Eco Tech: Carbon Trust’s new £8m competition to hunt for cheaper fuel cell technologies

fuel cell motorcycle concept

Eco Factor: Competition to help develop low-cost fuel cells for mass use.

After demonstrating the feasibility and performance of fuel cells, manufacturers weren’t able to control the cost of the technology that could aid its global adoption. Carbon Trust is trying to help the world with fuel cells that are cheaper and high on performance by launching a new £8m competition that aims to bring down the cost for the mass market.

Wider adoption of fuel cells that produce electricity by converting the chemical energy of fuel such as methanol would save millions of tons of CO2 as they replace polluting power sources. The Polymer Fuel Cell Challenge, as the competition has been named, will shortlist three best new ideas, which will each get up to £1m for further development. The goal is to develop 35% cheaper fuel cells, which will then get £5m funding from the Carbon Trust to develop the technology commercially.

Via: Guardian