Selected Publications(from over 40 total; email [email protected] for complete list)Informational HearingSelect Committee on Air and Water QualityAssemblymember Fran Pavley, ChairCalifornia’s Hydrogen HighwaysTestimony By:Dr. Timothy E. LipmanAssistant Research Scientist Energy and Resources Group andAssistant Research EngineerInstitute of Transportation StudiesUniversity of California, [email protected] Thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony to the Air and Water Quality SelectCommittee. I would like to focus my comments on making three broad recommendations for thestate to consider as it moves forward in exploring the prospects for this hydrogen highways plan.However I would first like to note that during the years that I have been studying hydrogen andfuel cells for transportation, I have seen great technological progress with regard to thedevelopment of fuel cell systems suitable for motor vehicles, and with other importanttechnologies such as hydrogen storage systems and electric motors and power electronics forvehicles. For example, ten years ago we did not know if sufficiently powerful fuel cells could bemade compact enough for practical motor vehicles. But now General Motors is on about their10th generation of automotive fuel cell technology, and has succeeded in increasing fuel cellsystem power densities to over 2 kilowatts per liter -- more than a tenfold improvement in lessthan 10 years. However, despite significant improvements in fuel cell and hydrogen technologies, dauntingchallenges do remain. These include fuel cell system cost and durability issues, the challenges ofsafely and practically storing hydrogen onboard vehicles, and of course the challenge ofproviding adequate refueling infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles used beyond centrally-refueledfleet applications. To me, these challenges mean that California should carefully consider each step of a hydrogeninfrastructure research, development, and deployment plan that is staged in some fashion toassure that certain important milestones are met at each stage before proceeding to the next one.I would recommend an overall plan that is bold and that helps to further California’s leadershipin bringing about the hydrogen economy, but that also includes some flexibility in makingadjustments along the way. New technology paths are usually bumpier than they are smooth,and the challenges in front of us should not be underestimated.With those general comments, I would now like to make three specific recommendations for thestate to consider.1) The Importance of a Renewable Hydrogen FutureFirst, I would like to draw attention to the importance of emphasizing a renewable hydrogenfuture. Perhaps the main advantage of introducing hydrogen into transportation sector and othermarkets is that it offers a wide and diverse set of potential benefits. If one only wishes to addressair quality improvement, there is probably a cheaper and easier way. If one only wishes toaddress greenhouse gas emissions, there is probably a cheaper way. And if one only wishes toaddress petroleum dependency, there is probably a cheaper way. But, if one wishes to addressall of these important issues – that is where hydrogen may have a strong advantage.I believe that one of the most important benefits that hydrogen can ultimately offer is its abilityto be made from a diverse array of domestic sources, including -- very importantly -- sources thatare renewable and sustainable. However, in the early years of the hydrogen transition, naturalgas will probably play a key role as a source for hydrogen due to its relatively attractiveeconomics. There are two potential dangers to this, as a natural gas based hydrogen future is atbest an incomplete one. First, natural gas is subject to significant price fluctuations, and someexperts are predicting the potential for increases in what are already historically high prices overthe next several years. These price fluctuations could therefore greatly affect the economics ofhydrogen production, and could threaten to “pull the rug out” from under the hydrogen economyjust as it is getting started. Second, there is a risk of technological “lock-in” to natural gas basedhydrogen production, making it potentially difficult to switch to other more attractivealternatives from a social and environmental perspective.For these reasons, I think that it is important that the state develop a plan to rely increasingly onrenewable sources of hydrogen, as it is only in this way that the benefits of hydrogen can be fullyrealized. In most people’s minds, this means producing hydrogen by electrolysis from wind andsolar power because these are the renewable hydrogen options that have received the mostattention. However, the costs of electrolysis-derived hydrogen are relatively high, and likely willremain so for some time. Recent research suggests that there are other renewable sources ofhydrogen based on biomass sources that can produce delivered hydrogen for less cost, perhapsaround $3.00 per kilogram in the medium term. These sources include municipal solid waste,landfill gas, and agricultural and livestock residues, as well as dedicated energy crops. Whilethese sources may ultimately be limited in magnitude, they are potentially attractive options forproducing hydrogen cleanly and renewably. Along with the electrolysis-based options, theyshould be explored with regard to their potential for California.2) The Possibility of Combining Hydrogen Infrastructure with Distributed PowerGenerationSecond, I would like to mention the interesting prospect for combining hydrogen production formotor vehicles with the production of electricity using distributed power generating systems.Concepts such as “hydrogen energy stations” that would co-produce hydrogen for vehicles andelectricity for local building loads and/or utility grids have the potential for more attractiveoverall costs than dedicated hydrogen generating and dispensing facilities. These stations woulduse stationary fuel cells or other hydrogen-based electricity generating systems, and while theywould require some decreases in stationary fuel cell costs to become fully economic, decreaseson the order of twofold may be sufficient in this regard and these may be expected in the mediumterm, if not the near term. The obvious attractiveness of this type of scheme is that twoimportant problems can be