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Fuel Cell Technology

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Energy, Transport, & the Environment

Abstract

Fuel cells offer the transport sector the promise of decreased dependence on fossil fuels, low or zero emissions, and high efficiency. Unlike internal combustion engines, fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy, producing much less waste heat and offering a much higher theoretical efficiency. Unlike batteries, fuel cells can run continuously with continuous input of reactants (fuel and oxidant). Fuel cells run best on pure or reformed hydrogen but some can operate directly on alternative fuels such as methanol or hydrocarbons.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Fuel cells also offer promise in stationary power generation on a variety of scales, as well as in portable electronics such as mobile phones and laptops.

  2. 2.

    This is not true of direct alcohol fuel cells, a class of PEMFCs which run on alcohols such as methanol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, Hayes House, 75 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2BQ, UK

    Aaron Holdway & Oliver Inderwildi

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  1. Aaron Holdway
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  2. Oliver Inderwildi
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Correspondence to Oliver Inderwildi .

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  1. George St 75, Oxford, OX1 2BQ, UK

    Oliver Inderwildi

  2. 75 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2BQ, UK

    Sir David King

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Holdway, A., Inderwildi, O. (2012). Fuel Cell Technology. In: Inderwildi, O., King, S. (eds) Energy, Transport, & the Environment. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2717-8_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2717-8_14

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