Future Energy

Are Fuel Cells the Answer?

A Presentation by Michael J Evans
Innovator & Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship for a Zero Carbon Society
24th September 2008
 Me

• Product Designer and Engineering

Project Manager
  • Fuel Cell Innovators and Entrepreneur
 
                                                                                                              

– CMR Fuel Cells plc

• What next?
 Agenda
• What is a Fuel Cell?
• Fuel Cell Applications
• Pros and Cons
• Practical Applications
• Fuel Cells in the context of Global Warming
• What technologies to back
• The role of the entrepreneur
• My new mission
What is a Fuel Cell?
What is a Compact Mixed
Reactant Fuel Cell?
Conventional Compact Mixed Reactant
Fuel Cell Fuel Cell (CMR)
 Fuel Cell Applications

• Transport
– Automotive
– Aerospace

• Portable

• Combined Heat and Power/Stationary

 Fuel Cells Pros & Cons
• Pros:
– Power density
– High efficiency
– Reliability
– Low noise & emissions
– Low maintenance
• Cons:
– Very high materials & component costs
– Durability
 Practical Applications
• Transport
– Automotive – X
• Too expensive
• Not reliable or durable enough and problems with cold start-up
• Hydrogen storage, supply infrastructure and health & safety
– Aerospace – 
• Strong need for high power density and low weight
• Support high cost
• Regular maintenance & centralised fuel supply system
• Portable – 
• Answers strong demand for long runtimes
• A market that can support high cost
• Shorter lifetime requirement < 5000 hours
• Combined Heat and Power/Stationary – X
• Too expensive for domestic applications
• Not durable enough, requires > 50 000 hours
 Climate Change – A Global
Emergency
• We need renewable energy and energy efficiency
solutions NOW

• Practical approach:
– What works or has a high likelihood of working today
– Rapid development and roll it out

• Are fuel cells & the ‘hydrogen economy’ the solution or

part of the solution?
– Maybe but unlikely!
• Where does the Hydrogen come from?
• Low energy density of H2
• Well to wheels efficiency?
What Technologies to back?

• Wind
• Hydro
• Marine
– Wave
– Tidal stream
• Solar
– Solar thermal
– Photovoltaics
• Biomass/energy from waste
• Nuclear 
• Carbon Capture and Storage (clean coal?)
The Role of the Entrepreneur

• Spot opportunities in change

• Take positive action
• The Fire-starter
– Drive & persistence
– Enthusiasm
– Passion
 My Mission
• Tidal Stream
– UK well placed
– Potential for delivering up to 20% of UK’s
electricity needs
– 4 tide movements per day, regular as
clockwork – can supply base load!
– Large UK skill base in Marine Engineering