Chapter 35
Exergy and Environmental Analysis
of a Bio-Hydrogen Supply Chain Using
Data Envelope Analysis
Daisuke Hara, Chiharu Misaki, Hiromu Sugihara, Seiya Kako,
Noboru Katayama, and Kiyoshi Dowaki
Abstract Hydrogen is a promising fuel for fuel cell (FC) mobility use, given its
high energy density and the lack of CO 2 emission from its use during the operating
stage of mobility. In addition, biomass-derived hydrogen, which is carbon neutral,
is an attractive fuel because its use can mitigate CO 2 emission during the hydrogen
production stage. However, because of the low energy density of biomass feedstocks, they first must be effectively converted to hydrogen; an effective hydrogen
use path, including hydrogen storage and mobility and FC utilization for different
scale mobility, that takes into consideration the environmental impacts and exergy
is needed. In this study, the entire hydrogen path (hydrogen production, hydrogen
storage, and mobility) was investigated using life cycle assessment and exergy analysis to determine the corresponding environmental and exergy hotspots and an effective hydrogen path. To compare various types of functional mobility, data envelope
analysis was used. It was found that metal hydride (MH) utilization was an important factor in the mitigation of environmental damages caused by using hydrogen
as fuel and in the effective use of biomass feed feedstock. Also, it was indicated
that the reduction of precious metals in MH and FC would be necessary to mitigate
environmental impacts.
Keywords Data envelope analysis · Exergy efficiency · Life cycle assessment ·
Metal hydride · Fuel cell applications
D. Hara (B)
Department of Industrial Administration, Undergraduate School of Science and Technology,
Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
e-mail: 7416086@ed.tus.ac.jp
C. Misaki · H. Sugihara · S. Kako · K. Dowaki
Department of Industrial Administration, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo
University of Science, Chiba, Japan
N. Katayama
Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo
University of Science, Chiba, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_35
525
Exergy and Environmental Analysis
of a Bio-Hydrogen Supply Chain Using
Data Envelope Analysis
Daisuke Hara, Chiharu Misaki, Hiromu Sugihara, Seiya Kako,
Noboru Katayama, and Kiyoshi Dowaki
Abstract Hydrogen is a promising fuel for fuel cell (FC) mobility use, given its
high energy density and the lack of CO 2 emission from its use during the operating
stage of mobility. In addition, biomass-derived hydrogen, which is carbon neutral,
is an attractive fuel because its use can mitigate CO 2 emission during the hydrogen
production stage. However, because of the low energy density of biomass feedstocks, they first must be effectively converted to hydrogen; an effective hydrogen
use path, including hydrogen storage and mobility and FC utilization for different
scale mobility, that takes into consideration the environmental impacts and exergy
is needed. In this study, the entire hydrogen path (hydrogen production, hydrogen
storage, and mobility) was investigated using life cycle assessment and exergy analysis to determine the corresponding environmental and exergy hotspots and an effective hydrogen path. To compare various types of functional mobility, data envelope
analysis was used. It was found that metal hydride (MH) utilization was an important factor in the mitigation of environmental damages caused by using hydrogen
as fuel and in the effective use of biomass feed feedstock. Also, it was indicated
that the reduction of precious metals in MH and FC would be necessary to mitigate
environmental impacts.
Keywords Data envelope analysis · Exergy efficiency · Life cycle assessment ·
Metal hydride · Fuel cell applications
D. Hara (B)
Department of Industrial Administration, Undergraduate School of Science and Technology,
Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan
e-mail: 7416086@ed.tus.ac.jp
C. Misaki · H. Sugihara · S. Kako · K. Dowaki
Department of Industrial Administration, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo
University of Science, Chiba, Japan
N. Katayama
Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo
University of Science, Chiba, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_35
525