Fuel Cells

Ever-increasing power consumption, environmental concerns and a heavy reliance on foreign oil are driving the need for cleaner, more efficient energy alternatives in the US and China. PIDC is working with renewable energy and alternative energy companies focused on Fuel Cells and Hydrogen. Principia Partners, a market research firm focused on materials-based companies, projects that the entire fuel cell market could reach US$20 billion by 2010, creating an estimated demand for specialty materials of US$ 1.1 billion.

Fuel cells are devices that convert the chemical energy in a fuel directly into electrical energy. In the case of stationary applications, these “mini power plants” primarily transform hydrocarbon-containing fuels, such as natural gas, propane and gasoline, into hydrogen, which is then processed with oxygen from the air to generate electricity. Because fuel cells rely on electrochemistry rather than combustion, they virtually eliminate the pollutants normally associated with today’s power stations.

Passage of the 2005 Energy Policy Act sets up a new decade of commitment to fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies. PIDC develops innovative materials and nanopowder formulations for fuel cells, so that soon automotive (mobile) fuel cells and fuel cells for stationary power generation will be a reality.

No other energy generating technology combines the benefits that fuel cells offer, including high efficiencies; high-quality power; flexibility; quiet operation; simplicity (no moving parts), as well as modularity and scalability. These advantages can assure superior reliability, easy maintenance and the ability to accommodate specialized applications. As a result, fuel cells can be scaled to suitably address a wide variety of stationary, portable and transportation applications.

PIDC’s high performance materials are designed to meet the evolving needs of fuel-cell developers. The Company uses its technical resources and laboratories to optimize materials according to individual fuel-cell makers required formulations.