Batteries and hydrogen play a crucial role in creating a cleaner and smarter tomorrow. They are significant because they can both convert electricity into chemical energy and vice versa. They are ready to transform the energy industry, but they differ in their promises and characteristics. That is why batteries and hydrogen stand out as two promising technologies.
Figure 3 shows the different stages of losses leading up to the 30% efficiency, compared to the battery’s 70-90% efficiency, since the stages of losses are much lower than hydrogen. Since this technology is still under development and improvement, it is lagging in streamlining its production.
The choice between hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) depends on individual preferences and needs. If you value long driving ranges and quick refueling for extended journeys, hydrogen FCVs could be preferable, assuming you have access to hydrogen refueling stations.
Both batteries and hydrogen have been creating a buzz and heated discussions for the future of energy solutions. Although batteries are more developed and efficient at the moment, hydrogen shows a lot of potential as well.
For hydrogen fuel vehicles, the hydrogen in the tank must be reconverted into electric power, which is done through fuel cell. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the fuel cell technology has the potential of achieving 60% of efficiency, with most of the rest of the energy lost as heat (U.S. Department of Energy, 2011).
The advantage of hydrogen as a fuel for electric vehicles is that it can be charged faster than batteries, in the order of minutes equivalent to gasoline cars. Also, the higher energy density than batteries means that it can drive much longer ranges and pack more energy in the same space than battery packs.