Abstract
This chapter analyzes the main energy and environmental issues that justify the present interest towards the development of novel technologies for sustainable means of transportation. The potentialities and limitations of hydrogen fuel cell technology, as alternative solution for efficient and not polluting vehicles, are presented in the context of the most stringent questions to deal with in this field: the scarcity of fossil resources, the necessity of further reductions in current engine emissions to meet the severe incoming legislative limits and the global warming risks related to the green-house effect. A well-to-wheel analysis, effected for different types of vehicles starting from both fossil and renewable primary energy resources, evidences the viable paths in the direction of novel clean technologies for transportation means.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
International Energy Agency (2008) World energy outlook 2008. OECD Publishing, Paris
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Mobility 2030: meeting the challenges to sustainability. http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?type=DocDet&ObjectId=NjA5NA. Accessed 2 Feb 2010
BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2008
Askari H, Krichene N (2008) Oil price dynamics (2002–2006). Energ Econ 30(5):2134–2153
Kaufmann RK, Bradford A, Belanger LH, Mclaughlin JP, Miki Y (2008) Determinants of OPEC production: Implications for OPEC behavior. Energ Econ 30:333–351
Wirl F (2008) Why do oil prices jump (or fall)? Energy Policy 36:1029–1043
Hirsch RL (2008) Mitigation of maximum world oil production: Shortage scenarios. Energy policy 36:881–889
Nel WP, Cooper CJ (2008) A critical review of IEA’s oil demand forecast for China. Energy Policy 36:1096–1106
Hubbert MK (1949) Energy from fossils fuels. Science 109:103–109
Hubbert MK (1956) Nuclear energy and the fossil fuels. In: Presented before the Spring Meeting of the Southern District. American Petroleum Institute, Plaza Hotel, San Antonio, Texas, March 7–9, 1956. http://www.hubbertpeak.com/hubbert/1956/1956.pdf. Accessed 02 Feb 2010
Wilkinson P (2008) Peak oil: threat, opportunity or phantom? Public Health 122:664–666
Lea R (2008) The days of cheap oil have gone, but the peak oil theory is far too bleak. Public Health 122:667–668
Meng QY, Bentley RW (2008) Global oil peaking: responding to the case for ‘abundant supplies of oil’. Energy 33:1179–1184
Hanlon P, McCartney G (2008) Peak oil: Will it be public health’s greatest challenge? Public Health 122:647–652
Leder F, Shapiro JN (2008) This time is different: an inevitable decline in world petroleum production will keep oil product prices high, causing military conflicts and shifting wealth and power from democracies to authoritarian regimes. Energy Policy 36(8):2850–2852
Brecha RJ (2008) Emission scenarios in the face of fossil-fuel peaking. Energy Policy 36:3492–3504
Kaufmann RK, Shiers LD (2008) Alternatives to conventional crude oil: when, how quickly, and market driven? Ecol Econ 67(3):405–411
Abu-Jrai A, RodrÃguez-Fernández J, Tsolakis A, Megaritis A, Theinnoi K, Cracknell RF, Clark RH (2009) Performance, combustion and emissions of a diesel engine operated with reformed EGR. Comparison of diesel and GTL fuelling. Fuel 88(6):1031–1041
Official Journal of the European Union (2006) L310/15. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:310:0015:0040:EN:PDF. Accessed 02 Feb 2010
Markvart T, Castaner L (2003) Principles of solar cell operation. In: Markvart T, Castaner L (eds) Practical handbook of photovoltaics. Fundamental and applications. Elsevier, Kidlington
Landsberg PT, Markvart T (2003) Ideal efficiencies. In: Markvart T, Castaner L (eds) Practical handbook of photovoltaics. Fundamental and applications. Elsevier, Kidlington
Pro BH, Hammerschlag R, Mazza P (2005) Energy and land use impacts of sustainable transportation scenarios. J Clean Prod 13:1309–1319
Arshadi M, Sellstedt A (2008) Production of energy from biomass. In: Clark J, Deswarte F (eds) Introduction to chemical from biomass. Wiley, Chichester
Abu-Khader MM (2009) Recent advances in nuclear power: a review. Prog Nucl Energy 51(2):225–235
Fthenakis VM, Kim HC (2007) Greenhouse-gas emissions from solar electric- and nuclear power: a life-cycle study. Energy Policy 35:2549–2557
Lenzen M (2008) Life cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear energy: a review. Energy Convers Manage 49:2178–2199
Manheiemr W (2006) Can fusion and fission breeding help civilization survive? J Fusion Energy 25(3/4):121–139
Dean SO (2007) Fusion: pathways to the future. J Fusion Energy 26:283–292
Duffey RB (2005) Sustainable futures using nuclear energy. Prog Nucl Energy 47(1–4):535–543
Lewis D (2008) Hydrogen and its relationship with nuclear energy. Prog Nucl Energy 50:394–401
Hori M (2008) Nuclear energy for transportation: paths through electricity, hydrogen and liquids fuels. Prog Nucl Energy 50:411–416
Forsberg CW (2009) Sustainability by combining nuclear, fossil and renewable energy sources. Prog Nucl Energy 51(1):192–200
Kato Y, Otsuka K, Ryu J (2008) Carbon recycle nuclear hydrogen carrier system for transportation field. Prog Nucl Energy 50:417–421
Kruger P (2006) Alternative energy resources: the quest for sustainable energy. Wiley, Hoboken
Cleveland CJ, Kaufmann RK, Stern DI (2000) Aggregation and the role of energy in the economy. Ecol Econ 32:301–317
Cleveland CJ (2005) Net energy from the extraction of oil and gas in the United States. Energy 30:769–782
Gately M (2007) The EROI of U.S. offshore energy extraction: a net energy analysis of the Gulf of Mexico. Ecol Econ 63:355–364
Faundez P (2008) Renewable energy in a market-based economy: how to estimate its potential and choose the right incentives. Renew Energy 33:1768–1774
Cleveland CJ, Costanza R, Hall CAS, Kaufmann R (1984) Energy and U.S. economy: a biophysical perspective. Science 225:890–897
Heywood JB (1988) Internal combustion engines fundamentals. McGraw-Hill, Singapore
Dabelstein W, Reglitzky A, Schtze A, Reders K (2008) Automotive fuels. In: Elvers B (ed) Handbook of fuels. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
Yao M, Zheng Z, Liu H (2009) Progress and recent trends in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines. Prog Energy Combust 35(5):398–437
Eastwood P (2000) Critical topics in exhaust gas aftertreatment. Research Studies Press Ltd., Baldock, Hertfordshire
Crebelli R, Conti L, Crochi B, Carere A, Bertoli C, Del Giacomo N (1995) The effect of fuel composition on the mutagenicity of diesel engine exhaust. Mutat Res Lett 346(3):167–172
Official Journal of the European Union (2007) L 171/1. http://eur-ex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:171:0001:0016:EN:PDF. Accessed 02 Feb 2010
Official Journal of the European Union (2008) L 199/1. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:199:0001:0136:EN:PDF. Accessed 02 Feb 2010
Turrio-Baldassarri L, Battistelli CL, Conti L, Crebelli R, De Berardis B, Iamiceli AL, Gambino M, Iannaccone S (2006) Evaluation of emission toxicity of urban bus engines: Compressed natural gas and comparison with liquid fuels. Sci Total Environ 355:64–77
Field CB, Campbell JE, Lobell DB (2007) Biomass energy: the scale of the potential resource. Trends Ecol Evol 23(2):65–72
Schuers A, Abel A, Artmann R, Fickel X, Preis M (2002) 12-cylinder hydrogen engine in the BMW 750hL. Motortechnische Zeitschrift 63(2):98–105. http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/technology/efficient_dynamics/phase_2/clean_energy/bmw_hydrogen_7.html. Accessed 02 Feb 2010
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007–2008) Fourth assessment report: climate change 2007. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Gerard D, Wilson EJ (2009) Environmental bonds and the challenge of long-term carbon sequestration. J Environ Manage 90:1097–1105
Ahman M (2001) Primary energy efficiency of alternative powertrains in vehicles. Energy 26:973–989
Rand DAJ, Dell RM (2005) The hydrogen economy: a threat or an opportunity for lead-acid batteries? J Power Sources 144:568–578
Van Mierlo J, Maggetto G, Lataire P (2006) Which energy source for road transport in the future? A comparison of battery, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. Energy Convers Manage 47:2748–2760
Vallentyne J (1965) Net primary productivity and photosynthetic efficiency in the biosphere. In: Goldman C (ed) Primary productivity in aquatic environments. University of California Press, Berkeley
Jorgensen K (2008) Technologies for electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles: electricity from renewable energy sources in transport. Util Policy 16:72–79
Linden D, Reddy TB (2001) Handbook of batteries, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York
Yang S, Knickle H (2002) Design and analysis of aluminium/air battery system for electric vehicles. J Power Sources 112:162–173
Li Q, Bjerrum NJ (2002) Aluminium as anode for energy storage and conversion: a review. J Power Sources 110:1–10
Chan CC, Sun L, Liang R, Wang Q (2007) Current status and future trends of energy storage system for electric vehicles. J Asian Electr Veh 5(2):1055–1060
Chan CC (2004) The state of the art of electric vehicles. J Asian Electr Veh 2(2):579–600
Chalk SG, Miller JF (2006) Key challenges and recent progress in batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen storage for clean energy systems. J Power Sources 159:73–80
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Corbo, P., Migliardini, F., Veneri, O. (2011). Possible Routes Towards Carbon-Free Vehicles. In: Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Road Vehicles. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-136-3_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-136-3_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-85729-135-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-85729-136-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)