FUEL CELLS: THE KEY TECHNOLOGY

This paper reports the state of the art on fuel cell technology, outlines the most significant results reached all over the world and summarises the strategies developed by researchers and producers to commercialise these systems. In particular, the author has examined two potential application fields for fuel cells: i) stationary power plant for electricity production, ii) electric vehicles.
The potential market area for each sector of application is defined and the research activity necessary to overcome the technical problems that are still open is detailed. Significant projects of the main fuel cell producers are also mentioned.