Techno-Economic Challenges of Fuel Cell Commercialization

随着资源稀缺、气候变化加剧以及污染程度上升等问题的凸显,经济增长需要依赖更加环保、高效的生产过程。燃料电池具有高效和环保的特点,是内燃机和锅炉的理想替代品,也是通向绿色工业的途径。然而,作为一种新的能源技术,燃料电池的市场渗透率仍然不高。本文通过研究生命周期和价值链活动,对燃料电池系统进行了技术经济和环境方面的分析。首先,我们研究了燃料电池的发展进程,根据其生命周期活动、价值链活动以及最终用户验收标准确定了下一阶段需要采取的行动。然后,我们统一了解了燃料电池商业化的制度障碍。最终用户的主要验收标准是功能、价格和可靠性,比起其他同类产品,如内燃机和电池,燃料电池需要在这些标准上有所提升,以凸显其竞争优势。燃料电池的维修和保养费用可能会使成本大幅增加并减小可用性(由于可靠性较低),而成本和可用性是最终用户能否接受的主要因素。因此,为了克服可靠性的障碍,燃料电池产业面临着巨大的挑战。本文深入洞察了过去几年燃料电池商业化面临的主要障碍,讨论了燃料电池在未来绿色低碳经济中的潜在关键作用。文中还提出了未来低碳经济的必要性,并指出了相关的研究方向。以燃料电池为配置的绿色能源可以真正作为未来的商业模式。通过采取绿色公众投资、实行政策举措,为经济增长提供一条更加持续的发展道路,鼓励更多的环保产业投资。

As resource scarcity, extreme climate change, and pollution levels increase, economic growth must rely on more environmentally friendly and efficient production processes, Fuel cells are an ideal alternative to internal combustion （IC） engines and boilers on the path to greener industries because of their high effi- ciency and environmentally friendly operation, However, as a new energy technology, significant market penetration of fuel cells has not yet been achieved, In this paper, we perform a techno-economic and environmental analysis of fuel cell systems using life cycle and value chain activities, First, we investigate the procedure of fuel cell development and identify what activities should he undertaken according to fuel cell life cycle activities, value chain activities, and end-user acceptance criteria, Next, we present a unified learning of the institutional barriers in fuel cell commercialization, The primary end-user accep- tance criteria are function, cost, and reliability; a fuel cell should outperform these criteria compared with its competitors, such as IC engines and batteries, to achieve a competitive advantage, The repair and maintenance costs of fuel cells （due to low reliability） can lead to a substantial cost increase and decrease in availability, which are the major factors for end-user acceptance, The fuel cell industry must face the challenge of how to overcome this reliability barrier, This paper provides a deeper insight into our work over the years on the main barriers to fuel cell commercialization, and discusses the potential pivotal role of fuel cells in a future low-carbon green economy, It also identifies the needs and points out some direc- tions for this future low-carbon economy, Green energy, supplied with fuel cells, is truly the business mode of the future, Striving for a more sustainable development of economic growth by adopting green public investments and implementing policy initiatives encourages environmentally responsible indus- trial investments.