Technology



Energy today must be efficient, reliable, affordable... and clean!

Fuel cell systems provide ideal solutions for many applications, especially in interim and
backup power. They offer a significant opportunity to reduce energy costs, as well as
increase the energy efficiency of industry players.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. With fuel and oxygen, electricity,
water and heat are generated. Compared with a lead battery, a fuel cell can not be ‘empty’,
it runs as long as fuel and oxygen are supplied. This means that fuel cell systems are in many
applications more durable and reliable than conventional lead batteries.

FutureE uses Polymer-Electrolyte-Membrane (PEM)-fuel cells, well known in the automotive industry.
The cells consist of two electrodes (anode and cathode), which are mounted on both sides of the
firm PEM electrolyte. Oxygen, or air, is passed to the cathode, hydrogen to the anode, generating
electricity, water and heat. To achieve higher performance, several fuel cells are arranged in a
series – which is then also known as a fuel cell stack.

Just as the parts of a combustion engine drive the engine block, the fuel cell system supplies
the stack with hydrogen and air, and conducts the resulting electricity and heat. The reliability
and economic life of a fuel cell stack is determined by the system and the operational plan.