Equipment purchase costs storage tanks

The relative cost of equipment made from different materials will depend on the cost of fabrication, as well as the basic cost of the material. Unless a particular material requires special fabrication techniques, the relative cost of the finished equipment will be lower than the relative bare material cost. For example the purchased cost of a stainless-steel storage tank will be 2 to 3 times the cost of the same tank in carbon steel, whereas the relative cost of the metals is between 5 to 8. 

The liquid hydrogen fuel storage system used on the private automobile will cost more to manufacture than the simple steel or plastic tanks used as current gasoline fuel tanks. This increased cost is a result of both the greater complexity of the tank and the requirement it be made with close tolerances. In the purchase price of an automobile, these costs will largely be offset by a reduction in the cost of the emission control equipment. The combustion of hydrogen is so clean there is no need for any complex emission controls. 

---