Hydrogen's high cost stems from several factors, including its storage and energy density characteristics.
Here's a breakdown:
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Storage Challenges and Costs: Hydrogen requires specialized and expensive storage solutions because it's a gas at room temperature and pressure.
- High-Pressure Tanks: Storing hydrogen as a compressed gas requires robust, high-pressure tanks, increasing costs.
- Cryogenic Storage: Liquefying hydrogen for storage requires extremely low temperatures (cryogenic conditions), which is energy-intensive and expensive.
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Lower Energy Density: As noted, "Hydrogen has a lower energy density than traditional fuels like gasoline or diesel." This means that to store the same amount of energy, you need larger volumes or more complex storage solutions, further increasing costs.
- This necessitates specialized storage tanks or materials capable of safely containing hydrogen gas under high pressure or cryogenic conditions, significantly increasing expenses associated with hydrogen fuel cell usage.
In essence, the need for specialized, high-pressure, or cryogenic storage coupled with hydrogen's lower energy density compared to gasoline or diesel contributes significantly to its higher cost.
