July 2008 - www.EnergyBusinessReports.com
"The global fuel cell industry is expected to generate more than $18.6 billion in 2013. Fuel cell sales will come from three main market applications: automotive, stationary, and portables. projected sales could generate nearly $35 billion if market conditions improved for automotive fuel cells."
This comprehensive new report explains the fuel cell market, identifies the current and future state of the fuel cell industry, and details industry initiatives and potential.
It includes a special section on Micro Fuel Cell Technology and Potential.
Excerpt
Fuel cells provide direct current (DC) voltage that can be used to power motors, lights, or electrical appliances. Like batteries, fuel cells can be recharged while operating. They compete with other types of energy conversion devices such as gas turbines in power plants, gasoline engines in vehicles, and batteries in laptop computers. Fuel cells have the potential to become the dominant technology for automotive engines, power stations, and power packs for portable electronics.
The percentage of fuel cell units manufactured and sold by technology type has remained fairly steady in recent years. Overall, the market continues to be dominated by PEMFC, the most flexible and market-adaptable fuel cell technology. However, other types of fuel cells are slowly gaining acceptance, creating a more dynamic and robust industry. At the larger end of the fuel cell scale, molten carbonate cells are dominant, with FuelCell Energy selling the most MCFCs. Solid oxide cells are still struggling to make the jump from the research lab to the market and to find practical applications.
Phosphoric acid fuel cell unit numbers remained practically unchanged in 2005, and thus the cumulative market share went down, but this trend is expected to change within two years when UTC releases a new enhanced PAFC with a lifespan of 80,000 operating hours, the highest in the market.
A relatively new battleground is the residential or small stationary market. This is, in reality, two separate markets, and some companies are entering the fray with a focus on either back-up and premium power or on residential power, rather than trying to sell into both markets. The main technology is proton exchange membrane, and a majority of units sold through 2005 were PEMFC. SOFC has a small but significant market share in this sector, and there has been talk of early commercialization by several SOFC companies.
Finally, the small portable and portable electronic markets are dominated almost entirely and in equal shares by PEMFC and DMFC technologies. Currently, DMFC has an edge, due to the market activities of one or two large companies. Several other technologies are also under investigation for use in small portable and portable electronic devices.
Emerging fuel cell applications in the areas of transportation, industry, the home, and consumer products speak to the enormous potential for this technology. Another important application for renewable energy is in the area of space travel. Since fuel cells do not rely on combustion, and thus do not produce air pollutants such as NOx (nitrogen oxides), SO2 (sulfur dioxides), or particulates, fuel cell use can substantially reduce pollution caused by emissions as well as reduce oil dependency. Prices for operation will remain vulnerable to natural gas supplies, as most fuel cells currently employ natural gas, but this will change if/when a hydrogen economy is established.
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This comprehensive new report explains the fuel cell market, identifies the current and future state of the fuel cell industry, and details industry initiatives and potential.
It includes a special section on Micro Fuel Cell Technology and Potential.
Excerpt
Fuel cells provide direct current (DC) voltage that can be used to power motors, lights, or electrical appliances. Like batteries, fuel cells can be recharged while operating. They compete with other types of energy conversion devices such as gas turbines in power plants, gasoline engines in vehicles, and batteries in laptop computers. Fuel cells have the potential to become the dominant technology for automotive engines, power stations, and power packs for portable electronics.
The percentage of fuel cell units manufactured and sold by technology type has remained fairly steady in recent years. Overall, the market continues to be dominated by PEMFC, the most flexible and market-adaptable fuel cell technology. However, other types of fuel cells are slowly gaining acceptance, creating a more dynamic and robust industry. At the larger end of the fuel cell scale, molten carbonate cells are dominant, with FuelCell Energy selling the most MCFCs. Solid oxide cells are still struggling to make the jump from the research lab to the market and to find practical applications.
Phosphoric acid fuel cell unit numbers remained practically unchanged in 2005, and thus the cumulative market share went down, but this trend is expected to change within two years when UTC releases a new enhanced PAFC with a lifespan of 80,000 operating hours, the highest in the market.
A relatively new battleground is the residential or small stationary market. This is, in reality, two separate markets, and some companies are entering the fray with a focus on either back-up and premium power or on residential power, rather than trying to sell into both markets. The main technology is proton exchange membrane, and a majority of units sold through 2005 were PEMFC. SOFC has a small but significant market share in this sector, and there has been talk of early commercialization by several SOFC companies.
Finally, the small portable and portable electronic markets are dominated almost entirely and in equal shares by PEMFC and DMFC technologies. Currently, DMFC has an edge, due to the market activities of one or two large companies. Several other technologies are also under investigation for use in small portable and portable electronic devices.
Emerging fuel cell applications in the areas of transportation, industry, the home, and consumer products speak to the enormous potential for this technology. Another important application for renewable energy is in the area of space travel. Since fuel cells do not rely on combustion, and thus do not produce air pollutants such as NOx (nitrogen oxides), SO2 (sulfur dioxides), or particulates, fuel cell use can substantially reduce pollution caused by emissions as well as reduce oil dependency. Prices for operation will remain vulnerable to natural gas supplies, as most fuel cells currently employ natural gas, but this will change if/when a hydrogen economy is established.
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Fuel Cell Technology and Market Potential
Table of Contents:
Overview 6
How a Fuel Cell Works 7
Parts of a Fuel Cell 9
Membrane Electrode Assembly 9
Catalyst 10
Hardware 10
Types of Fuel Cells 12
Phosphoric Acid (PAFC) 12
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane 12
Molten Carbonate 13
Solid Oxide 14
Alkaline 15
Direct Methanol 16
Regenerative 17
Zinc Air 18
Protonic Ceramic 18
Metal-Air "Fuel Cells" 19
Fuel Cells Minus Membranes 19
Comparison of Fuel Cell Types 21
Hydrogen Production Sources 22
Fossil Fuels 22
Coal Gasification 22
Electrolysis 23
Industrial Wastes 23
Thermal Processing 23
Thermochemical Water Splitting 23
Photoelectrochemical Systems 24
Biological and Photobiological Systems 24
Industry Challenges 25
Cost 25
Endurance and Reliability 25
Onboard Storage 26
System Size 26
Fuel Flexibility 26
Air, Thermal, and Water Management 27
Hydrogen Availability 27
Performance 28
System Integration 28
Improved Heat Recovery Systems 29
Safety Concerns 29
Lack of Innovative Technical Development 29
Public Acceptance 29
Transportation Application Challenges 30
Compressor/Expandor Technologies 30
Thermal and Water Management Technologies 30
Physical and Chemical Sensors 30
Regulatory Issues 31
Fuel Cell R&D 32
R&D Spending 33
Micro Fuel Cell Technology 34
Overview 34
How it Works 35
Comparison with Traditional Fuel Cell Technology 35
Hydrogen Fuel Cells 36
DMFC 37
Key Issues in the Micro Fuel Cells Market 38
Pricing 38
Regulations 38
Technical Challenges 38
Threats from Competition 39
Threats from Existing Technology 41
Commercialization of Micro Fuel Cells 42
Current Market 42
Outlook 43
DOE Initiatives 44
Transportation Systems 44
Stationary Systems 44
Fuel Processors 44
Portable Power/APUs/Off-Road Applications 45
Stack Components 46
Industry Initiatives 48
Micro Fuel Cells 48
Jadoo Power 48
Canon 49
Casio 49
Hitachi 49
Motorola 50
MTI Micro Fuel Cells 50
Sanyo Electric 50
Toshiba 50
Hitachi and Tokai Develop DMFC Prototype 51
Methanol Fuel Cell 51
Improved Cathode Structure for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells 51
Fuel Cell Breakthrough Could Boost Portable Power 51
South Korea Invests In Fuel Cells 52
Miniature Cells for Telephones 52
Transportation 52
Cellex Develops System to Replace Lead Acid Batteries 53
California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) 53
Fuel Cell Buses 54
Hybrid Bus 54
Ballard Cells to Power DOE Vehicles 54
DaimlerChrysler Unveils Fuel Cell Vehicle 54
GVB’s Hydrogen Bus Operation 55
Zero-Emission Buses in Real-World Use 55
Portable Power 55
IdaTech’s 250-Watt Fuel Cell Portable Power 56
New Fuel Cell Generator 56
5kW Hydrogen Fueled Back-up Power 56
Hydrogen Infrastructure 56
IEA Hydrogen Program 56
Compressed Hydrogen Infrastructure Program (CH2IP) 57
Case Studies of Integrated Hydrogen Energy Systems 57
New Fuels 58
Methanol as a Fuel 58
Dynetek to Deliver Storage Systems to Ford 59
Palcan's UPS System 59
TeliaSonera Back Up Power System 59
Industrial Applications 60
University of Hawai'i Develops Charcoal-fired Fuel Cell 61
Power Generation 63
Proton Unveils New Hydrogen Generator 63
LH2-fueled Cogeneration Unit with Fuel Cells 63
FuelCell Energy Hybrid Product 64
FuelCell Energy Selected By U.S. Department of Energy to Develop a Coal-Based
Multi-Megawatt Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System 65
Fuel Cell/Turbine Hybrids 67
Military 68
Battery Replacements 68
Fuel Cells for Military Vehicles 68
Power Generation 68
Wastewater Treatment Plants 69
Residential Applications 70
Telecommunication Systems 70
PV–Fuel Cell Hybrid System 71
PV System with Long-term Energy Storage 71
Overall Market Potential and Forecast 73
Fuel Cell Industry
Resources 75
Companies 75
Government Links 81
Government Links 81
University Sites 82
Miscellaneous 82
Current News 83
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