Assertion: Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells with acceptable, minimal hydrogen leakage

Fuel cells have an estimated leakage rate of 0.1% to 2%.¹ This rate is primarily determined by the amount of hydrogen purged during the purification process.² All fuel cells purge some hydrogen to maintain efficiency and prevent degradation by removing impurities and contaminants from the hydrogen stream and reducing the risk of hydrogen buildup. The range of estimates reflects differences in fuel cell quality and the varying amounts of hydrogen that must be purged.

Hydrogen leaks during the purification process can be reduced to near zero by attaching a catalytic converter to burn the purged hydrogen before it reaches the atmosphere.³

Sources:

Footnotes

1. Frazer-Nash Consultancy. (2022). Fugitive hydrogen emissions in a future hydrogen economy. UK Government. ↩

2. Ibid. ↩

3. Ibid. ↩