Abstract

Growing concerns over energy supply and surrounding security and environmental issues have placed considerable emphasis on the development of alternatives to conventional energy sources. The increase in fossil fuel consumption over the past 40 years and the accompanying rise in carbon emissions have provided a substantial driving force for the development of alternative energy systems. Fuel cells are an alternative energy technology, which show great potential, as they have the ability to alleviate both consumption and emissions concerns. Due to their numerous benefits and wide range of application areas, they have attracted significant research and investment; specifically in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). There is a strong international consensus that PEFCs are a promising technology, which demand considerable investment in research and development. Organizations in different countries have established targets for the development and commercialization of PEFCs. Strong agreements can be seen between the targets established by each of these organizations. These targets are subject to change with improvements in technology and increases in allocated resources for R&D efforts. Durability currently represents one of the greatest technological challenges for PEFCs with significant opportunities for development. The mechanisms of degradation within PEFCs and areas for further investigation are discussed in detail. It is important to recognize the fact that fuel cell development is a balance between the coupled characteristics of durability, efficiency, and cost. While immediate improvements in durability are possible at the expense of efficiency and cost, the true challenge of R&D efforts in this area is to advance PEFC durability without adversely affecting cost and/or performance. Information summarized in this chapter represents regional targets at the time of publication.

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