Abstract
A sustainability assessment regarding the manufacturing process and the use of a new proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), specially designed for portable hydrogen applications, is presented. The initial fuel cell prototype has been configured by taking into account exclusively technical issues. However, a life cycle analysis considering environmental and socioeconomic impacts is crucial to improve the model to develop a more sustainable product. From the environmental perspective, the durability of the system and its efficiency are key elements required to decrease the potential overall impacts. High electricity consumption for manufacturing requires a commitment to the use of renewable energies, due to the high current value of the projected impact of climate change (42.5 tonnes of CO2 eq). From the socioeconomic point of view, the dependence of imported components required for the synthesis of some materials displaces the effects of value added and employment in Spain, potentially concentrating the largest impact on countries such as Singapore, Japan and the UK, whereas the cell assembly would have a greater benefit for the country of fabrication. These results provide a basis for new research strategies since they can be considered standard values for improving future upgrades of the fuel cell in terms of sustainability.
Highlights
Hydrogen technologies are emerging as a good solution for clean and sustainable power generation [1]
It is important to take into account an exploratory analysis of this subject in order to identify the hotspots for improving new materials
Anodic plates are made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK), a material of which the production is nowadays highly electricity-consuming because it must be manufactured at the labscale
Summary
Hydrogen technologies are emerging as a good solution for clean and sustainable power generation [1]. Fuel cells and electrolysers can contribute to sustainability by meeting the energy demand in a positive manner [2,3]. Most research efforts in relation to fuel cells are concentrated on stationary and transport applications, portable power is progressively attracting more interest [4,5]. The fast-growing power demands of portable electronic devices are hardly satisfied by current battery technology [6]. After 2002, Li-ion batteries have become the most promising battery technology for portable electronic devices [8]
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