1. Hydrogen Storage Technologies
Long-term commercialization approach
with first products first
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies
Manufacturing R&D Workshop
Washington, DC
Glenn Rambach
August 11, 2011

2. Objective
• Perspective from providers of small, portable PEM fuel cell
power systems
• Relationship between successes in small fuel cell system
markets and the enhancement of future, more challenging
markets for larger systems.
• How this can be aided by DOE supported R&D in hydrogen
storage systems, combined with the market-driven maturation of
system components.

3. First-markets-first premise
• Hydrogen will be a key element in a long-term, secure, sustainable
energy economy.
• Small fuel cell systems can accelerate the commercialization of
component technologies that will be needed for automotive and
larger applications.
• Early revenue from selling products with 1cm2, 100 cm2, 1000cm2
of MEAs and bipolar plates will necessarily improve component
performance, cost and service life, in turn benefiting future
automotive and larger applications requiring 200,000cm2 each.
• Energy supply is critical to success of small fuel cell systems, and
as such any improvement in hydrogen storage technologies can
have a corresponding increase in market growth for the systems.

4. Paths of least 
Early markets and startup companies
need to find lowest resistance paths to
profitability.
Lowering the difficulty in providing new
fuel cell products helps in defining early
products and applications.

5. Potential market area for fuel cells (or
other power plants).
Defined by peak power vs. cost per unit
power capacity (W vs. $/kW) for typical
applications currently satisfied by legacy
technologies.

6. Transit
Auto bus
Telecom
Fork backup
Less difficult (smaller units)
lift
2-cycle
scooter Portable
generator
Wheelchair
Strategic portable
Educational device
Less difficult (cost tolerant market)
Retail A

7. Range of all application sizes
Transit and specific costs that can be
bus
Auto
Telecom commercially satisfied with fuel
Fork backup
Less difficult (smaller units)
lift cells and hydrogen. Many
2-cycle
scooter Portable
applications omitted for clarity.
generator
Wheelchair
Strategic portable
Educational device
Less difficult (cost tolerant market)
Retail A

8. Power vs. cost per unit power helps
show the market space for fuel cell
power plants.
Less difficult (cost tolerant market)

9. Power vs. cost per unit power helps
show the market space for fuel cell
power plants.
Gas/diesel in
generator Propane in
generator
Energy vs. cost per unit energy can help
show the potential market space forBA55 series
batteries
hydrogen storage/delivery systems.
AA battery

10. Auto – energy at wheels
Less difficult (smaller units) $2.50 - $5.00/gal at pump
10 – 25 gal tank
Auto 2:1 efficiency ratio, FC:ICE
Gas/diesel in
generator Propane in
generator
Strategic
portable
BA55 series
batteries
Less difficult (cost tolerant market)
AA battery

11. Auto
Develop and commercialize
high-cost/low-power hydrogen
Gas/diesel in fuel cell systems early.
generator Propane in
generator
Strategic
portable
BA55 series
batteries
AA battery

12. Auto
Develop and commercialize
high-cost/low-power hydrogen
Gas/diesel in fuel cell systems early.
generator Propane in
generator
Strategic
portable
Move up market by combining
commercial maturation with BA55 series
government-funded development batteries
AA battery

13. Auto
DOE R&D can help industry by
enabling new technology
choices and improving on
DOE R&D can develop technologies hydrogen sources for current,
that compete in the very challenging revenue producing products.
areas of cost, density, service life,
codes and standards, temperature, BA55 series
infrastructure, etc. batteries
AA battery

14. For applications below, there are
hydrogen storage technologies
with energy density, specific
Auto energy, cost and availability good
enough for early markets.
DOE R&D can help industry by
enabling new technology
choices and improving on
DOE R&D can develop technologies hydrogen sources for current,
that compete in the very challenging revenue producing products.
areas of cost, density, service life,
codes and standards, temperature, BA55 series
infrastructure, etc. batteries
AA battery

15. Energy quantity and cost per kWh of electricity from:
• Generator – 20-25% efficient, $2.50 to $5.00/gallon
Less difficult (smaller units) • Battery wholesale prices
Auto • fuel cell system – 45% efficient, mfg cost + margin
Strategic
portable
Gas/diesel in
generator Propane in
generator
BA55 series
batteries
Less difficult (cost tolerant market)
AA battery

16. Hydrogen mass and cost per kg to replace legacy uses:
• Generator – 20-25% efficient, $2.50 to $5.00/gallon
• Battery wholesale prices
• fuel cell system – 45% efficient, mfg cost + margin
Auto
Strategic
portable
Gas/diesel in
generator Propane in
generator
BA55 series
batteries
AA battery

17. Hydrogen storage that’s good enough for commercialization
For small fuel cell systems
• Properties good enough
for commercial sales,
given the right market.
• Early revenue
• Packageable
• Supply chain
• Engineerable cartridge!
• Improveable
• Solid chemical hydride
• New, better technology
Chemical
can expand market hydride

18. DOE support needed for small fuel cell
systems and hydrogen storage
• Resource SME and data bank for industry access to most
current and relevant C&S, safety practices, safety
technologies.
• Accelerate the availability of cost effective hydrogen safety
components.

19. Thank you.