Assessment of strategic approaches to the commercialization of fuel cells

This paper assesses the state of commercialization of fuel cells and compares it with forecasts made at the 1991 Grove Fuel Cell Symposium. Applications appropriate to different technologies are evaluted and arguements are mentioned that each technology should be commercialized for those applications, stationary and mobile, for which it is suitable when it becomes sufficiently technically mature. As with other power generation technologies, it is agreed that governmental support is needed, not merely to demonstrate the technology, but to take the technology through to the point where it can compete with conventional alternatives. Comparisons are drawn between the governmental approach of commercialization of fuel cells in Japan, USA and Europe. It has been pointed out that phosphoric acid fuel cells have reached sufficient technical maturity and should be brought to the point of competitive commercialization. This could happen in the near term and the government funding requirements are modest. Failure to support commercialization of this technology could put the future for other fuel cell technologies at risk. Finally, suggestions are made as to how commercialization of fuel cells could proceed.