that the connection topology between micro-energy grids significantly impacts the total operating cost and the effectiveness of the ADMM algorithm is validated through a comparison with centralized optimization approaches.
Numerical Analysis of Dual Fuel Combustion in a Medium Speed Marine Engine Supplied with Methane/Hydrogen Blends
Sep 2023
Publication
Compression ignition engines will still be predominant in the naval sector: their high efficiency high torque and heavy weight perfectly suit the demands and architecture of ships. Nevertheless recent emission legislations impose limitations to the pollutant emissions levels in this sector as well. In addition to post-treatment systems it is necessary to reduce some pollutant species and therefore the study of combustion strategies and new fuels can represent valid paths for limiting environmental harmful emissions such as CO2 . The use of methane in dual fuel mode has already been implemented on existent vessels but the progressive decarbonization will lead to the utilization of carbon-neutral or carbon-free fuels such as in the last case hydrogen. Thanks to its high reactivity nature it can be helpful in the reduction of exhaust CH4 . On the contrary together with the high temperatures achieved by its oxidation hydrogen could cause uncontrolled ignition of the premixed charge and high emissions of NOx. As a matter of fact a source of ignition is still necessary to have better control on the whole combustion development. To this end an optimal and specific injection strategy can help to overcome all the before-mentioned issues. In this study three-dimensional numerical simulations have been performed with the ANSYS Forte® software (version 19.2) in an 8.8 L dual fuel engine cylinder supplied with methane hydrogen or hydrogen–methane blends with reference to experimental tests from the literature. A new kinetic mechanism has been used for the description of diesel fuel surrogate oxidation with a set of reactions specifically addressed for the low temperatures together with the GRIMECH 3.0 for CH4 and H2 . This kinetics scheme allowed for the adequate reproduction of the ignition timing for the various mixtures used. Preliminary calculations with a one-dimensional commercial code were performed to retrieve the initial conditions of CFD calculations in the cylinder. The used approach demonstrated to be quite a reliable tool to predict the performance of a marine engine working under dual fuel mode with hydrogen-based blends at medium load. As a result the system modelling shows that using hydrogen as fuel in the engine can achieve the same performance as diesel/natural gas but when hydrogen totally replaces methane CO2 is decreased up to 54% at the expense of the increase of about 76% of NOx emissions.
Performance, Emissions, and Economic Analyses of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
May 2024
Publication
The transport sector is considered to be a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions as this sector emits about one-fourth of global CO2 emissions. Transport emissions contribute toward climate change and have been linked to adverse health impacts. Therefore alternative and sustainable transport options are urgent for decarbonising the transport sector and mitigating those issues. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are a potential alternative to conventional vehicles which can play a significant role in decarbonising the future transport sector. This study critically analyses the recent works related to hydrogen fuel cell integration into vehicles modelling and experimental investigations of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with various powertrains. This study also reviews and analyses the performance energy management strategies lifecycle cost and emissions of fuel cell vehicles. Previous literature suggested that the fuel consumption and well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles are significantly lower than that of conventional internal combustion vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles consume about 29–66 % less energy and cause approximately 31–80 % less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional vehicles. Despite this the lifecycle cost of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles has been estimated to be 1.2–12.1 times higher than conventional vehicles. Even though there has been recent progress in energy management in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles there are a number of technical and economic challenges to the commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This study presents current knowledge gaps and details future research directions in relation to the research advancement of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Hydrogen-fuelled Internal Combustion Engines: Direct Injection Versus Port-fuel Injection
Jul 2024
Publication
The road-transport is one of the major contributors to greenhouse global gas (GHG) emissions where hydrogen (H2) combustion engines can play a crucial role in the path towards the sector’s decarbonization goal. This study focuses on comparing the performance and emissions of port-fuel injection (PFI) and direct injection (DI) in a spark ignited combustion engine when is fuelled by hydrogen and other noteworthy fuels like methane and coke oven gas (COG). Computational fluid dynamic simulations are performed at optimal spark advance and air-fuel ratio (λ) for engine speeds between 2000 and 5000 rpm. Analysis reveals that brake power increases by 40% for DI attributed to 30.6% enhanced volumetric efficiency while the sNOx are reduced by 36% compared to PFI at optimal λ = 1.5 for hydrogen. Additionally H2 results in 71.8% and 67.2% reduction in fuel consumption compared to methane and COG respectively since the H2 lower heating value per unit of mass is higher.
Review on Ammonia as a Potential Fuel: From Synthesis to Economics
Feb 2021
Publication
Ammonia a molecule that is gaining more interest as a fueling vector has been considered as a candidate to power transport produce energy and support heating applications for decades. However the particular characteristics of the molecule always made it a chemical with low if any benefit once compared to conventional fossil fuels. Still the current need to decarbonize our economy makes the search of new methods crucial to use chemicals such as ammonia that can be produced and employed without incurring in the emission of carbon oxides. Therefore current efforts in this field are leading scientists industries and governments to seriously invest efforts in the development of holistic solutions capable of making ammonia a viable fuel for the transition toward a clean future. On that basis this review has approached the subject gathering inputs from scientists actively working on the topic. The review starts from the importance of ammonia as an energy vector moving through all of the steps in the production distribution utilization safety legal considerations and economic aspects of the use of such a molecule to support the future energy mix. Fundamentals of combustion and practical cases for the recovery of energy of ammonia are also addressed thus providing a complete view of what potentially could become a vector of crucial importance to the mitigation of carbon emissions. Different from other works this review seeks to provide a holistic perspective of ammonia as a chemical that presents benefits and constraints for storing energy from sustainable sources. State-of-the-art knowledge provided by academics actively engaged with the topic at various fronts also enables a clear vision of the progress in each of the branches of ammonia as an energy carrier. Further the fundamental boundaries of the use of the molecule are expanded to real technical issues for all potential technologies capable of using it for energy purposes legal barriers that will be faced to achieve its deployment safety and environmental considerations that impose a critical aspect for acceptance and wellbeing and economic implications for the use of ammonia across all aspects approached for the production and implementation of this chemical as a fueling source. Herein this work sets the principles research practicalities and future views of a transition toward a future where ammonia will be a major energy player.
Toward Sustainability: An Overview of the Use of Green Hydrogen in the Agriculture and Livestock Sector
Aug 2023
Publication
The agro-livestock sector produces about one third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Since more energy is needed to meet the growing demand for food and the industrial revolution in agriculture renewable energy sources could improve access to energy resources and energy security reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce GHG emissions. Hydrogen production is a promising energy technology but its deployment in the global energy system is lagging. Here we analyzed the theoretical and practical application of green hydrogen generated by electrolysis of water powered by renewable energy sources in the agro-livestock sector. Green hydrogen is at an early stage of development in most applications and barriers to its large-scale deployment remain. Appropriate policies and financial incentives could make it a profitable technology for the future.
Fuzzy Logic-Based Energy Management Strategy for Hybrid Fuel Cell Electric Ship Power and Propulsion System
Oct 2024
Publication
The growing use of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) in hybrid propulsion systems is aimed at replacing traditional internal combustion engines and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Effective power distribution between the fuel cell and the energy storage system (ESS) is crucial and has led to a growing emphasis on developing energy management systems (EMSs) to efficiently implement this integration. To address this goal this study examines the performance of a fuzzy logic rule-based strategy for a hybrid fuel cell propulsion system in a small hydrogenpowered passenger vessel. The primary objective is to optimize fuel efficiency with particular attention on reducing hydrogen consumption. The analysis is carried out under typical operating conditions encountered during a river trip. Comparisons between the proposed strategy with other approaches—control based optimization based and deterministic rule based—are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Simulation results indicated that the EMS based on fuzzy logic mechanisms was the most successful in reducing fuel consumption. The superior performance of this method stems from its ability to adaptively manage power distribution between the fuel cell and energy storage systems.
Hydrogen Refuelling Station Calibration with a Traceable Gravimetric Standard
Apr 2020
Publication
Of all the alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels hydrogen offers the greatest long-term potential to radically reduce the many problems inherent in fuel used for transportation. Hydrogen vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions and are very efficient. If the hydrogen is made from renewable sources such as nuclear power or fossil sources with carbon emissions captured and sequestered hydrogen use on a global scale would produce almost zero greenhouse gas emissions and greatly reduce air pollutant emissions. The aim of this work is to realise a traceability chain for hydrogen flow metering in the range typical for fuelling applications in a wide pressure range with pressures up to 875 bar (for Hydrogen Refuelling Station - HRS with Nominal Working Pressure of 700 bar) and temperature changes from −40 °C (pre-cooling) to 85 °C (maximum allowed vehicle tank temperature) in accordance with the worldwide accepted standard SAE J2601. Several HRS have been tested in Europe (France Netherlands and Germany) and the results show a good repeatability for all tests. This demonstrates that the testing equipment works well in real conditions. Depending on the installation configuration some systematic errors have been detected and explained. Errors observed for Configuration 1 stations can be explained by pressure differences at the beginning and end of fueling in the piping between the Coriolis Flow Meter (CFM) and the dispenser: the longer the distance the bigger the errors. For Configuration 2 where this distance is very short the error is negligible.
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