HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS – DISPELLING COMMON MYTHS

TRUTH: Years ago, using fuel cells at your site required investment in either a hydrogen generation system or a liquid-based system. Now, other options are available that dramatically reduce, or sometimes eliminate, large initial expenditures for hydrogen fueling equipment. While the higher-investment options are still available, there are new options that enable fleets to lease systems or just pay for the fuel they consume.  

TRUTH: While zero harmful emissions are beneficial, operations using fuel cells receive benefits from boosted productivity as well. This is mostly derived from refueling times as fast as three minutes and reductions in battery-related footprint inside their facility. Operators simply refuel the cell using an automotive-style fuel dispenser – getting them back to work quickly. The space needed for battery storage or vast numbers of chargers is also freed-up by using a small number of fuel dispensers.  

TRUTH: Hydrogen is a common industrial gas. It is used to make products such as glass, computer chips and margarine. Hydrogen frequently occurs as a byproduct in many industrial processes – including charging certain lift truck batteries. By comparison, hydrogen’s auto-ignition temperature is much higher than other common fuels such as propane, diesel or gasoline.

Fuel Auto-ignition Temperatures

 

TRUTH: This is a by-product of the outdated “big fueling system investment” myth. New fueling options enable fleets to lease fuel storage and dispensing systems or simply pay for the fuel they consume. These new options, along with new providers entering the market, are opening up the option of fuel cells to an increasingly broad range of fleet sizes.