**1.3 EV charging station concept**

Charging infrastructure and energy management are transforming in parallel with the growth in EV demand. The commercial success of the EV requires the development of an accessible charging infrastructure. Even though EVs do not produce the usual exhaust pipe emissions, main electricity utilized for EV charging systems is extensively generated from coal and natural gas that emits substantial CO2 emissions. Even though electricity delivered for a charging system can be generated from renewable energy generators such as photovoltaic cells and wind turbines, these generators have weather-dependent issues. Weather and location play significant roles in how efficient a solution can be in regards to suppling generators. Integration of renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, and electrical vehicles with smart power distribution networks could be solution to this problem.

The type of battery mentioned in this article is a vanadium redox flow battery that captures energy generated from photovoltaic cells or wind turbines, this energy can be collect at one time and stored for use at a later time (**Figure 3**). Research works of literature focused on the abovementioned integrations include wind-PEM electrolyzer-hydrogen systems and solar-PEM electrolyzer-hydrogen systems [16]. In terms of FCEVs, hydrogen infrastructures are the most costly for many countries. Filling fuel of FCEV can be manipulated via charging stations and on-board PEMFC systems. This article would like to provide information of the stationary scenario. Hydrogen production using an integrated system between a redox flow battery and an electrolyzer is a remarkable new technology for FCEV fueling.

*Hydrogen Fuel Cell Implementation for the Transportation Sector DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95291*

#### **Figure 3.**

*Conceptual idea of using a redox flow battery for EV charging station.*

It is possible to provide charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations in the same location. Prior to discussion about the contribution of an energy storage device for charging EVs, basic information of the redox flow battery is provided in the following statements. A redox flow battery technology is quite similar to PEMFC technology. The battery produces reduction and oxidation reactions between two active materials to capture and release energy. The redox flow battery system includes two external reservoirs for collecting soluble electroactive electrolytes, two electrodes, a membrane separator and a flow circulation system [17]. Flow batteries can be divided into three categories according to state of reactants such as all liquid phase, all solid phase, and hybrid redox flow batteries [17]. In a polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzer is an electrolytic cell where water reacts at the anode to form oxygen and positively charge hydrogen ions. The applied electrons transfer through an external circuit, while the hydrogen ions selectively move across the PEM to the cathode. At the cathode side, hydrogen ions combine with electrons from the external circuit to form hydrogen gas [18]. Different types of electrolyzes consist of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, alkaline electrolyzer, and solid oxide electrolyzer [18].

This chapter comprises of the following topics; the importance of fuel cells for EV technologies, the degradation diagnoses using accelerated stress test procedures, energy storage units integrated with fuel cells for the FCEV applications, and the contribution of an energy storage device for charging EVs. The authors expect to provide information related to hydrogen fuel cells for transportation prior to this technology becoming more frequent in daily life.
