Applications for PEM fuel cells

The PEM fuel cell can be used for a great variety of applications such as mobile phones, cogeneration of power and heat or drive trains for automobiles.

PEM fuel cell drive systems are now demonstrated in many prototype vehicles. Motorcars, minibuses and city buses will be the first types of vehicles to be fitted and sold with fuel cells.

Later on vans and some other light commercial vehicles will be added. Only heavy trucks are not probable to be offered with PEM fuel cells in the near future because very large hydrogen tanks would be needed to drive long distances and in addition the diesel engines work very efficiently in big trucks.

PEM fuel cells are also suitable for rail vehicles like trams or regional railways. In this case overhead lines are not required.

PEM fuel cells are perfectly suitable for the co-generation of electric power and heat. Small applications e.g. in houses as well as applications for large buildings like hospitals are in the development stage.

It must be reckoned that the commercialisation will take place in the next two years. In these applications the hydrogen is generated from natural gas or liquid gas in reformers.

Portable devices which require electric power are also possible applications of PEM fuel cells. Most prominent is the field of camping equipment. But also accumulator-drills or lawn-mowers could be driven by PEM fuel cells. The first fuel cell systems for mobile phones and laptops have already been developed.

Fuel cell car (Ford)

PEM fuel cell integration (Ford)

Stationary fuel cell (GM)

Bycicle with PEM fuel cell (front)
and hydrogen storage (back)