Steady State City Hydrogen Infrastructure System Model (SSCHISM)
Hydrogen fuel used in fuel cell vehicles provides the potential for significant benefits from the perspective of greenhouse gas emissions, urban/criteria air pollutant emissions and energy security. However, there are a number of methods for producing, distributing and refueling hydrogen that will affect the extent of these benefits. It is well understood that the costs, emissions and energy requirements for hydrogen infrastructure depend upon a number of important factors, including the choice of primary energy feedstock, type of production facility, and the methods for hydrogen delivery to refueling stations. However, a number of other important factors influence the costs, emissions and energy use for hydrogen infrastructure, such as the specific geographic and demographic characteristics of each region or city, including the total city hydrogen demand, the physical size and density of the city, the cost of fuels and energy feedstocks and the emissions and energy efficiency of local electricity generation.
Brief SSCHISM model description
This analysis is based upon a model, called the Steady State City Hydrogen Infrastructure System Model, (SSCHISM) that uses US census data to determine hydrogen demand and an idealized city model to estimate the delivery system layout for trucks and pipeline delivery. The model calculates the infrastructure capital cost and levelized cost of hydrogen for each city, as a function of the choice of hydrogen pathway, market penetration and average station size. The model determines the lowest-cost pathway for each city and allows comparisons of the cost, emissions and energy efficiency for a given hydrogen pathway for all cities. The model allows users to select economic and technical assumptions from several sources, including the National Academies’ Hydrogen Economy report, the DOE’s H2A models or user-defined assumptions.
SSCHISM model download
SSCHISM_public_v1.xls - Download Link (1/8/2008)
Detailed SSCHISM Report
Detailed SSCHISM model report describes model structure and function and reviews key model results and findings.SSCHISM Report.pdf - Download Link
Five students graduate from STEPS Program