From the energyknowledge base link very importantly it goes on to say (as a matter of clarification)
It is estimated that of the 65% of primary energy lost, 59% of it is lost in the generation process. This includes:
Waste heat occurring due to inefficiencies in the process of converting primary energy to electricity. This makes up about 54% of the primary energy lost.
Electricity used internally by the power plant during operations. This makes up about 5% of the primary energy lost.
59% is the primary energy lost in a thermal power plant (coal, oil, natgas, nuclear) to produce electrical output, including station use. (So the thermal power plant is 41% efficient in producing electricity).
First electricity has to be made before we have the electricity to produce the hydrogen through electrolysis. In that post 64.8% was the electrolysis efficiency and 50% is the fuel cell efficiency (using midpoints) for a round trip efficiency of 32.4% in converting electricity back to electricity. (That fairly well agrees with the video's "optimistically 40%" .).
So to have a thermal power plant coupled with a hydrogen storage system, we have an overall efficiency of 41% * 32.4% = 13.3%. (And that doesn't include any power line losses)
More detail:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3367144
including a look at what if the initial electricity is produced from solar/wind rather than a fossil or nuclear thermal power plant. And using a H2 storage system vs. using a battery storage system.
=================================================================
.nor any mention of the inefficiency of our current electrical distribution systems.. "Losses of electricity through the delivery system are significant. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that losses through the delivery system are 65%.
Just so we're all clear that 65% is not the losses from the transmission and distribution system (i.e. the power lines), as most people would read it. 91% of that 65% (59%/65% = 91%) is the fuel heat wasted at the thermal power plant itself.
I don't at all disagree that our power system is very wasteful of energy.
= new reply since forum marked as read