Page 55 - Energize July 2022

VIEWS AND OPINION

Fuel for the future: What to look out for in

fuel cell production

Information from OMRON

hen people talk about in a truly sustainable way, the H₂ fuel pass through the wet membrane to the
sustainable mobility, the first must be produced with electricity from cathode side; the electrons are conducted
Wthing that comes to mind renewable sources (electrolysis), which is to the cathode side via an external circuit,
is battery-powered electric vehicles. not yet fully feasible in large quantities. then the oxygen on the cathode side is
Fuel cells or direct hydrogen burners reduced by the electrons and reacts with
are complementary technologies that Conversion of the chemical into the H+ ions from the membrane to form
often fade into the background yet electrical energy H₂O (water), which is rinsed off.
have a lot to offer when it comes to In hydrogen-powered vehicles, the
CO₂ reduction and market options. The process works the other way round: Some big automotive companies
German and European automotive hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O) are are too cautious about hydrogen
industry takes a similar view as shown in converted into electricity and water (H₂O) Unlike battery cells, fuel cells are
a recent German Expleo study: 80% of in the fuel cell. The resulting energy not dependent on raw materials
the car manufacturers surveyed stated drives the electric motor. Fuel cell cars such as lithium or cobalt. The raw
that they consider hydrogen-powered are therefore also electric cars, although material dependency means battery
vehicles to be more environmentally the battery does not have to be charged manufacturers are heavily reliant on
friendly and cleaner than electric cars, before driving. Instead, the required China. In fuel cells, the central material is
while 64% believe that the first hydrogen electricity can be produced in the car by iron. Another advantage is that hydrogen
cars ready for series production will be H₂ supply. The energy conversion from as a molecular substance can be easily
on the market in the next two years. chemical to electrical energy in a polymer stored, transported and made available
What is needed is a more innovative electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell for applications. Hydrogen drives are
spirit on the part of manufacturers and is based on the following functional already being used in more and more
suppliers, support from politicians, principle: hydrogen is delivered to the commercial vehicles such as city buses,
and investments in better energy anode and oxygen to the cathode via the since they offer more space for the
infrastructure. Companies in the ACES flow channels of the bipolar half plates required drive unit. Hydrogen drives
environment, (autonomous driving, (BPHP); via the gas diffusion layer (GDL), are still relatively rare in standard cars,
connectivity, electrification and shared the hydrogen diffuses to the anode side which is partly due to the lack of H₂ filling
mobility) need efficient and future-proof of the catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) stations, but also due to the industry’s
production facilities, the keywords being and is catalytically oxidised, releasing hesitant implementation. In 2020, a
“smart factory”. Production lines must electrons and forming H+ ions that total of only 749 passenger cars with
be automated and digitalised, manual
processes eliminated and innovations
driven forward.

Truly sustainable hydrogen
production only with renewable
energy
Modern and automated battery and fuel
cell production, supported by robotics,
sensor technology and AI, is at the heart
of sustainable strategies. The battery is
the central element of both hydrogen
drive and “classic” e-vehicles, albeit
significantly smaller and differently
constructed. In addition to e-drives and
hydrogen, e-fuels and synthetic fuels
should also be mentioned in the mix of Figure 1: In the coming years, hydrogen propulsion systems will be found in many different application
sustainable drive types. To use hydrogen scenarios such as transport, heating, or power generation. (Source: European Commission Statement 2020)

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