Technical and commercial challenges of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells
Abstract
This review critically evaluates the latest trends in fuel cell development for portable and stationary fuel cell applications and their integration into the automotive industry. Fast start-up, high efficiency, no toxic emissions into the atmosphere and good modularity are the key advantages of fuel cell applications. Despite the merits associated with fuel cells, the high cost of the technology remains a key factor impeding its widespread commercialization. Therefore, this review presents detailed information into the best operating conditions that yield maximum fuel cell performance. The paper recommends future research geared towards robust fuel cell geometry designs, as this determines the cell losses, and material characterization of the various cell components. When this is done properly, it will support a total reduction in the cost of the cell which in effect will reduce the total cost of the system. Despite the strides made by the fuel cell research community, there is a need for public sensitization as some people have reservations regarding the safety of the technology. This hurdle can be overcome if there is a well-documented risk assessment, which also needs to be considered in future research activities.Citation
Alaswad A, Omran A, Sodre JR, Wilberforce T, Pignatelli G, Dassisti M, Baroutaji A, Olabi AG. (2021) Technical and Commercial Challenges of Proton-Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells. Energies, 14(1):144. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14010144Publisher
MDPIJournal
EnergiesAdditional Links
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/144Type
Journal articleLanguage
enDescription
© 2021 The Authors. Published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/en14010144ISSN
1996-1073EISSN
1996-1073ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.3390/en14010144
Scopus Count
Collections
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/