Fuel cell investment

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) today announced that it is to invest around £9m into projects involving fuel cells and hydrogen technologies.

The total value of the research is worth approximately £17m, with additional funds being contributed by participating companies.

According to the TSB, the projects will develop fuel-cell applications in the stationary, transport and portable power markets. The technologies to be developed will aim to lower costs while significantly improving reliability, durability and performance levels of low, intermediate and high-temperature fuel-cell systems.

The hydrogen technologies projects will identify how to help the adoption of hydrogen as an energy vector in the UK and develop a sustainable hydrogen supply, in parallel with other major developing low-carbon energy industries such as those in fuel cells, alternative fuels and carbon abatement technologies. In particular, the projects will look to tackle the challenges related to hydrogen generation, storage and utilisation.

One project, led by ACAL Energy, will build and install the world's first fuel-cell system using low-cost platinum-free cathode technology.

A second project, led by Intelligent Energy, will develop enhanced fuel-cell systems for commercial and passenger vehicle applications.

‘Fuel cells and hydrogen technologies are priority areas for our investment as new technologies can contribute to tackling the UK and EU climate change targets and security of energy supply challenges, while at the same time, they can provide significant market opportunities for British companies,’ said Filomena La Porta, lead technologist at the Technology Strategy Board. ‘We expect the technologies to help us make real progress towards market adoption.’