Life Cycle Assessment and Material Flow Analysis of Taiwan Hydrogen Production

• Main Authors: Ming-Wen Chen, 陳明文
• Other Authors: Kuo-Lin Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/46911450262154459040

碩士 === 國立屏東科技大學 === 環境工程與科學系所 === 99 === In response to increasing depletion of fossil energy and related environmental issues, the demand for clean and renewable energy becomes a very important global issue. With great potential long-term development, hydrogen is currently advocated by one of the major clean energies that are concerned for alternative energy planning and research. This study, based on energy, environment, and economy (3E) aspects, focuses on the life-cycle assessment and material flow analysis of Taiwan hydrogen production, which may provide information useful for the research and planning of Taiwan hydrogen energy development. According to life cycle inventory and material flow analyses, the production cost per kilogram of hydrogen is about 51.98 new Taiwan dollars (TWD). The heat value input of using one liter naphtha (fossil fuel) to produce one kilogram hydrogen is 7.8×103 kcal, but the heat value of is 4.056×105 kcal/kg-hydrogen, much greater than that of input. The carbon dioxide emission is 3,595 kg/L-naphtha for hydrogen production, while this value is lower (2,382 kg/L-naphtha) for gasoline production. which is not helpful for the reduction of carbon dioxide emission. The results of (assumed) scenario analysis shows that to the production rate is quite low when using current petrochemical processes to produce hydrogen used for mobile carriers. Convert fossil energy into hydrogen at the maximum efficiency can only supply 0.02% of market demand presently. For conventional vehicles, 68.052 billion liters of fossil fuel must be used to balance the market supply and demand. Furthermore, the hydrogen production in Taiwan relies on single-process-based manufacturing technology, the surrounding facilities cannot well support the hydrogen production, the transport and storage need to be constructed, and the public acceptance and regulatory issues need to be considered. At the current stage, therefore, the level of replacing traditional fossil fuel with hydrogen should be carefully evaluated, based on the 3E aspects.