Potentials and limitations of green hydrogen as an energy carrier for decarbonising the transport sector in Austria

Abstract

Do fuel cell electric vehicles have a future? This is one of the most controversial questions when it comes to future mobility. Looking at the current fleet of fuel cell electric cars at just over 40,000 vehicles worldwide, many an automaker has also begun to tune in to the fuel cell's swan song. The aim of this master thesis is to show in which areas the fuel cell has potential, but also where its limits lie. With the help of the GREET® model, the carbon dioxide saving potentials compared to internal combustion engine vehicles are calculated along the entire vehicle operation pathway (well-to-wheel). Furthermore, the focus is on the economic efficiency of green hydrogen and of fuel cell electric vehicles themselves. The latter is to be presented on the basis of the total cost of ownership approach in a comparison with internal combustion engines and battery electric vehicles. The results of such a comparison show that the competitiveness of a fuel cell electric vehicle increases the larger the vehicle or the higher the annual mileage. For smaller vehicles and lower annual mileage, a battery electric vehicle has a clear competitive edge over fuel cell electric cars. With regard to the avoidance of carbon dioxide emissions, the results of this master thesis show that the contribution of fuel cell electric vehicles in the Austrian transport sector remains very manageable in a "base scenario" with less than 2% of avoided carbon dioxide emissions in 2050. In a “decarbonisation scenario” with strong growth rates of fuel cell electric vehicles in the commercial vehicle segments, the picture is completely different. Here, up to almost a quarter of the current transport-related carbon dioxide emissions could be saved in 2050, but as a result electricity demand could also increase by almost 35% compared to today, thus necessitating an even greater expansion of renewable energy capacities.