Analysis of bottlenecks in the development of hydrogen fuel cell industry

As we all know, hydrogen fuel cells are a clean energy source. Unlike lithium batteries , which are energy storage devices , hydrogen fuel cells are themselves a power generation device that can directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy. It is understood that hydrogen power generation is more economical than diesel power generation and more efficient than traditional diesel engines and internal combustion engines .

In addition to high efficiency in energy conversion, hydrogen fuel cells also have high energy density. According to the energy density report issued by the U.S. Department of Energy, the energy density of hydrogen fuel cells can reach three times that of gasoline and diesel, and more than ten times that of lithium batteries . If used in the automotive field, its cruising range can reach 500 to 600 kilometers.

Compared with other energy sources, hydrogen fuel has a relatively high safety factor. Based on the experience of using fuel cell vehicles abroad, it can be concluded that hydrogen has great buoyancy and diffusivity. The diffusion rate of hydrogen is 3.8 times that of natural gas, which means that when hydrogen leaks, it will quickly rise and spread rapidly in all directions, making it difficult for its concentration to reach the concentration required for explosion. Secondly, the explosion energy of hydrogen is the lowest among common fuel gases, only 1/22 of gasoline. Combining these two points, the danger level of hydrogen itself is far less than that of gasoline.

So the question is, since hydrogen fuel cells have so many advantages, why have they not been fully popularized so far?

First of all, some problems faced by hydrogen refueling stations have hindered the development of fuel cells. According to relevant data, the initial operating cost of hydrogen refueling stations currently requires an investment of about 10 million yuan for hydrogen refueling equipment alone. Due to the small number of hydrogen fuel vehicles on the market, it is extremely difficult for hydrogen refueling stations to make a profit without a certain number of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to support the operation of hydrogen refueling stations. In addition, the initial investment is large, the payback period is too long, there is a lack of supporting facilities, and the approval process is complicated. This series of problems directly led to the development of the hydrogen fuel cell industry.

Secondly, the cost of hydrogen is still a bottleneck hindering the development of hydrogen fuel cells. Although my country's hydrogen production technology is relatively mature, the price of hydrogen is still very expensive due to the low demand in the domestic market. It is understood that the current price cost of hydrogen is 40 yuan. The price of gasoline is about 7 yuan, and the price of lithium batteries is about 6 yuan.

Finally, the imperfection of the industrial chain is also a factor that hinders the development of fuel cells. The large-scale and healthy development of the industry requires not only complete and safe products in the production field, but also market demand to provide "power". Only when the general public accepts hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, recognizes the superiority of such vehicles, and voluntarily buys and uses such vehicles, can the production side actively improve the technology and mass produce them. Only in this way can the technological update be on the right track, the production cost can be reduced to a reasonable range, and the industry market can operate normally.

China has long supported the development of the hydrogen fuel cell industry through policies. The State Council has issued a document emphasizing the need to vigorously promote breakthrough development in key areas, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are one of the seven key areas of development. Unlike the repeated decline in subsidies for pure electric vehicles , the intensity of subsidies for the hydrogen fuel industry has increased in recent years.

In order to promote the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry, my country has introduced some relevant support policies. Among them, in terms of subsidy policy, according to the "Notice on Adjusting and Improving the Financial Subsidy Policy for the Promotion and Application of New Energy Vehicles" issued by the Ministry of Finance and other four ministries in February 2018, the specific subsidies for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are: up to 200,000 yuan for passenger cars, up to 300,000 yuan for light buses and trucks, and up to 500,000 yuan for large and medium-sized buses and medium and heavy logistics vehicles.

Although the policy support is strong, many vehicle manufacturers are still worried about the lag in subsidy policies. For example, according to the current standards, it usually takes two years to get the corresponding subsidies. The consequence of the subsidy lag is the increase in the daily operating costs of the company. At present, for a relatively large vehicle manufacturer, if the subsidy is calculated at 500,000 yuan for the production of 10,000 vehicles, it will be about 5 billion yuan a year. In two years, it will be close to 10 billion yuan. 10 billion yuan is an unimaginable pressure on any vehicle manufacturer to increase its capital operation.