Techno-Economics of a New Hydrogen Value Chain Supporting Heavy Duty Transport

Volume 4, Issue 5
July 2022
By Mohd Adnan Khan, David Layzell, Catherine MacKinnon, Cameron Young

To limit the increase in global warming to less than 1.5 °C, Canada and dozens of other nations have committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In the transition to a net-zero future, fuel hydrogen is envisioned to play a key role as a zero-emission energy carrier in combination with electricity made with minimal or no greenhouse gas emissions. The successful buildout of a fuel hydrogen economy will require the creation of new value chains that make hydrogen available at a reasonable cost at widely distributed locations across Canada. This report presents the design and techno-economic analyses of new value chains for delivering hydrogen from centralized production sites to fueling stations supporting heavy duty vehicles in Canada, describing opportunities for decarbonization and economic growth. It also addresses the complexity and risks that are present, followed by recommendations to mitigate these risks and accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as a clean fuel.

About the Authors

Mohd Adnan Khan, PhD

Mohd Adnan Khan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta and the principal investigator for the Energy Transition Lab. He is passionate about renewable energy systems and contributing to developing a future hydrogen economy. Adnan has over 10 years of industrial and academic experience leading research teams across the material/ catalyst development value chain, reactor design, systems-level analysis (techno-economic and life cycle analysis), and commercialization. He has played critical roles in fostering industry, government, and academic collaboration. His research lab aims to develop and analyze novel materials, technologies, and credible transition pathways toward Net-Zero emissions for Canada. He works closely with government organizations and non-profits such as the Transition Accelerator to encourage the spin-out of consortium-led projects, get change moving on the ground, and help drive Canada towards a net-zero future.

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David Layzell, PhD

Transition Pathway Principal

David B. Layzell is an Energy Systems Architect with the Transition Accelerator, a Faculty Professor at the University of Calgary, and Director of the Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research CESAR Initiative. Between 2008 and 2012, he was Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE), a cross-faculty, graduate research, and training institute at the University of Calgary. Before moving to Calgary, he was a Professor of Biology at Queen’s University cross appointments in Environmental Studies and the School of Public Policy), and Executive Director of BIOCAP Canada, a research foundation focused on biological solutions to climate change. While at Queen’s he cofounded a scientific instrumentation company called Qubit Systems Inc and was elected ‘Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC) for his research contributions.

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Cite as: Khan M.A., MacKinnon C., Young C., and Layzell D. B. (2022) Techno-economics of a New Hydrogen Value Chain Supporting Heavy Duty Transport. Transition Accelerator Reports: Volume 4, Issue 5, Pg 1-52. ISSN 2562-6264. Version 2.