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Fuel cell vehicles: Difference between revisions
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Inside a fuel cell, there are surfaces coated in a thin layer of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and/or iridium. These are called ''platinum-group metals'' (PGMs) and are extremely scarce. PGMs are needed as a catalyst to make the hydrogen and oxygen to react properly. | Inside a fuel cell, there are surfaces coated in a thin layer of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and/or iridium. These are called ''platinum-group metals'' (PGMs) and are extremely scarce. PGMs are needed as a catalyst to make the hydrogen and oxygen to react properly. | ||
The same metals are also in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter catalytic converters] | The same metals are also in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter catalytic converters] in gasoline and diesel vehicles, but in lesser quantities. A catalytic converter has about 2 grams of PGMs{{x|2 grams for a typical car; large trucks have proportionally more}}, while a fuel cell car has 30 to 60 grams{{x|Some scientists are working on reducing this amount, but it's hard to say how much progress can (or will) be made.}}.<!-- TODO: find the source that I got the '30 to 60 grams' from; add citation --> | ||
If all vehicles{{x|Is that too extreme a scenario? Then go with 'only half of all vehicles' and consider the numbers below to be the ''total'' PGM demand, assuming that an equal amount of PGMs are also needed for hydrogen production.}} were fuel cell-based, | If all vehicles{{x|Is that too extreme a scenario? Then go with 'only half of all vehicles' and consider the numbers below to be the ''total'' PGM demand, assuming that an equal amount of PGMs are also needed for hydrogen production.}} were fuel cell-based, | ||
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|years pgm.mine_production | |years pgm.mine_production | ||
}} | }} | ||
That's a long time - [[climate change|too long]]. Then again, suppose the mining industry were to hire 10 times as many people {{x|due to economics perhaps, if fuel cell vehicles ''did'' become a major market}}, could it all be mined 10 times faster? Does mining work that way, or are there other bottlenecks?{{rn}} <!--Some companies would certainly get rich.--> | That's a long time - [[climate change|too long]]. Then again, suppose the mining industry were to hire 10 times as many people{{x|due to economics perhaps, if fuel cell vehicles ''did'' become a major market}}, could it all be mined 10 times faster? Does mining work that way, or are there other bottlenecks?{{rn}}<!--Some companies would certainly get rich either way.--> | ||
<small>Keep in mind that a similar amount of PGMs would ''also'' be needed for green hydrogen production.</small> | <small>Keep in mind that a similar amount of PGMs would ''also'' be needed for green hydrogen production.</small> | ||
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* How many human labor hours would it take to mine this much? | * How many human labor hours would it take to mine this much? | ||
* How much dirt would have to be dug out, and what would be the environmental impact? | * How much dirt would have to be dug out, and what would be the environmental impact? | ||
If the answers are bleak, then the only hope is in designing fuel cells that contain no more PGMs than a catalytic converter | If the answers are bleak, then the only hope is in designing fuel cells that contain no more PGMs than a catalytic converter ([[Research:Reduce mineral content of fuel cells|research?]]). | ||
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Ways to maybe estimate how much labor is involved in mining PGMs: | Ways to maybe estimate how much labor is involved in mining PGMs: | ||
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- if that's not available, then: look at the price of platinum or palladium. Assume the average worker is paid $4/hour or something (is that an accurate international average?) and that 1/3 of the metal price is due to worker wages (the other 2/3 being capital costs and company profits). | - if that's not available, then: look at the price of platinum or palladium. Assume the average worker is paid $4/hour or something (is that an accurate international average?) and that 1/3 of the metal price is due to worker wages (the other 2/3 being capital costs and company profits). | ||
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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Hydrogen combustion vehicles]] | * [[Hydrogen combustion vehicles]] | ||
* [[Green hydrogen]] | * [[Green hydrogen]] | ||