Recently, market introduction of PEFC has been started for backup powers and forklift trucks, and for residential fuel cells following commercialization of PAFC and MCFC in the 1990s. But durability of cells and cost reduction of fuel cell systems are still important issues to be solved. Status of basic research for fuel cell technologies and development of fuel cell applications on PAFC, MCFC, PEFC and SOFC are introduced.

Abstract: Recently the alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFCs) enhance their presence because of the possibility of non-precious-metal catalyst and low overpotential at cathodic reaction. The anion exchange membrane (AEM) and ionomer for AMFCs should be key materials in order to achieve the practical performance as fuel cells. We are developing anion exchange membranes and anion-conducting ionomers for AMFCs, which have hydrocarbon type main chain and quaternary ammonium unit. The optimized AMFC shows better performance in H₂/O₂ system. The cell performance strongly depends on CO₂ gas. Carbonation of the alkaline membrane easily occurred in ambient air. The absorbed CO₂ gas in alkaline membrane should be released through power generation of AMFC. This phenomenon was called “self-purging” and it will prevent from lower ion conductivity of alkaline membrane during power generation of AMFC.

Fuji Electric Group has been developing phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) since 1972 and has delivered 25 100kW PAFC power system since 1998 as commercial base. In 2009,Fuji Electric launched the new model FP-100i, newly and fully developed. FP-100i attempts to improve user’s convenience by integrating peripheral equipments. The paper describes the usage expansion and business development of FP-100i.

Energy is the primary resource to sustain the human society, and it is a very important fundamental basis for the social and economical development. Fuel cell is one of the most efficient devices to generate electricity from either fossil or renewable fuels: it is a clean and efficient energy supply system. POSCO Power and Fuel Cell Energy have commercialized the line-up of 350, 1400 and 2800 kW products and installed them as much as 22.5MW up to now in Korea. Our recent focus has been given to the establishment of a stack manufacturing facility in Korea, which means a completion of fuel cell technology and business localization from manufacturing to service/maintenance. Furthermore, POSCO Power is continuously developing various application products for the purpose of the fuel cell business market diversification such as “uninterrupted power generator”, “ship service fuel cell” as well as “fuel cell/turbine hybrid system” for extending the system efficiency.

Now we are confronted by the most difficult challenge on the global environmental protection, I think that the fuel cell (FC) is one of a few candidates which can contribute to an environmental protection and an energy security at same time. We should think much of commercialization on developing FC projects. That is to say, unless FC projects are focusing on commercialization, they will not be of help to our society realistically. The Japanese government has been subsidizing to demonstration projects to date in order to commercialize Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) cogeneration systems for residential use.

We have serious targets to reduce their manufacturing costs and enhance their durability significantly. If they are not achieved, real market of residential PEFC cogeneration systems is not made. It is not so easy to commercialize residential PEFC cogeneration systems, however, I believe we can overcome the challenges not only by well organized R&D programs in collaboration between the government, industries and universities, but also by their continuous efforts to realize clean hydrogen society in the future.

Abstract: In order to commercialize polymer electrolyte fuel cells widely, th e development of a non-Pt catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction is essentially required. In this paper, the necessity of non-Pt catalysts for low temperature fuel cells and our new trials using group 4 and 5 metal compounds are explained.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) development has been reviewed with an emphasis on the system development combined with stack development. The first generation SOFCs are compared with the second generation SOFCs for stationary application. In particular,sealless tubular cells fabricated with the electrochemical vapor deposition are compared with the anode-support flat tube cells fabricated with the wet-sintering process by Kyocera Corporation. The durability/reliability issues are also reviewed from the materials chemistry point of view.

There are four types of fuel cells such as Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC), Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC), Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC), and Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). Fuel cell performance has been electrochemically analyzed. Especially, the temperature dependence of fuel cell performance was investigated. Hydrogen oxidation reaction at the anode and oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode occur in these fuel cells even if electrolytes of fuel cells are different. It is found out that cathode polarizations of these fuel cells depend on temperature. As a result of analyzing the temperature dependence of the cathode polarization and open circuit voltage, th ere is a fuel cell performance peak at 500-800°C and this temperature region is suitable for operating a fuel cell.