Fuel cell stack.

Developing fuel cell technologies for distributed energy generation

CSIRO plays a leading role in developing fuel cell technologies that will provide innovative power options for stationary, mobile and transport applications.

• 1 December 2005 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Overview
• Skills and experience
• Implementation
• Facilities

Overview

CSIRO is at the forefront of fuel cell research.

Fuel cells are an environmentally friendly technology that converts fossil fuel or hydrogen to electricity and heat with high efficiency, low pollution and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Skills and experience

CSIRO uses the following skills, knowledge and capabilities to develop fuel cell technology:

• solid state ionics
• electrochemistry/interfacial science/electrocatalysis
• electrode and electrolyte synthesis
• electronic ceramics and composites
• polymer chemistry
• microfluidics
• microtechnology
• device design, prototyping and manufacturing
• materials characterisation and processing.

Implementation

Our research focuses on developing commercially competitive micro and advanced fuel cell concepts that will position Australia to compete in the global fuel cell market.

CSIRO has capabilities in various areas of micro and advanced polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell technology including:

• membrane electrode assembly fabrication
• stacking technology to construct stacks to several kWe
• building of test stations to multi kWe capacity
• operation and testing of fuel cell stacks
• development and integration of safety systems for safe operation.

CSIRO has developed working prototypes of both hydrogen- and methanol-powered micro PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cells and aims to have commercial versions ready for market before 2010.

CSIRO has been developing advanced ceramics and the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology for numerous years, leading to the establishment in 1992 of the CSIRO spin-off company, Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd. CSIRO contributed to the research and development (R&D) program of the company for a number of years following its inception.

We are now collaborating with a number of companies in the area of SOFC component development.

Facilities

CSIRO has state-of-the-art facilities for the development and testing of fuel cells:

• Fabrication: membrane electrode assemblies, fuel cell stacks, ceramic and powder processing equipment and up-scaling tape casting and screen printing facilities; metal and ceramic coating preparation equipment
• Test stations: for evaluation of fuel cell stacks, micro fuel cells, hydrogen generation systems, oxygen separation devices with built-in multiple safety redundancy
• Electrochemical diagnostic techniques: fully automated conductivity stations; electrochemical analysis tools; equipment for screening/development of materials for fuel cells
• Characterisation: access to a range of materials characterisation techniques.

Learn about CSIRO's work in Materials.