AGS hydrogen: Before a Transition to Hydrogen

The overarching project focuses on assessing the hydrogen option and other alternatives such as improved vehicles (e.g. better power train efficiency, lower weight, hybrids) and other fuels (electricity, biofuels). These two stages will identify options, of which the most promising will be investigated in a third step with plausible future scenarios. Choices will be made by balancing implementation time and costs/benefits to all stakeholders, and need to include R&D, regulation, fiscal policies and other technical characteristics and tools necessary/desirable for implementation. Our group is involved in all stages of this project, i.e. the competition of hydrogen with advanced vehicles and of hydrogen with biofuels is the focus. This is especially important as a transition to hydrogen involves a radical departure from current systems both in terms of the production/delivery of hydrogen, as well as its use in transportation or stationary applications. Decision-makers need to know about the potential of individual hydrogen technologies and other alternatives. Therefore, involved technologies will be assessed, and policy recommendations to guide policy-makers and interested stakeholders will be derived.
Within this project, our group focuses on assessing the feasibility of hydrogen and other alternatives to decrease the reliance on petroleum. There are two main areas of research: 1. Comparative Assessment of hydrogen with biofuels. 2. Modeling the penetration of advanced vehicles in the global energy system.
The analysis will be conducted primarily using the energy system Global MARKAL Model (GMM). The MARKAL approach refers to a perfect-foresight, optimization model with a detailed representation of energy technologies at the primary, secondary and useful energy levels. Due to the latter characteristic, these models are commonly referred to as "bottom-up" models. GMM will be used to develop alternative scenarios of the global energy system in the next 50 - 100 years in order to assess policies for supporting the introduction of hydrogen at a global level.

  • L.Barreto
  • T.Gül
  • D.A.Krzyzanowski
Krzyzanowski, D., S. Kypreos and L. Barreto (2008). Supporting hydrogen based transportation: case studies with Global MARKAL Model, Journal of Computational Management Science, Vol. 5(3), pp. 207-231, DOI: 10.1007/s10287-007-0040-5

Krzyzanowski, D., S. Kypreos and L. Barreto (2007). Assessment of Market Penetration Potential of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles, EEM Working Paper, Paul Scherrer Institute

Krzyzanowski, D.A., S. Kypreos, L. Gutzwiller and L. Barreto (2005). Implications of Technology Learning in Energy-Economy Models of the Transport Sector, PSI Bericht No. 05-06, Paul Scherrer Institute Download (0.5MB)

Krzyzanowski, D.A. (2006). Conditions for market penetration of hydrogen fuel cell cars in the transportation sector, Ph.D. Thesis, Nr. 16692, ETH Zürich, Download (4.6MB)
Gül T., S. Kypreos and L. Barreto (2007). Hydrogen and Biofuels - A Modelling Analysis of Competing Energy Carriers for Western Europe, World Energy Congress, 11-15 November, Rome, Italy, Paper, Presentation

Krzyzanowski, D.A., S. Kypreos and L. Barreto (2006). Assessment of Market Penetration Potential of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles - A Study Using an Optimization Model, CORS/Optimization Days International Conference, HEC Montreal, 8-10 May, Montreal, Canada, Presentation

Krzyzanowski, D.A. (2004). Hydrogen Economy: Long Term Mitigation Options with Emphasis on the Transportation Sector, NIDECO Colloquium "Selected Aspects of Sustainable Development", 13 May/17 June, Zurich, Switzerland, Presentation