Fuel Cell Comparison to Alternate Technologies

Abstract

Fuel cells are efficient energy converters, based on electrochemical principles. They convert the chemical energy (heating value) of a fuel directly into electricity, circumventing the various steps of thermal conversion and electricity generation. Fuel cells can be designed and constructed on the basis of a multitude of material combinations for electrolyte and electrodes, opening the choice of different fuels. The electrocatalytic reactions of fuel and oxygen are major challenges to obtain high conversion efficiency. The electrochemical basics of different fuel cell types considered today for technical applications are described in this contribution.