What technical issues must be addressed to overcome barriers to commercialization of fuel cells?
Important technical issues that need to be addressed include the development of fuel cell products that use lower-cost materials, contaminant-tolerant materials, easily manufactured materials, and materials amenable to fuel flexibility. In addition to these material concerns, manufacturing processes must be developed that will allow inexpensive, high-volume manufacturing of fuel cell products. It is expected that fuel cell systems will be constructed at sizes that would allow manufacturing cost reduction through economies of volume (not economies of scale). Innovative reformers and/or innovations that reduce the cost of traditional fuel reformation technologies are needed for fuel flexibility. In addition, the advancement of fuel cell systems—including high efficiency fuel cells, cogeneration technologies, and hybrid fuel cell heat engine technologies—that could offer additional consumer benefits is needed. Lastly, the majority of plant items—such as pumps, valves, piping, controls, an
