Integrated Anode-Less PEM Fuel Cells (iaPEM-FC) - Beyond Hydrogen

Due to their great versatility, fuel cells have the possibility of powering everything from small microchips on mobile phones (small voltage) to vehicles (medium voltage) to space shuttles and submarines (high voltage applications). However, despite their potential, the strict requirement of a highly pure hydrogen feed presents difficult challenges regarding storage, safety and economical purification, compromising the widely-accepted view of hydrogen as a competitive alternative to fossil fuels in a renewable energy future. This project will produce a step-change technological evolution of the existing PEM fuel cells by switching the anode process to indirect hydrogen. The resulting technology will be part of a revolution in energy supply where energy from waste, energy surplus, industry energy recycling will complement and surpass fossil fuels. It will transform our understanding of the H2-economy, broadening the concept into renewable hydrogen vectors such ammonia reservoirs (urea, farm waste, municipal waste streams, industrial waste, etc.) and carbohydrate reservoirs in the future (waste streams, cellulosic materials or neoteric fuels from carbon dioxide) providing a renewable, affordable, accessible and non-polluting energy.