Fuel Cell Technologies Program
 

Clean, Efficient, 

and Reliable Heat 

and Power for the 

21st Century 

The need for clean, domestically 

produced energy has never been 

greater. The growing threat of climate 

change, America’s dependence on 

imported oil, and the increasing need 

for innovation to remain globally 

competitive have come together to 

form a powerful imperative—one that 

demands new technologies and new 

approaches for the way we produce 

and use energy. Recognizing that 

the energy challenges facing the 

nation cannot be solved by any single 

approach, the Department of Energy 

(DOE) is developing a portfolio of 

technologies for energy production and 

utilization, including solar, wind, and 

geothermal energy; advanced biofuels; 

batteries for plug-in hybrid electric 

vehicles; and fuel cells. 

Fuel cells have a potentially broad 

and vital role to play in our energy 

economy. They provide a highly 

efficient means for producing 

Fuel cells are a highly efficient and fuel-flexible technology for producing power and heat. 

They offer significant benefits for a wide range of applications—including specialty vehicles 

(such as forklifts), distributed power systems, automobiles, buses, auxiliary power units, and 

portable electronics. 

electricity from a number of fuels, 

including biomass, natural gas, 

propane, methanol, diesel, and 

hydrogen. And because they can be 

built to a variety of scales, fuel cells 

can provide power for distributed 

power systems, utility-scale generation, 

specialty vehicles (e.g., forklifts and 

airport baggage tugs), automobiles, 

buses, auxiliary power applications, 

and portable electronic equipment. 

Fuel cells offer significant benefits for a 

wide range of applications, with direct 

benefits for the end-user—including 

improved performance and reliability, 

and reduced lifecycle costs—as 

well as broader benefits for the 

nation—including reduced petroleum 

consumption, reduced greenhouse 

gas emissions, and a more secure, 

diversified energy infrastructure. 

Fuel cells have gained traction in the 

marketplace for a few applications 

that are proven to be economically 

feasible and beneficial today, and 

they can be competitive in other 

markets, such as power for critical load 

facilities, where they provide unique 

performance qualities. Continuing 

technological progress will allow fuel 

cells to compete in markets that have 

more stringent requirements in terms 

of cost, durability, and performance. 

The growth of current markets and 

expansion into broader markets will 

allow fuel cell technology to have 

significant economic and environmental 

benefits on a national scale. 

Applications for fuel cells that are 

currently commercially viable or are 

expected to achieve viability in the 

near-term include: specialty vehicles 

(including material handling, airport 

ground support vehicles), backup 

power, auxiliary power units, primarypower systems, combined heat and 

power systems, and portable power. 

Although fuel cells used to power 

light-duty vehicles stand to provide the 

greatest benefits, they also face some 

of the steepest challenges, including: 

stringent technical requirements for 

fuel cell cost and onboard hydrogen 

storage; significant investment in 

infrastructure; and the need for largescale and well-refined manufacturing 
Fuel Cell Technologies Program
 

Fuel cells in a combined heat and power 

installation, using biogas 

capability in order to compete with 

incumbent technologies. 

Program Focus 

The emphasis of the Fuel Cell 

Technologies Program is aligned 

with President Obama’s priorities for 

improvements in energy efficiency 

and job-creation in the near term. 

The Program focuses on research 

and development of fuel cell systems 

for diverse applications in the 

stationary power, portable power, and 

transportation sectors. 

Although fuel cells have already 

achieved some commercial viability, 

widespread market penetration will 

require further reductions in cost and 

improvements in durability. 

To overcome these barriers, the 

Program’s primary activity, Fuel 

Cell Systems R&D, will work 

towards key advances in a variety of 

technologies—including solid oxide, 

polymer electrolyte membrane, direct 

methanol, and alkaline fuel cells—that 

use diverse fuels, including natural 

gas, methanol, diesel, biomass-derived 

fuels, and others. The Program will 

continue to identify critical technology 

gaps to prioritize its R&D efforts as 

it advances fuel cell technologies for 

diverse applications, including: 

n Combined heat and power (CHP) 

 systems, where fuel cells can

 provide highly efficient, clean, and

 nearly silent operation, to further

 expand on the efficiency benefits 

 inherent in distributed CHP 

 systems.

n Auxiliary power units, where fuel 

 cells can reduce fuel consumption 

 and emissions in heavy-duty 

 vehicles. 

n Portable power systems, where 

 fuel cells can provide a lightweight, 

 longer-lasting alternative to 

 batteries. 

n Stationary and backup power, 

where fuel cells provide a clean, 

 reliable, low-maintenance option 

 for critical energy needs. 

To help ensure that the benefits of 

advances in fuel cell technologies 

are fully realized, the Program will 

conduct rigorous analysis to quantify 

the energy efficiency, economic, and 

environmental benefits of fuel cells 

across multiple applications and fuel 

sources. These efforts will also seek 

Backup power provided by a fuel cell 

Forklift powered by a fuel cell 

to identify and optimize synergies 

among fuel cell applications and other 

renewable technologies. 

For More Information 

Contact the EERE Information Center
 

1-877-EERE-INF or 1-877-337-3463 or
 

visit www.hydrogenandfuelcells.energy.
 

gov.
 

Prepared by NREL, a national laboratory of the U.S. Department 

of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 

operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. 

DOE/GO-102009-2570 • May 2009 

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 

50% wastepaper, including 10% post consumer waste.