When was the fuel cell invented?

Fuel cells were initially demonstrated in 1839, by Sir William Grove. However, a truly workable fuel cell was not demonstrated until 1959. After use in NASA's space program, interest in fuel cells died down somewhat until the 1990s when research and development started to lead towards greater prospects of commercialization.

What is the difference between a fuel cell and a battery?

Whilst a battery chemically stores and releases electricity, a fuel cell produces energy by reacting a fuel with air. A battery will therefore run of power and have to be recharged or disposed of. A fuel cell, however, will continue to function and produce power as long as the fuel and oxygen are supplied to it.

What is a fuel cell?

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that produces electricity and heat from a fuel (often hydrogen) and oxygen. Unlike a conventional engine, it does this without burning the fuel and can therefore be more efficient and cleaner.

Can I buy a fuel cell?

The fuel cell industry is increasingly divided between pre-commercial and commercial product. For commercial we have adopted the US Fuel Cell Council definition:

"A fuel cell is considered commercial if it is: Offered for sale to the public, Offered with a written warranty, supported by service capability, Meets approved industry standards or is certified by an established industry body"

Within this definition a growing number of companies such as Altergy (PEM: UPS), Fuel Cell Energy (MCFC: CHP and Power Plants), Horizon (PEM: Toys), Ida Tech (PEM: UPS), Fuji Electric (PAFC: CHP), ReliOn (PEM: UPS), SFC Smart Fuel Cell (DMFC: APU, Portable Power and UPS) and UTC Power (PAFC: CHP) have commercially available fuel cell products.

Other applications such as mCHP, automotive and consumer electronics are still pre-commercial though this landscape is now changing quickly.

Why use a fuel cell?

Fuel cells have a number of advantages over other technologies for power generation. They have the potential to use less fuel than competing technologies and to emit no pollution when used. There are also many reasons why a fuel cell might be useful in specific environments, such as the high quality of electricity generated or their quiet operation.

What devices could a fuel cell power?

In principle, a fuel cell could power any device that requires electrical energy to function. This could range from a mobile phone up to a factory. Presently, the majority of is focused on powering automobiles, houses and medium-sized portable electrical equipment. However, announcements have suggested that portable computers may be an early application.

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