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Energy Storage Technologies for Automotive Applications - Strategic Portfolio Management (Technical Insights)
Frost & Sullivan, Sep 2010, Pages: 55
This research service provides insights on the research and development activities in the industrial and academic environment on the fuel cells used for automotive applications. The research focusses on providing a insights on R&D portfolio and objectives that would enhance prospects for stakeholders in the sector.
This research service titled Energy Storage Technologies for Automotive Applications - Strategic Portfolio Management provides insights on the research and development activities in the industrial and academic environment on fuel cells used for automotive applications. The study evaluates the various fuel cells used as energy storage devices in automotive applications such as cars, buses, trucks, forklifts, golf carts and so on and identifies the emerging fuel cells for automotive applications.
Technology Overview
Multi-pronged Benefits Enable Strong Momentum for Fuel Cells in Automotive Applications
The escalation in demand for clean and green energy storage has motivated industrial and research communities to invest in and employ fuel cells for automotive applications. The demand for energy storage is expected to witness an upswing with electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) gaining increasing traction. Fuel cells have an advantage over conventional batteries as they exhibit appreciable characteristics such as higher energy delivery per volume weight. Fuel cells hold great potential because of their favorable thermo-physical properties. Hydrogen and fuel cell products are being tested and commercially deployed in materials handling, fuelling infrastructure, and transit bus applications. To achieve high uptake of fuel cells in the automotive sector, certain requirements have to be met. These include noiseless operation, lower heat signature, better fuel efficiency, superior acceleration potential compared to similar diesel or gasoline-powered vehicles and on-board electric power generation. “Mass market adoption of fuel cells is expected to depend heavily on the wide availability of hydrogen and governments worldwide have been revamping the hydrogen infrastructure,” notes the analyst of this research service. “Thus in the next 5-7 years, many companies are expected to produce hydrogen and thus mutually benefit R&D efforts on fuel cell technologies.”
Although the prospects for the market are upbeat, there are some challenges curtailing market progression. Efficiency optimization in fuel cells, poor chemical reaction in these cells, hydrogen storage, and water management are some of the key challenges in the industrial sector. The efficiency of a fuel cell is generally a major issue because low efficiency results in high cost of production. Ongoing research activities on efficiency improvement will aid in reducing the cost of fuel cells. For instance, use of nanocatalysts enhances fuel cell efficiency. Heat management is another criterion that will affect the performance of fuel cells. Alumina coatings can be utilized to provide strong insulation and protect sensitive electronics, resolving the issues with heat management. However, it would take about 5-7 years to identify a suitable insulation material for such fuel cells. The high cost of electrodes such as platinum electrodes is a major impediment hampering the R&D efforts of stakeholders in this field. The use of titanium dioxide instead of platinum is likely to help in improving the performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and thus circumvent the challenge. Better performance of PEM fuel cells will promote its usability in a wide range of automotive applications.
The immediate need of the market is to concentrate on developing fuel cell energy storage devices for automobiles that will generate early revenue streams, cultivate investor confidence, and ensure consumer acceptance. “Investor and OEMs venturing into the production of PEM fuel cells have to shift their focus from incentives to production cost as they enter the commercial phase,” says the analyst. “Companies must ascertain the availability of economical supplies of platinum for use as a catalyst and hydrogen to power PEM fuel cells to successfully implement PEM fuel cells in automobile applications.”
Technologies
The following technologies are covered in this research:
- Fuel cell
- Proton exchange membrane fuel cell
- Solid oxide fuel cell
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