Initial development of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) by General Electric in the 1960s and subsequent development of the technology and materials through into the 1980s showed the possibility of commercial applications. However, application of the technology during this time was mainly limited to the Gemini space program with subsequent shelving of the technology for about 20 years. From the late 1980s onwards there has been increasing activity and progress towards commercialization of PEMFC technology in a number of applications. The advancement of PEM electrolysis has also certainly benefited from earlier work on the PEM fuel cell. In some commercial applications today fuel cell technology is already competitive on an economic basis with established and highly developed incumbent technologies such as combustion technologies and other forms of power generation and storage. However, PEM technology faces other implementation challenges such as distribution and infrastructure availability. As fuel cells and electrolyzers move into full commercialization other new opportunities are arising in connecting the “Chemical Economy” with the “Electricity Economy” such as grid energy storage using power to gas, penetration of renewables into the energy mix, and chemical conversion. This is particularly important for the Net Zero 2050 plan, where fuel cells and electrolyzers along with batteries will be key electrochemical engines for the 21st Century.Significant progress has been made with the PEMFC over the last 35 years in a number of technical areas including reliability, durability, cost reduction, operational flexibility, technology flexibility and integration, fundamental understanding, and life cycle impact. This presentation will cover some of the key developments and learnings over this period of time and provide perspectives on the progress that has been made towards commercialization. Technical progress would include such important areas as precious metal catalyst loading reduction and alternatives, reformate operation, increased power density, freeze start capability, cell reversal tolerance, and water management. In addition to a retrospective view, some of the potential future research and development directions being taken to modify conventional PEMFC technology will also be discussed.
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