A new report
released today by the Carbon Trust outlines how innovative UK
companies are at the forefront of achieving breakthroughs in
polymer fuel cells which could address cost, the main barrier to
the wide scale deployment of polymer fuel cells. The report, to be
launched today at a major Fuel Cell conference[1] in London, states that a continued focus on
technology innovation could make fuel cell cars cost competitive
with internal combustion engine cars and lead to them forming a
third of all vehicles on the road by 2050.
Polymer fuel cells operate at lower temperatures and are smaller
and lighter than other fuel cells, making them more suitable for
use in cars and vans. Current state-of-the-art polymer fuel cells
are predicted to cost $49 per kilowatt in automotive applications
when manufactured at scale.
In order to be competitive with internal combustion engine
vehicles, automotive fuel cells must reach a cost of approximately
$36 per kilowatt[2]. Cost savings
can be achieved by reducing material costs (notably platinum use),
while increasing power density, reducing system complexity and
improving durability.
The Carbon Trust is supporting five UK organisations; ITM Power,
Acal Energy, Ilika, Imperial College and University College London
through its $10m Polymer Fuel Cells
Challenge to reduce the costs of polymer fuel cells.
The new report shows that reducing the cost to better than
$36/kW would lead to a dramatic market expansion with 200 million
more fuel cell vehicles being deployed by 2050 taking the total to
some 690 million fuel cell vehicles. This would increase the value
of the global fuel cell vehicle market by $30bn to $261bn a year by
2050 with the market in the UK worth some $4bn a year. It
would also reduce global carbon emissions from vehicles by an
additional 260 million tonnes per year by 2050 - equivalent to the
current annual emissions of Taiwan.
James Wilde, Director of Innovation and Policy at the
Carbon Trust said:
"Our new analysis shows that the future is bright but innovation
is essential to unlock the market potential by driving down the
costs of new polymer fuel cells. The UK, through its leading
companies, is in pole position to benefit from an expanded global
market for fuel cell vehicles."
The Carbon Trust's Polymer Fuel Cell Challenge is now in its
second phase where organisations with potential breakthrough
technologies that could achieve this step-change in cost are moving
from feasibility testing towards commercial development with
industry partners. The Carbon Trust is currently supporting
the following companies and organisations:
ITM Power - have developed a membrane with the
potential to roughly double the power density of a cell, producing
more 'bang' for the platinum 'buck';
ACAL Energy - have developed a liquid cathode
with the potential to directly reduce platinum use by at least two
thirds and eliminates the need for some standard components of a
fuel cell;
Imperial College and University College London
- have developed a novel stackable cell architecture that uses low
cost materials and manufacturing techniques with breakthrough
potential in terms of cost reduction; and,
Ilika, a company that specialises in developing
new materials have developed a platinum free catalyst which, on a
cost/performance basis, that has the potential to be 70% cheaper
than the current industry standard.
Notes to editors
For more information and to speak to a Carbon Trust
spokesperson, please contact the Carbon Trust press office:
Tel no: 020 7170 7050
Email: press@carbontrust.com
About the Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust is an independent company with a mission to
accelerate the move to a low carbon economy.
It advises businesses, governments and the public sector on
their opportunities in a sustainable, low carbon world.
It measures and certifies the environmental footprint of
organisations, supply chains and products.
It helps develop and deploy low carbon technologies and
solutions, from energy efficiency to renewable power.
Background on the Carbon Trust Polymer Fuel
Cells Challenge (PFCC):
Recognising the UK's unique expertise in fuel cells the Carbon
Trust Polymer Fuel Cells
Challenge (PFCC) was launched in 2009 to support the Department
for Energy and Climate Change's objectives to develop lower cost
fuel cells. The aim of the PFCC is to deliver a step-change
in costs and open up mass market applications such as powering cars
and buses.