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have returned to lead-acid batteries, and more are likely to do so,
says Mark Tomaszewski, manager,
emerging technologies for EnerSys, a
manufacturer of batteries and other
motive power sources.
In his estimation, the biggest
concerns revolve around the high
costs of some aspects of hydrogen
usage—of the fuel itself; of building
the complex delivery, refueling, and
storage infrastructure (a project Plug
Power’s Marsh acknowledges typi-
cally takes 16 weeks); and of main-
tenance for cells and infrastructure.
Tomaszewski estimates that one
supporting infrastructure, maintenance,
warehouse space, and labor. The research
found that for a multishift operation run-
ning six or seven days a week with about
60 Class 1 and Class 2 sit-down counter-
balanced forklifts, fuel cells can reduce
the total cost of ownership by about 10
percent. For Class 3 pallet jacks, costs can
be reduced by 5 percent, the report said.
(That’s highly simplified; to get the full
story, go to www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/cfm/
pdfs/56408.pdf.)
Proponents also point out that the U.S.
and some state governments currently
offer grants and tax incentives to encourage fuel cell adoption (a factor NREL
considered in its analysis). They note that
the biggest payback comes in new facilities where the fueling infrastructure is
designed into the building and grounds,
as opposed to retrofitting an existing
facility.
THE DOWNSIDE
Those advantages have prompted Ace
Hardware, BMW, Kroger, Procter &
Gamble, Walmart, Whole Foods, and
others to give hydrogen a try. It’s worth
noting, however, that while a few are
using hydrogen at multiple sites, most
of the programs announced so far are
pilots or involve only a single facility. This
suggests that companies see value in fuel
cells but may not be convinced there are
enough benefits to merit adoption across
the board.
Fleet managers are being cautious, says
Dues, because “there are a number of
[return on investment] considerations
that have yet to be fully resolved. These
include the complexity of the technology,
total cost of ownership, reliability issues,
and the absence of a refueling infrastructure to support widespread adoption.”
He ticks off other concerns that are giving
potential users pause: the need for further
technology development, high acquisition costs, the limited number of suppliers, and the expected 2016 expiration of
the U.S. government’s 30-percent fuel cell
investment tax credit.
Despite supporters’ claims to the contrary, some observers believe hydrogen
fuel cells’ drawbacks will be difficult to
overcome. Some early fuel cell adopters Visit ORBIS in Booth 1803 at ProMat 2015 to learn more!
