(256b) Vehicular Hydrogen Storage: Goals, Challenges, and Progress

Hydrogen is an energy carrier with the potential to replace gasoline for vehicular applications. However, hydrogen-powered vehicles require a driving range of greater than 300 miles in order to meet customer needs and effectively compete with other technologies. For the overall vehicular fleet, this dictates that substantial quantities of hydrogen be stored on-board within stringent weight, volume, and system cost constraints, which constitutes a major scientific and technological challenge. To meet this challenge, the DOE's National Hydrogen Storage Project has been formed which focuses on materials-based technologies. Centers of Excellence in metal hydrides, chemical hydrides, and carbon-based materials have been established, as well as independent university and industry projects in the areas of new concepts/materials, hydrogen storage testing, and storage system analysis. Recent technical progress in each of these areas will be presented as well as collaborative hydrogen storage activities under the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE).