Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association

In order to continue to advance and promote the use of fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies, the U.S. Fuel Cell Council (USFCC) and the National Hydrogen Association (NHA) are teaming up. This merger of two leaders in two given industries creates a powerful, unified Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), a company who plans to send a strong, singular message to stakeholders: fuel cells and hydrogen are incredibly important parts to producing clean energy. The new organization is based out of Washington, D.C. [2]

A fuel cell is a device consisting of one positive electrode called the anode and one negative electrode called the cathode that generates electricity through chemical reactions. Hydrogen is the basic fuel for fuel cells, but fuel cells also require some oxygen. The push toward utilizing more fuel cells is based in the appeal of generating electricity cleanly. In the process of generating electricity, the hydrogen and oxygen used eventually combine to form water, a completely harmless byproduct. [3]

Fuel cells produce an electrical current that can then be used outside the cell to do work. First, hydrogen atoms have their electrons removed through chemical reaction when they enter the cell at the anode, resulting in a positively charged hydrogen atom. Oxygen then enters the cell through the cathode where it combines with electrons returning from the electrical circuit and hydrogen ions that have traveled through the electrolyte (a piece of the fuel cell that carries electrically charged particles from one electrode to the other). The electrolyte is responsible for only allowing the correct ions to transfer between the anode and the cathode. As the hydrogen and oxygen combine, water is formed and drains from the cell. The fuel cell will continue to generate electricity as long as it is supplied with hydrogen and oxygen. There are multiple different kinds of fuel cells, including alkaline fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, phosphoric acid fuel cells, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, and solid oxide fuel cells. [4]

Hydrogen is an alternative fuel and is locked up in large quantities in water and other organic matter. Extracting hydrogen efficiently from these compounds can be difficult. Today, hydrogen in the United States is produced through steam reforming or combining high-temperature steam with natural gas. Hydrogen can be used to power fuel cells in zero-emission electric vehicles. It has even been proved that a fuel cell is two to three more times efficient than an internal combustion engine running on gas. [5]

The first main problem is that hydrogen can be expensive to obtain in large quantities. Hydrogen gas stations are not yet a solution because it is difficult to store and distribute the element. A second issue is that fuel cells are expensive and building reliable, efficient, yet cheap fuel cells is a difficult task. The main problems when building fuel cells is high cost due to noble metals in the electrodes and the proton-exchange membranes assemblies. [6]

Bloom Energy has created a fuel cell that does not use precious metals. It coats an electrolyte on one side with an anode and the other with a cathode both made from specialized inks, not precious metals. These fuel cells are currently being used by Yahoo, Wallmart, Home Depot and other Fortune 500 companies.