This study deals with a thermodynamic assessment of hydrogen production step of the boron based thermochemical cycle. In addition, this step is assessed for its merits and demerits in terms of energetic and exergetic performances for various reference environment temperatures. In this regard, the energy and exergy efficiencies of this step are calculated as 11.00% and 20.34% and also the hydrogen production step of the cycle inlet, outlet exergy rates and exergy destruction are calculated as 1653.32 kJ/mol, 336.31 kJ/mol and 317.02 kJ/mol while the reference environment temperature is kept constant at 298 K, respectively. The technical and economic problems of the hydrogen storage and transportation find a possible solution provided that the hydrogen production step of this cycle is performed on-board of a vehicle. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.