After four years of testing light hydrogen vehicles, the Quebec government has drawn its conclusions: the potential of this technology does not go beyond certain very specific “niches” – and there is no guarantee that it will actually break through there…
From 2019 to 2023, a fleet of 46 hydrogen vehicles crisscrossed the Capitale-Nationale region. Employees of ministries, government agencies and municipalities could drive one of the Toyota or Hyundai vehicles made available to them.
The conclusions of this “test bench” of almost 500,000 kilometers were recently published. Globally, this was the main exercise of its type in the Nordic environment. However, the $6 million experiment faces some “notable challenges” in deploying the technology.
“From the start, the intention was to document this technology, to really dive into it, to find out what we are talking about,” explains Mathieu Payeur, director of the Office of Green Hydrogen and Bioenergy Development at the Ministry of Energy. Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) of Quebec.
In winter, vehicles lose a lot of efficiency. Heating, resistances and aerodynamics are in question. At -6°C, their consumption increases by around 40% compared to performance at 20°C. Traveling 100 km therefore costs $27, with a pump price of $17.30 per kilogram of hydrogen.
Since the announcement of the test bench by the Couillard government in 2017, hydrogen vehicles have fallen behind in the race to electrification. Every year, battery-powered vehicles become more efficient and more affordable, and the network of charging stations continues to grow.
Pitfalls
Cars powered by green hydrogen emit no carbon, but their use results in significant energy losses. From Hydro-Québec’s electron to the vehicle’s wheels, these losses amount to 77% (in summer conditions, therefore optimal), according to the test bench report.
“This confirms the perception that we had from the start: considering the energy losses associated with this technology, and therefore the additional consumption that it causes, we will have to use it in niches where, really, we do not “There are no other solutions available,” says Mr. Payeur.
Where hydrogen comes into its own is at the recharging station. It only takes a few moments to refuel. Police cars, ambulances and taxis – which drive all day – could benefit, explains the official. But even in these niches, nothing is won.
What did the test bench participants think? According to a survey, they say they appreciated the driving and reliability of hydrogen cars. However, they did not like their refueling experience.
The MEIE had largely financed the single refueling station available to participants, in the Duberger-Les Saules district, in Quebec. The Harnois company produces green hydrogen there. Numerous mechanical breakdowns occurred, so much so that a quarter of the fillings ended in failure.
This is another conclusion of the study: to establish a hydrogen supply network, technical pitfalls would have to be overcome. And given the low demand, financing such a network for light vehicles is practically impossible.
If the construction of hydrogen stations was not subsidized, the price of hydrogen would certainly rise to more than $17.30/kg. In California, where there are around fifty hydrogen stations, the price at the pump is reaching new heights these days, at US$34/kg (CA$46/kg).
“If the hydrogen car were competitive, it would already dominate the market” for zero-emission vehicles, says Johanne Whitmore, principal researcher at the Chair of Energy Sector Management at HEC Montréal and a keen observer of the hydrogen sector. “The reality is that using electricity directly is much more efficient. »
According to the official guidelines of the Quebec government, light transport is not a priority sector in which to dedicate green hydrogen. Heavy transport, more difficult to decarbonize, could however benefit… but the proof remains to be done.
The government does not intend to organize a test bench for heavy hydrogen trucks itself. “But it would be there to support an initiative” orchestrated by private actors, explains Mr. Payeur. The ministry is also “in discussions” with companies in the sector.