Fuel crucial for life cycle assessment
(July 15, 2015) Fuel cells are regarded as the technology of
the future for both cars and household heating systems. As a result, they have
a key role to play in the switch to renewable energies. But are fuel cells
always more environmentally friendly? An international team of scientists
headed by Empa performed a series of calculations and reached a conclusion: It
depends on the fuel.
Two fuel-cell cars have been on the market since 2015: the
Hyundai ix 35 fuel cell (above) and the Toyota Mirai (below). A study conducted
at Empa concludes that these cars will only become more environmentally
friendly than today’s models in the future, once there is hydrogen from
renewable sources. Image: hyundai.presscorner.ch
In the future, we might be driving fuel-cell cars that burn
solar-generated hydrogen. This would make the “zero emissions car” a reality.
At the same time, small combined heat and power units – also based on fuel cell
technology – could be placed in our cellars at home. They convert natural gas
and biogas into electricity while generating heat as an added “bonus” to warm
the building.
Although this is technically possible, does it also make
sense for the environment? Empa researcher Dominic Notter teamed up with
colleagues from Greece and Brazil to analyze the life cycle assessments for the
use of fuel cells: From their production, throughout their entire service life,
all the way to their eventual recycling.