Assessment of the Demand for Critical Raw Materials for the Implementation of Fuel Cells for Stationary and Mobile Applications

Abstract

Because of their low emissions and possible contribution to sustainable development, both mobile and stationary fuel cells show promising tendencies to play an important role in the future. However, the polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) contains significant amounts of platinum, a material considered critical within the European Union. Using material flow analysis, this paper seeks to examine how the implementation of mobile and stationary fuel cells will affect demand for critical raw materials and to what degree recycling presents a viable option for reducing the pressure on primary production. Based on a number of developed scenarios, it is demonstrated that the platinum requirements arising from a more widespread adoption of neither fuel cell vehicles nor household heating systems is likely to cause a depletion of platinum deposits in the near future. However, both technologies may increase the pressure on the already constricted platinum market.