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Hydrogen powers automotive fuel cells. Hydrogen can be generated
through the processing, or "reforming," of natural
gas or liquid fuels. Given the limited pipeline network for
hydrogen, on-site generation of hydrogen at the refueling
station is the most likely solution for supplying fuel cell
vehicles. Two technologies have been proposed to date for
"distributed hydrogen production": methane (natural
gas) reforming and electrolysis. While hydrogen generation
by electrolysis is competitive for small refueling applications,
a number of studies have shown that reforming is the most
cost-competitive method for providing hydrogen at larger refueling
stations.
A number of hydrogen refueling demonstration projects are
currently
operational or planned for the coming year. These include
hydrogen
refueling stations for the CUTE fuel cell bus project in Europe
(10 sites),
the WE-NET hydrogen refueling project in Japan (six sites)
and the HYEDI
project coordinated by the U.S. DOE. Parties involved in the
development
and integration of refueling systems include energy companies,
industrial
gas firms and various industrial players.
QuestAir
Technology
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