How risky is the introduction of fuel cell electric vehicles in a Mediterranean town?

The incorporation of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) in public transport is a fundamental step towards the minimization of the emissions due to transportation globally. In-depth studies are required regarding the potential risk from the storage of hydrogen, the transportation of hydrogen to refuelling stations and the refuelling procedure. Thus, it is a prerequisite to establish a holistic baseline which is related to FCEV safety during operation/maintenance, especially to a country in which the sales of these types of vehicles are significantly low. This paper suggests the employment of operational risk management methodology. Relevant experts and stakeholders requested to fill out an ‘‘Event-Probability Matrix’’ per scenario of likely hazards. This research estimates the interest of the local society about technological hazards and the conviction that hydrogen vehicles could be as safe as conventional vehicles. Additional critical scenarios related to the hydrogen storage are analyzed.     

Who are the early adopters of fuel cell vehicles?

All new technologies, including automotive technologies, are first purchased by early adopters. These consumers are currently posed with the choice of purchasing a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) or a variety of other alternatively fueled vehicles, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs). For FCVs to be commercially successful they need to carve out their own niche in the automotive market, something which may prove challenging in the face of strong BEV market growth. The results in this paper come from a questionnaire survey of 470 FCV owners and 1550 BEV owners. The paper explores the socio-economic profile, travel patterns, and attitudes of FCV buyers and compares them to the buyers of BEVs. The result suggests that the adopters of BEVs and FCV are similar in gender, level of education, household income, and have similar travel patterns. They have differences in age, ownership of previous alternative fuel vehicles, attitudes towards sustainability, and more FCV owners live in rented homes and apartment buildings. The results of the study suggest that FCVs may appeal to consumers who live in homes where they cannot recharge a BEV or install their own charger. FCVs still have several challenges to overcome, including the lack of hydrogen refueling stations and a lack of FCV models to choose from.     

Can the electricity distribution network cope with an influx of electric vehicles?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a new load for the electricity companies. They are different from other electrical loads in that they are, by their nature, highly mobile and unpredictable. This paper reviews the infrastructure requirements in order to show how the possible expansion of electric vehicle ownership and use will impact on the electricity industry. There are four key factors which will influence the effect of EVs on the network: namely the battery charger itself, the user profile, the electric vehicle; and the existing distribution network and plant. These areas will be discussed in turn within the paper.     

Can EV (electric vehicles) address Ireland’s CO2 emissions from transport?

In the period 1990–2007, CO₂ emissions from Ireland’s Transport sector increased by 181%. It has been proposed that a transition to EV (electrically-powered vehicles) – either BEV (battery-powered) or PHEV (plug-in hybrids) – offers the potential for significant reductions in these emissions. However, the benefits of PHEV – and of plug-in vehicles generally – accrue because some fraction of the fossil fuel normally consumed by the vehicle is displaced by electricity extracted from the national grid. The net benefit therefore depends on many factors, including the characteristics of the electricity generation and distribution system, and the proportion of vkm (vehicle-kilometres) completed under electric power.     

How ambitious are China and India’s emissions intensity targets?

Several developing economies have announced carbon emissions targets for 2020 as part of the negotiating process for a post-Kyoto climate policy regime. China and India’s commitments are framed as reductions in the emissions intensity of the economy by 40–45% and 20–25%, respectively, between 2005 and 2020. How feasible are the proposed reductions in emissions intensity for China and India, and how do they compare with the targeted reductions in the US and the EU? In this paper, we use a stochastic frontier model of energy intensity to decompose energy intensity into the effects of input and output mix, climate, and a residual technology variable. We use the model to produce emissions projections for China and India under a number of scenarios regarding the pace of technological change and changes in the share of non-fossil energy. We find that China is likely to need to adopt ambitious carbon mitigation policies in order to achieve its stated target, and that its targeted reductions in emissions intensity are on par with those implicit in the US and EU targets. India’s target is less ambitious and might be met with only limited or even no dedicated mitigation policies.     

How does manufacturing agglomeration affect green economic efficiency?

It is the theme of today to develop green economy and improve green economic efficiency (GEE). Adopting the panel data of 287 cities in China between 2003 and 2016, this research investigates the nonlinear impact and its action path of Manufacturing Agglomeration (MA) on GEE theoretically and empirically via adopting dynamic spatial panel Durbin model and mediating effect model. The results suggest the existence of a significant positive “U-shaped” relationship between MA and GEE, no matter in the short-term or long-term. However, for traditional economic efficiency, in the short-term, MA first inhibits it and then promotes it; while in the long-term, there is no significant positive “U-shaped” relationship between the two. In addition, industrial structure upgrading plays an important mediating role between MA and GEE, which accounts for 31.992%. Therefore, this paper believes that in order to improve green economic efficiency, it is necessary to dynamically adjust regional related policies, eliminate the congestion effect caused by manufacturing agglomeration, and achieve high-quality development of manufacturing agglomeration through industrial structure transformation and upgrading.     

High-rate,valve-regulated lead–acid batteries — suitable for hybrid electric vehicles?

The possibility of replacing, with electric drive systems, at least some of the internal-combustion engines currently employed in road vehicles is being actively pursued by all the world's major automobile manufacturing companies. Minimum on-road emissions would be achieved by the adoption of pure electric vehicles, but the somewhat limited range available between charges of the batteries has led to a serious evaluation of hybrid electric vehicles as an acceptable compromise. In hybrids, a small internal-combustion engine, operated at high efficiency, will consume less fuel and produce less emissions than would a regular internal-combustion engine, and will allow considerable range extension over the pure electric vehicle. Eventually, an electric system which employs a fuel cell may become affordable. It is likely that all three systems — the pure electric, the hybrid electric, and the fuel cell system — will require battery support, particularly to provide boost power for acceleration and hill climbing. Although more expensive battery systems are being vigorously developed in pursuit of greater range per charge, the benchmark against which these systems are compared remains the valve-regulated lead–acid (VRLA) battery.     

Will there be enough platinum for a large deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles?

This study focuses on the critical materials that make up hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. It addresses the issue of platinum, a catalyst for the electricity production reaction. All types of vehicles are considered, in order to have a broader inventory than many studies on the subject: Light Duty Vehicles, Light Commercial Vehicles, Buses, Coaches, Trucks and Heavy Trucks.Platinum is produced in countries that show uncertain stability. The question of reserves and resources is central, and world referent agencies and companies data were used. To reach 20% penetration rate of fuel cells Light Duty Vehicles in 2050 while preserving platinum resources until 2100, it is essential to make significant progress on the platinum load per unit of power, and to encourage consumers to collect close to 100% of their fuel cells. If platinum catalyzed fuel cells are only used in buses and trucks, penetration rates can be much higher. Nevertheless, the use of fuel cells as “Range-Extenders” for electric vehicle batteries will greatly reduce the future risk of platinum supply scarcity. Close attention must also be paid to the processes of transfer of resources to reserves.     

100 kW鹰式波浪能发电装置“万山号”实海况试验

鹰式装置"万山号"为一大型漂浮式波浪能发电装置,装置采用2套独立并行的液压系统将不稳定的波浪能转换为相对稳定的电能,系统配置4台由液压马达驱动的30 kW永磁发电机,在不同浪况下分级启动发电。2015年11月～2016年6月,"万山号"在珠海万山海域已开展不同海况的实海况试验,海试经历小浪、中浪、大浪等多种环境动力输入,取得一系列试验数据和成果。根据已获的阶段成果,总结出改进措施,后续"万山号"将优化升级现有系统,扩展太阳能发电及海水淡化系统,并在开阔海域开展长期实海况试验,持续提高鹰式波浪能转换装置的可靠性、转换效率、环境适应性和经济性。     

How liquid hydrogen production methods affect emissions in liquid hydrogen powered vehicles?

Emissions variations of liquid hydrogen (LH₂) production methods in liquid hydrogen powered vehicles are investigated in this study. Volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), particulate matters (PM₁₀ & PM_2.5), sulfur oxides (SO_x), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, which are on well-to-wheel (WTW) basis, are evaluated for 2013 model year's cars in the target year of 2018. GREET software is utilized for the emissions. When the average values of all emissions are compared, hydrogen production by the solar power, nuclear, and electrolysis methods have the lowest emissions, respectively, and hydrogen production by coal and electricity methods have the highest emissions, respectively. On the other hand, it is found that in all emission types and hydrogen production methods, fuel cell vehicles (FCV) emit less emission than spark ignition hybrid electric vehicles (SI HEV) and SI HEVs emit less emission than spark ignition internal combustion engine vehicles (SI ICEV). Emissions decrease by 22.4% in SI HEVs compared to SI ICEVs, 35.1% in FCVs compared to SI HEVs, and 49.6% in FCVs compared to SI ICEVs for average of all emissions.     

Electric,plug-in hybrid,hybrid, or conventional? Polish consumers’ preferences for electric vehicles

Poland aims at stimulating the market to reach a target of 50,000 plug-in and battery electric vehicles by 2020. However, as in other Eastern European countries, the market penetration stays very low. In Poland, there were only 475 battery electric vehicles and 514 plug-in electric vehicles registered in 2017. To identify effective support measures, this paper examines the preferences of Polish consumers for three types of electric vehicles: battery, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. We use a discrete choice experiment to estimate the willingness to pay of a representative sample of consumers intending to buy a car in Poland. We find that electric vehicles are significantly less preferred than conventional cars, even under a public programme that would enable slow-mode charging in places where respondents usually park. We quantify the marginal willingness to pay for increasing the driving range, reductions in charging time, the availability of fast-mode charging stations, and the provision of policy incentives. The novelty of the paper lies in presenting a scenario with the slow-mode and availability of several levels of fast-mode charging stations and examination of the extent to which the heterogeneity of consumer preferences is driven by place of residence (urban, suburban, rural), intention to buy a new versus a used car, and the annual mileage. This is also the first discrete choice experiment on electric vehicles conducted in Eastern Europe. To stimulate the electric vehicle market, we recommend a pricing policy that affects the operating costs and other incentives along with an effective up-front price incentive scheme.     

面向“互联网+”的风火发电权交易促进风电接纳研究

针对目前中国严峻的弃风形势,结合"互联网+"在电力行业不断融合的新趋势,提出面向"互联网+"的分散式超短期风火发电权交易模式。当风电场出力大于电网对它的消纳能力时,为了减少弃风,风电场通过"互联网+"交易平台及时发布交易信息,邀请有能力的火电机组参与发电权交易,利用"互联网+"平台的分散决策系统和云计算技术,快速提供优化决策。由于风电场出力的随机性,风电场实发电量与火电机组签订的交易电量会存在一定偏差,使得风电场无法准确履行交易计划。为此,在风火发电权交易模型中引入风电不平衡费用,量化分析风电场出力偏差引起的不平衡成本。最后,通过算例仿真,验证交易模式的合理性,为解决风电消纳难题提供参考。     

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles—A low-carbon solution for Ireland?

Between 1990 and 2006, the primary energy requirement of the Irish transport sector increased by 166%. Associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have followed a corresponding trajectory, and are responsible—at least in part—for Ireland’s probable failure to meet its Kyoto targets. As in most countries, Ireland’s transport sector is almost totally reliant on oil—a commodity for which Ireland is totally dependent on imports—and therefore vulnerable to supply and price shocks. Conversely, the efficiency and carbon intensity of the Irish electricity supply system have both improved dramatically over the same period, with significant further improvements projected over the coming decade. This paper analyses the prospects for leveraging these changes by increasing the electrification of the Irish transport sector. Specifically, the potential benefits of plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEV) are assessed, in terms of reducing primary energy requirement (PER) and CO₂ emissions. It is shown that, on a per-km basis, PHEV offer the potential for reductions of 50% or more in passenger car PER and CO₂ intensity. However, the time required to turn over the existing fleet means that a decade or more will be required to significantly impact PER and emissions of the PC fleet.     

Hybrid electric vehicles and electrochemical storage systems — a technology push–pull couple

In the advance of fuel cell electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) can contribute to reduced emissions and energy consumption of personal cars as a short term solution. Trade-offs reveal better emission control for series hybrid vehicles, while parallel hybrid vehicles with different drive trains may significantly reduce fuel consumption as well. At present, costs and marketing considerations favor parallel hybrid vehicles making use of small, high power batteries. With ultra high power density cells in development, exceeding 1 kW/kg, high power batteries can be provided by adapting a technology closely related to consumer cell production. Energy consumption and emissions may benefit from regenerative braking and smoothing of the internal combustion engine (ICE) response as well, with limited additional battery weight. High power supercapacitors may assist the achievement of this goal. Problems to be solved in practice comprise battery management to assure equilibration of individual cell state-of-charge for long battery life without maintenance, and efficient strategies for low energy consumption.     

V2G or VEG?An investigation into the business model for future electric vehicles based on technological developments

基于目前电动汽车产业发展的困境认识,提出未来电动汽车技术发展与商业实现的VEG模式(Vehicle-Energy station-Grid).在VEG模式中,电动汽车充电方式由用户自己选择,可以在能量站快充,也可以在停车场或家庭车库进行慢充.能量站安装有低成本,长寿命的MW级储能电池,能够从电网充电储存电量后给电动汽车快速充电;同时,能量站能够与电网互动,用于电力调峰或调频.作者认为,开发低成本长寿命的新型储能电池和可以安全快速充电的新型动力电池是实现VEG模式的两大技术关键.只有这两大技术关键突破后,纯电动汽车产业发展的春天才能够真正到来.     

MPPT controller for an interleaved boost dc–dc converter used in fuel cell electric vehicles

Fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) has recently attracted increasing research interest. This paper investigates the performances of MPPT-FC generators supplying electric vehicle power train through an interleaved boost DC/DC converter (IBC). The accent is made on forcing the FC generator to operate at its maximum power point by using perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm integrated to the IBC control. However, the MPPT-FC control creates rapid changes in the power output from the fuel cell, which cause serious life shortening, severe cell degradation, and decrease the system efficiency. To overcome these shortcomings, the control of air generation system was designed to improve the power quality and to prevent fuel starvation phenomenon during rapid power transitions. The work involves the modeling and the simulation of the fuel cell power train in the vehicular application using the experimental data obtained in previous works. The experimental part of the proposed FCEV is based on a low-cost, low-power consumption microcontroller, which controls the IBC and performs the MPPT-FC operation. A microcontroller is used to measure the FC output power and to change the duty ratio of the IBC control signals.     

Futures-based forecasts: How useful are they for oil price volatility forecasting?

Oil price volatility forecasts have recently attracted the attention of many studies in the energy finance field. The literature mainly concentrates its attention on the use of daily data, using GARCH-type models. It is only recently that efforts to use more informative intra-day data to forecast oil price realized volatility have been made. Despite all these previous efforts, no study has examined the usefulness of futures-based models for oil price realized volatility forecasting, although the use of such models is extensive for oil price predictions. This study fills this void and shows that futures-based forecasts based on intra-day data provide informative forecasts for horizons that span between 1-day and 66-days ahead. More importantly, these results hold true even during turbulent times for the oil market, such as the Global Financial Crisis of 2007–09 and the oil collapse period of 2014–15.     

How competitive are EU electricity markets? An assessment of ETS Phase II

This paper studies the interactions between electricity and carbon allowance prices in the year-ahead energy markets of France, Germany, United Kingdom and the Nordic countries, during Phase II of the EU ETS. VAR and Granger-causality methods are used to analyze causal interfaces, whereas the volatility of electricity prices is studied with basic and asymmetric AR-GARCH models. Among the main results, the marginal rate at which carbon prices feed into electricity prices is shown to be ca. 135% in the EEX and Nord Pool markets, where electricity and carbon prices display bidirectional causality, and 109% in the UK. Therefore, generators in these markets internalized the cost of freely allotted emission allowances into their electricity prices considerably more than the proportionate increase in costs justified by effective carbon intensity. Moreover, electricity prices in France are found to Granger-cause the carbon price. This study also shows how European electricity prices are deeply linked to coal prices among other factors, both in terms of levels and volatility, regardless of the underlying fuel mix, and that coal was marginally more profitable than gas for electricity generation. EU policies aimed at increasing the carbon price are likely to be crucial in limiting the externalities involved in the transition to a low-carbon system.