OVERVIEW

What is a fuel cell?

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that produces electricity. In principle, a fuel cell operates like a battery. Unlike a battery, a fuel cell does not run down or require recharging. A fuel cell uses fuel -- usually natural gas for the hydrogen and air for the oxygen -- to produce electricity. It will produce energy in the form of electricity and heat as long as there is a constant source of fuel. The workings of the hydrogen fuel cell are surprisingly simple. Since there are no moving parts, fuel cells operate silently. The only byproduct from a fuel cell is water.

A fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an electrically conductive material called an electrolyte. Oxygen passes over one electrode and hydrogen over the other, generating electricity, water and heat. Hydrogen fuel is fed into the "anode" of the fuel cell. A fuel cell system can use the hydrogen from any hydrocarbon fuel. Natural gas - a chemical combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms - is perhaps the most common fuel, but other hydrocarbon fuels, such as methanol and gasoline, can also be used. Oxygen (or air) enters the fuel cell through the cathode. Encouraged by a catalyst, the hydrogen atom splits into a proton and an electron, which take different paths to the cathode. The proton passes through the electrolyte. The electrons create a separate current that can be utilized before they return to the cathode, to be reunited with the hydrogen and oxygen in a molecule of water.

Fuel cells can be “stacked” to produce voltage levels that match specific power needs for a wide variety of uses. That makes fuel cells one of the most promising technologies for delivering clean and efficient power for automotive and residential applications. While many technical and engineering challenges remain, fuel cells hold the potential to provide major environmental, energy and economic benefits that advance critical national goals.

Fuel Cells

Applications

Economic Impact