**Distributed Hydrogen Production from Wind**

Wind power is currently utilized as a renewable power technology for
generating electricity. Combining this electricity with water
electrolysis, wind can provide hydrogen with few emissions and with very
low consumption of petroleum. Wind-generated electricity can be sent to
distributed electrolyzers via the electric grid. The petroleum energy
use and resultant CO~2~ emissions from this process are associated with
hydrogen compression at the forecourt, as well as the use of grid
electricity. Grid electricity supplements the electricity from wind in
order to increase the capacity factor on the electrolyzer.

![](media/image1.wmf){width="6.625in" height="3.9631944444444445in"}

  -------------------- ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------
  **Well-to-Wheels                                              
  Energy and                                                    
  Greenhouse Gas                                                
  Emissions Data**                                              

                       **Current    **Current    **Current      **Future
                       (2005)       (2005)       (2005)         (2015)
                       Gasoline ICE Gasoline     Distributed    Distributed
                       Vehicle**    Hybrid       Electrolysis   Electrolysis
                                    Electric     Using          Using
                                    Vehicle**    Wind/Grid -    Wind/Grid -
                                                 FCV**          FCV**

  **Well-to-Wheels     5,900        4,200        6,200          4,500
  Total Energy Use                                              
  (Btu/mile)**                                                  

  **Well-to-Wheels     5,300        3,800        130            100
  Petroleum Energy Use                                          
  (Btu/mile)**                                                  

  **Well-to-Wheels     470          340          490            310
  Greenhouse Gas                                                
  Emissions (g/mile)**                                          

  **Cost of Hydrogen                             5.70           3.10
  (\$/gge,                                                      
  Delivered)**                                                  
  -------------------- ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------

> **Notes: Distributed Hydrogen Production from Wind**

1.  Source: Well-to-wheels energy, petroleum and greenhouse gas
    emissions information from the Argonne National Laboratory GREET
    model, Version 1.7. Well-to-wheels values represent primary fuel
    production, electricity production, hydrogen production, hydrogen
    compression, and hydrogen dispensing. Fossil resource exploration
    and equipment manufacture is not included.

2.  Source: Cost, resource requirements, energy requirements, all fuel
    and feedstock energy contents, and efficiency values for the
    Current (2005) case is from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
    and the H2A model, Version 1.0.9 for a forecourt electrolysis
    facility. Capacity of plant represented here is 1,500 kg/day.

3.  Source: Cost, resource requirements, energy requirements, all fuel
    and feedstock energy contents, and efficiency values for the
    Future (2015) case is from the H2A advanced forecourt case modified
    to include a \$250/kW installed capital cost for the electrolyzer,
    and \$0.038/kWh electricity price.

4.  Basis is 1 kg of hydrogen, dispensed from filling station for 5,000
    psi fills. A kg of hydrogen contains approximately the same amount
    of energy as one gallon of gasoline, or one gallon of gasoline
    equivalent (gge).

5.  Diagram is for future (2015) case, showing feedstock and energy
    consumption levels required to meet technology cost goals. Flows in
    diagram represent direct energy and emissions between production and
    dispensing, and are not based on well-to-wheels calculations.

6.  The petroleum use and resultant GHG emissions are associated with
    the grid electricity for compression, and to supplement the wind
    based electricity for electrolysis.

7.  Energy from incoming wind was not included in the overall energy
    balance, although the wind-generated electricity is. Grid efficiency
    loss = 7.3% as per assumption in ANL GREET model.

8.  Diagram is for Future (2015) case. Cost of Future (2015) case
    assumes electricity assistance provided by grid to maintain capacity
    factor at 70%; the electricity to the electrolyzer is assumed to be
    50% wind, 50% grid. Cost of Current (2005) case also assumes
    electricity assistance provided by grid to maintain capacity factor
    at 70%; the electricity to the electrolyzer is assumed to be 30%
    wind, 70% grid. Wind energy is assumed to be transported via the
    electrical grid to the distributed electrolyzer.

9.  Current (2005) electrolyzer uses 53.4 kWh of electricity per kg of
    hydrogen generated. Future (2015) electrolyzer uses 44.5 kWh/kg. The
    LHV electrolyzer efficiencies for the Current (2005) and
    Future (2015) cases are 64% and 76%, respectively.

10. Installed electrolyzer capital cost for 2005 and 2015 cases is
    \$730/kW and \$250/kW, respectively.

11. Efficiency results are presented in terms of lower heating value
    (LHV) of hydrogen.

12. The efficiency of the electric forecourt compressor, which raises
    pressure of the gaseous hydrogen for 5,000 psi fills, is 94%.

13. The operating capacity factor of the production unit is 70%.

14. Electricity is consumed by the process for compression and
    electrolyser operations. Electricity prices for the Current (2005)
    case is based on the 2015 projection for industrial-rate electricity
    by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration
    Annual Energy Outlook 2005 High A case. Electricity price for the
    Future (2015) case is \$0.038/kWh. Prices shown in table are in 2005
    \$. Electricity is inflated at 1.9%/year for the 20 year operating
    life of the plant. It is assumed that both grid electricity and wind
    electricity is available at the same price.

15. Cost of hydrogen is the minimum required to obtain a 10% internal
    rate of return after taxes on the capital investment.

16. The data relevant to the Distributed Hydrogen Production from Wind
    technology diagram above is provided in the table below.

  -------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
                                         **Current (2005) **Future (2015)
                                         Distributed      Distributed
                                         Electrolysis     Electrolysis
                                         Using            Using
                                         Wind/Grid -      Wind/Grid -
                                         FCV**            FCV**

  **Feedstock Price (\$/million Btu)**   N/A - Wind       N/A - Wind
                                         Energy           Energy

  **Energy in Feedstock (Btu)**          N/A - Wind       N/A - Wind
                                         Energy           Energy

  **Grid Electricity Consumed (kWh)**    40               24

  **Electricity Price (\$/kWh)**         0.052            0.038

  **Electricity to Process (Btu)**       182,000          152,000

  **Energy Losses from Process (Btu)**   66,000           36,000

  **Pressure of Hydrogen from Production 300              300
  (psi)**                                                 

  **Energy Use for Delivery at the       7,200            7,200
  Forecourt (Btu)**                                       

  **Energy Use for Delivery Transport    N/A - Forecourt  N/A - Forecourt
  (Btu)**                                Production       Production

  **Hydrogen Dispensing Fill Pressure    5,000            5,000
  (psi)**                                                 

  **Plant Gate Energy Use Including      182,000          152,000
  Feedstock (Btu)**                                       

  **Production Process Efficiency**      64%              76%

  **Pathway Efficiency**                 61%              73%
  -------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------