Fuel Cell Technology Moves a Step Forward

October 15th, 2009 by Zachary Shahan

UK company AFC Energy claims to have developed fuel cell technology that can “generate and export electricity to a grid as efficiently as traditional electrodes.”

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AFC tested its alkaline-based technology in Germany recently and found that its efficiency matched that of traditional platinum-based electrodes that cost more. This high efficiency moves the company one step closer to full-scale production of its fuel cell technology.

AFC Energy managing director Ian Balchin says: “This successful testing of our fuel cell system using proprietary, lower-cost electrodes, demonstrates that AFC Energy has taken the next step in the development of a truly low-cost, commercially viable alkali fuel cell system.”

Why does this fuel cell technology transfer electricity so efficiently? This fuel cell is based on an electrolyte called Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) rather than solid polymer electrodes (used in traditional Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells). KOH allows Hydroxil-ions to move freely while also cooling the fuel cell. Solid polymer electrodes don’t allow such movement. As a result, they create more resistance and “a less efficient transfer of transient matter from anode to cathode” than KOH. This is how AFC Energy explains it.

Another benefit of the alkaline-based fuel cells is that they don’t need to be replaced as often as.

The two markets where AFC wants to bring its fuel cell technology are the “the chlor-alkali industry for use in stationary power generation” and the waste-to-energy market. In the longer term, the company is looking to provide fuel cell technology for large-scale multi-megawatt installations by the beginning of 2011.

Image Credit: Seryo via flickr under a Creative Commons license

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Tags: AFC Energy, fuel cell technology, Fuel Cells, UK

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

stupid peter

@MD

Yes, KOH is very common and easy to get. But here KOH is not the media to provide hydrogen. It’s a media to transport the charged ion or electron from anode to cathode, which just play the role as electrolyte. This method is not the main stream in current fuel cell.

But I doubt if its efficiency is really as good as tranditional electrode. Why they didn’t provide the efficiency data to confirm their work?
stupid peter

@MD

Yes, KOH is very common and easy to get. But here KOH is not the media to provide hydrogen. It’s a media to transport the charged ion or electron from anode to cathode, which just play the role as electrolyte. This method is not the main stream in current fuel cell.

But I doubt if its efficiency is really as good as tranditional electrode. Why they didn’t provide the efficiency data to confirm their work?
MD

@CM

The oven cleaner + soda can trick is well known to all of those making hydrogen gas… it is even the basis for some of the “kits” you can buy online.
MD

@CM

The oven cleaner + soda can trick is well known to all of those making hydrogen gas… it is even the basis for some of the “kits” you can buy online.
Captain Morgan

@ MD,

KOH is a strong base … it’s going to react with lots of things. I’m pretty sure the folks at AFC Energy are aware of this.
Captain Morgan

@ MD,

KOH is a strong base … it’s going to react with lots of things. I’m pretty sure the folks at AFC Energy are aware of this.
MD

KOH is commonly found in Oven Cleaner…

Mix aluminium + oven cleaner, you get fire… it does spit out a bunch of Hydrogen though…
MD

KOH is commonly found in Oven Cleaner…

Mix aluminium + oven cleaner, you get fire… it does spit out a bunch of Hydrogen though…