Pike predicts 5,200 hydrogen fuel stations by 2020 > Fuel Cell Dispatch

Pike predicts 5,200 hydrogen fuel stations by 2020

More than 5,000 hydrogen refuelling stations will be in use by 2020, according to new research, as investors and governments look to harness the potential of hydrogen fuel.

A new report from Pike Research indicates that hydrogen fuel cell applications are currently finding traction in light duty vehicles, forklifts, buses, stationary power, and scooters. These fuel cell market present different infrastructure build-out pathways, with varying opportunities and challenges.

While the hydrogen fuel cells currently have limited use within the passenger car market, the new report suggests that infrastructure investment, will see the number of refuelling stations soar from 200 worldwide in 2010 to around 5,200 by 2020, as a new breed of hydrogen-powered cars, buses and forklifts become operational. The cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that, by the end of that period, annual investment in hydrogen stations will reach US$1.6 billion, with a cumulative 10-year investment totalling US$8.4 billion.

“There is no one clear business model for the hydrogen infrastructure market at present,” says senior analyst Lisa Jerram. “Currently, the major players in hydrogen fuelling are large multinationals: the industrial gas companies, and the energy and gas companies, both those that operate retail gas stations and those that provide fuels for the grid. These companies tend to favour large-scale hydrogen infrastructure options.”

Jerram adds that some smaller ‘independent’ hydrogen suppliers that are developing and marketing smaller onsite hydrogen generator technologies could offer a more modular path to hydrogen infrastructure build-out. Yet another pathway is presented by vehicles using very small quantities of hydrogen, such as scooters. These vehicles can be fuelled by small solid state hydrogen cartridges, which are readily distributed in retail outlets.

Pike Research’s analysis indicates that forklifts will be the largest driver of hydrogen fuel demand by 2020, representing 36 per cent of the total market by that time. The other large application categories include light duty vehicles, which will consume 33 per cent of total hydrogen, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for stationary power, which will represent 27% of the total. Fuel cell buses and scooters will each be a relatively small percentage of total hydrogen demand.

A number of car makers have hydrogen-fuelled vehicles planned for market-launch within the next ten years, including Daimler, Hyundai-Kia, Toyota and Honda. Honda was the first to begin series production of a hydrogen fuelled car, with its FCX Clarity, which began leasing in small numbers to customers in the US and Japan.