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Figure 50: Map of Hydrogen Refueling Stations in Asia
A vital building block in the hydrogen infrastructure for transportation is the hydrogen refuelling station. Figure 50 shows the map of hydrogen refuelling stations in Asia as compiled by a global online information service. It shows that the nearest stations to Malaysia are the two ‘One North Zone’ hydrogen filling stations built by BP Singapore in Singapore; however, they are currently reported to be out of operation (Netinform.net 2015). It is obvious that the development of hydrogen refuelling stations in the Southeast Asia region is still very sluggish and almost nonexistent. A serious collaborative effort between all the countries in the region is required to initiate and nurture the highly potential market for fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.
Following the California Fuel Cell Partnership projects models, the recommended hydrogen station installation will not be a standalone model but added to an existing fuelling station of compressed natural gas (CNG). The common features in any station design are:
• Equipment: hydrogen production (on-site), purification, safety, as well as mechanical and electrical operations
• Storage tubes/tanks/vessels, dispenser, and compressor
For on-site storage, gaseous hydrogen is a compressed gas stored above ground. For off-site storage, hydrogen will be delivered to the station as compressed gas or liquid, which will be transformed into gas and compressed upon arrival for on-site storage. On-site hydrogen generation from natural gas will significantly increase the capital investment due to the production equipment.
Figure 50: Map of Hydrogen Refueling Stations in Asia
Source: Netinform.net 2015
Figure 48: Map of hydrogen refueling stations in Asia Source: Netinform.net 2015
Following the model from California Fuel Cell Partnership projects, the recommended hydrogen station installation will not be a standalone model but added to an existing fuelling station of compressed natural gas (CNG). The common features in any station design are: • Equipment: hydrogen production (on-site), purification, safety, as well as mechanical and electrical operations • Storage tubes/tanks/vessels, dispenser, and compressor For on-site storage, gaseous hydrogen is a compressed gas stored above ground. For off-site storage, hydrogen will be delivered to the station as compressed gas or liquid, which will be transformed into gas and compressed upon arrival for on-site storage. On-site hydrogen generation from natural gas will add a significant amount to the capital investment due to the production equipment. The cost to build and maintain a hydrogen station is much higher than for a typical CNG refuelling station. The initial cost of building a complete hydrogen infrastructure for the transportation and power sectors that encompasses production, purification, distribution, and storage is very high.
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The cost to build and maintain a hydrogen station is much higher than for a typical CNG refuelling station. The initial cost of building a complete hydrogen infrastructure for the transportation and power sectors that encompasses production, purification, distribution, and storage is very high.
Feasibility studies must be carried out with substantial collaborations from all stakeholders in terms of time, effort, and investment. Commitment to cost-share must also be put in place in order to relieve the early adopters of this burden. A government-appointed body that deals specifically with all issues pertaining to fuel cell and hydrogen domestically and internationally must be set up to manage this collaborative effort efficiently.
Equipment suppliers, such as Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Air Liquide, Linde, and Hydrogencis, are vital stakeholders to Malaysia’s fuel cell and hydrogen industries. For example, Air Liquide has a proven track record of delivering more than 60 hydrogen stations worldwide, especially in Europe. In 2014, Air Liquide announced its plans to provide ‘a fullyintegrated hydrogen fuelling infrastructure’ in order to support Toyota’s fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) entry into the northeast United States. It was claimed that the stations would have a fuelling time of less than 5 minutes with the Toyota FCEVs predicted to reach up to 500 km in range (Air Liquide 2014).
Identification and involvement of experienced engineering companies in the collaboration effort are also essential as they can determine the location suitability, work together on any operation and maintenance issues, and assist in obtaining conditional use permits as well as building codes. Therefore, this can be managed better by collecting and purifying it to be produced as hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen suppliers are also necessary for a hydrogen station that does not have on-site production facilities. Large industrial gases companies have participated in many demo projects, e.g., Linde was involved in demo projects held in Europe, the US, and Japan, as they have the technologies to purify hydrogen emitted in oil and gas, and petrochemical operations.
3.4.3 Distributed On-Site Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen production processes, SMR of natural gas and water electrolysis, could also be deployed on-site at the point of use, such as at petrol service stations in distributed mode using their existing infrastructures, i.e. natural gas pipelines and reticulation and electrical power grid from hydropower. Using existing gas and electrical infrastructure could reduce the initial investment required for the transportation and distribution of hydrogen to users. An optimum underground space of (10m x 3m x 3m) could be used to produce hydrogen of up to 500-700 Nm3/hr. (OECD & IEA 2006).
