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| Hydrogen fuel cell | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hydrogen fuel cell |
| Type | Electrochemical power device |
| Invented | 1839 |
| Inventor | William Grove |
| Application | Transportation; Stationary power; Portable devices |
| Fuel | Hydrogen |
| Oxidant | Oxygen (air) |
| Output | Electricity; Heat; Water |
Hydrogen fuel cell Hydrogen fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy of hydrogen and an oxidant into electricity, heat, and water. Developed from 19th‑century experiments through 20th‑century engineering to 21st‑century commercialization, fuel cells intersect with William Grove, Sir William Robert Grove, Nikola Tesla, Francis Bacon, Francis Thomas Bacon, General Motors, Toyota, and Ballard Power Systems. They are central to discussions involving International Energy Agency, European Commission, United States Department of Energy, Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and South Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Fuel cells produce electricity via redox reactions without combustion, differing from Alessandro Volta's voltaic pile and Luigi Galvani's bioelectricity work. Modern commercialization involves companies like Honda, Hyundai Motor Company, Plug Power, Siemens Energy, and Bloom Energy and projects such as the California Fuel Cell Partnership, H2 Mobility (Germany), Hydrogen Council, and the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association. Research institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Imperial College London, Fraunhofer Society, and Tsinghua University advance materials and system integration.
A fuel cell has an anode, cathode, and electrolyte enabling ionic conduction; electrons travel through an external circuit delivering power to loads like Tesla, Inc. vehicles, BMW prototypes, General Motors test fleets, or stationary microgrids in Christchurch. Electrochemical principles trace to William Grove's cell and later to developments by Francis Thomas Bacon for alkaline systems. Performance metrics (voltage, current density, power density, efficiency) are analyzed in laboratories at National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Stack assembly, balance of plant, and thermal management link to suppliers such as Bosch and Daimler AG.
Major technologies include polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), alkaline fuel cells (AFC), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). PEM advances involve catalysts from Johnson Matthey and membrane research at DuPont and 3M. SOFC work connects to Siemens Energy and Bloom Energy; AFC history relates to NASA's early space program, while PAFC commercialization saw firms like International Fuel Cells and UTC Power. Emerging research includes reversible fuel cells involving Toyota Research Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Transportation uses include passenger cars by Toyota, Hyundai Motor Company, Honda, heavy trucks by Nikola Corporation, buses in London, Seoul Metropolitan Government fleets, and rail demonstrations by Alstom. Stationary power covers grid stability projects with General Electric, backup power for Verizon, telecom towers for Vodafone, and data center trials by Microsoft. Portable applications were explored by Sony and in military programs by United States Army and Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Maritime demonstrations involve Shell, Maersk, and the International Maritime Organization dialogues.
Advantages cited by proponents like Hydrogen Council and International Renewable Energy Agency include high specific energy suitable for long‑range transport, modular scalability for microgrids, and near‑zero tailpipe emissions when using clean hydrogen. Limitations include hydrogen production costs debated in reports by BloombergNEF and McKinsey & Company, distribution challenges addressed by Air Liquide and Linde plc, and durability issues noted in studies from SAE International and ISO. Material costs (platinum group metals) implicate suppliers like Johnson Matthey and recycling efforts with Umicore.
Environmental assessments reference lifecycle studies by International Energy Agency, European Environment Agency, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Safety standards and codes are developed by NFPA, ISO, SAE International, and national regulators such as Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and Health and Safety Executive. Storage forms (compressed gas, liquefied hydrogen, metal hydrides) are considered in projects by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Cryogenic Engineering Group. Incidents and risk mitigation draw lessons from Hindenburg (airship) historical analysis, aviation fuel research at Boeing, and maritime regulations from International Maritime Organization.
Hydrogen production routes include steam methane reforming (SMR), coal gasification, biomass gasification, electrolysis (alkaline, PEM, solid oxide electrolysis), and emerging methods like photocatalysis and biological production explored at California Institute of Technology and Wageningen University & Research. Electrolyzer manufacturers include Siemens Energy, NEL Hydrogen, and ITM Power. Fuel supply chains and infrastructure initiatives involve H2 Mobility (Germany), California Energy Commission, European Hydrogen Backbone, and projects by Shell and TotalEnergies.
Economic analyses and policy frameworks are provided by European Commission, United States Department of Energy, Japanese Cabinet Office, Korean Institute of Energy Research, and advisory firms like McKinsey & Company and BloombergNEF. Funding and targets appear in national strategies of Germany, Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom, and United States of America. Market actors include Toyota, Hyundai Motor Company, Plug Power, Ballard Power Systems, Air Liquide, Linde plc, and investment from sovereign funds such as Norway Government Pension Fund Global and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
Category:Electrochemical cells