Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 - 2025)

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 12.6% over the period of 2020-2025.Methanol as fuel is inexpensive, has relatively high energy density, and can be easily transported and stored. These advantages have encouraged investment in DMFC technology and are expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Moreover, DMFC power units for material handling vehicles are one of the applications which have currently gained significant popularity. However, declining lithium-ion battery prices and an increase in the lithium-ion battery-based application is likely to restrain the growth of the lead-acid battery market in the coming years.

• The direct methanol fuel cell is still under development phase, but DMFCs find application in areas of modest power requirements, such as portable power packs, mobile electronic devices or chargers, and the transport sector. The growth in demand and technological advancement of consumer electronic likely to drive the market during the forecast period.
• The direct methanol fuel cell DMFCs eliminates the need for charging infrastructure for the battery. Moreover, methanol as a fuel is inexpensive, has relatively high energy density, and can be easily transported and stored within the warehouse which likely to support the market. This in turn likely to provide the opportunity to dominate the market in the coming future.
• Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the direct methanol fuel cell market., with the majority of the demand coming from China, Japan, and India.

Key Market Trends

Technological Advancements are Expected to Drive the Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Market

• Fuel cells are currently one of the most efficient technologies that convert fuel to electricity. Fuel cells are used in a wide range of applications, including transport and emergency backup power applications. Direct methanol fuel cell is still in the development phase and expected to cover major share in the fuel cell market.
• A conventional combustion-based power plant generates electricity at efficiencies of 33% to 35%, while direct methanol fuel cells can generate electricity at efficiencies up to 60% and even higher with co-generation. Fuel cells are expected to be a major driver of distributed power, allowing homes and businesses to generate/produce their energy efficiently, as, and when, required.
• The traditional emission reduction technologies related to the internal combustion engine have become too outdated to meet the current emission regulations. As a result, the automotive industry is moving towards cleaner sources of fuel, such as fuel cells and batteries, to power vehicles.
• DMFC is gaining momentum, especially in China, where it is already used as a fuel. Weltmeister is also developing a fuel cell car using a DMFC. Moreover, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 28 hydrogen and fuel cell R&D projects, which also include DMFC, as an initiative to produce and use hydrogen across multiple energy sectors. As a result, government initiatives and private sector investments are expected to drive the development of technology for wide adoption in the market.
• DMFC has been acting as the dicrect substitute to the electric vehicles which are experiencing a boom in the global market especially in China and India. The sales of EVs has been increasing over the study period and is expected to continue the similar trend over the forecast period.
• This, in turn, technological advancement in direct methanol fuel cell likely to drive the market studied during the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific to Dominate the Market

• Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the direct methanol fuel cell market, with the majority of the demand coming from China, Japan, and India.
• The Asia-Pacific is one of the promising regional markets for DMFC in the coming years, on account of the government’s policies in the region, that are driving the clean energy usage.
• In 2018, Hyundai Motor and Beijing-Tsinghua Industrial R&D Institute (BTIRDI), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), to establish a Energy Fund of value USD 100 million, to support the adopting of fuel cell vehicle in China, which is likely to drive the market for DMFC in China, during the forecast period.
• In 2018, two major Chinese automakers, FAW Group Corp. and Dongfeng Motor announced plans developing joint innovation centre, focusing on smart connectivity, fuel cells, and lightweight technologies.
• Moreover, favorable government policies for clean fuel in the region along with the growing number of public-private partnership projects are expected to augment DMFC usage in the various industry because DMFC has relatively high energy density and can be easily transported and stored. The growing number of FMCG industries owing to increasing FDI will propel industry expansion over the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

The direct methanol fuel cell market is moderately consolidated. Some of the key players in this market include Blue World Technologies, fischer group GmbH, Roland Gumpert, SerEnergy A/S, AIWAYS, GenCell Energy and others.

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