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The world is looking to decarbonize its fuel and energy sources,
and clean-burning hydrogen is poised to have a key role in energy
storage. In certain applications where heat is required, hydrogen
can directly replace carbonaceous fuels, such as in natural gas
grids, but in other sectors, it is preferable to convert the
hydrogen’s chemical energy directly into electricity, which is
where fuel cells step in.
It was in 1842 that Sir William Grove, who would later become an
expert on patent law, described the first hydrogen fuel cell. At
the time this included alternating tubes of oxygen and hydrogen
containing platinum foil in contact with dilute sulphuric acid.
Although fuel cell technology has come a long way since then, the
fundamental function…