Sunlight striking silicon cells generates electrons, which the silver conductors collect to become a useful electric current. While there has been speculation about the use of silver in fuel cells, experts at the U.S. Department of Energy and throughout the industry generally view silver as an unlikely metal for this application. Fuel cells differ from other chemical batteries in two major respects. One is that they can operate continuously, without being stopped for recharging, so long as their active materials are supplied from an external source. The other is that their electrolyte remains chemically unchanged during operation.
Fuel cells require catalysts that become active at or near room temperature.
Current research focuses on platinum, which is active at low temperatures, but is extremely costly. Silver requires higher temperatures, which makes it less likely for this application. The United States is one of the largest manufacturer of batteries worldwide and currently consumes approximately 4.2 million ounces of silver for that purpose. Japan is also a leading producer of batteries, and is estimated to consume an additional 2.0 million ounces for their manufacture.