Can hydrogen fuel cell bus facilitate carbon neutrality in the transportation sector?

Abstract

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV) emerge as the promising alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV). This study focuses on hydrogen fuel cell buses (HFCB) and assesses carbon footprint (CF) across the life cycle. During the production phase, the average carbon emissions of HFCB are 84055.91 kgCO₂eq, significantly higher than the 43881.92 kgCO₂eq of ICEV. During the usage phase, HFCB’s emissions are significant, but the cleanliness of hydrogen production methods can significantly reduce the emissions. In the recycling phase, the average carbon reduction achieved by HFCB is 12897.11 kgCO₂eq, surpassing the 10746.24 kgCO₂eq reduction of ICEV. However, it is not sufficient to offset the carbon emissions generated throughout the life cycle of HFCB. The overall lifecycle CF of HFCB exceeds that of ICEV. Finally, with changes in power infrastructure and advancements in hydrogen production, HFCB will contribute positively to carbon neutrality, accelerating the achievement of the 2060 carbon neutrality target.